The Orthodox Study Bible: The Councils

The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy,Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.

Purchased from my employer, the Canadian Bible Society @ Cafe Logos, Vancouver.

This text review continues...

Five sources of Christian tradition (iv)

(3) The Councils (v)

(Paraphrased)

The text describes a council as a meeting of those in the Church that have been given the authority to decide what theology and doctrine is faithful to the tradition of the Church and what is not. (v).

Here as a theologian and philosopher of religion within Protestant, Reformed, Mennonite, evangelical traditions, I can read a difference in emphasis on this point.

Moderately conservative to conservative churches within these 'Protestant' (Mennonites often consider themselves other) traditions would state something more along of the lines of...

...those in the Church that by the Holy Spirit have been given the authority to decide what theology and doctrine is faithful to the scripture and the Bible, and what is not.

Protestant, Reformed, Mennonite conservative (degrees of) churches would tend to emphasize biblical adherence over faithfulness to tradition.

I reason this does not, having reviewed this text so far, mean the Orthodox Church is not biblical or even necessarily, less biblical, but this difference in emphasis would certainly at times create theological tension, and perhaps misunderstanding between, in broad terms Orthodoxy and Protestantism.

The text is historically accurate that the Christian Church has had many councils over the centuries and things have been resolved in creeds and canons. (v-vi).

Indeed, someone within Protestantism should rightly admit that what is actually bible was agreed by the Church as canon.

From this website archives:

H.D. McDonald explains that God is considered the authority behind the New Testament. God has revealed himself, and therefore the revelation is a key to the Biblical authority. McDonald (1996: 139).

J.R. McRay notes that the earliest list of New Testament books with the current twenty-seven appeared in A.D. 367, in a letter to Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria. McRay (1996: 141). McRay writes that the formation of the New Testament canon did not come from a council. The council of Nicea in 325 did not discuss canon. McRay (1996: 141). At Carthage in 397 the council deemed the twenty-seven books canon, and that nothing else would be considered New Testament divine Scripture. These twenty-seven books were regarded by consensus as canon. McRay (1996: 141).

W.R.F. Browning explains that canon comes from the Greek word for 'rule' or 'standard'. In both the Old and New Testaments canon formation was gradual and controversial. Browning (1996: 57). Browning notes some New Testament era books were quoted by Church Fathers, although the texts were not canonized. Browning (1996: 57). Jesus Christ's teachings and story was passed along in oral tradition and then eventually written down in the Four Gospels, and sidelined rival versions. Browning (1996: 57). The Epistles from Apostles and their scribes were preserved by the churches and soon formed a collection along with the Gospels. Browning (1996: 57).
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The text under review also explains that 'canon' comes from the Greek 'kanon' which means ruler or yardstick. Something to measure what is normative for the Church. (vi)

Revelation from God has taken place in the Hebrew Bible and New Testament books to the people of God, and what is scripture is verified and determined by the Church as canon; therefore, whether Orthodox or Protestant, indeed tradition and bible do work together in Christian Church, faith, theology and philosophy.

There is differences in emphasis between biblical Orthodoxy and biblical Protestantism.

Personally, I very much acknowledge the use of scripture and have never been one to rely much on the use of creeds and tradition. However, I do acknowledge the validity of creeds and tradition when biblical, as can be understood based on my writings. My educational and ministry background places more importance on philosophical theology and philosophy of religion (examining religious and philosophical truth, from outside the bible, while still submitting to the scripture as the ultimate, documented, spiritual authority) as opposed to primarily seeking creeds and tradition for my religious and philosophical education.

But this is just an emphasis...

BROWNING, W.R.F. (1997) Oxford Dictionary of the Bible, Oxford, Oxford University Press. 

MCDONALD, H.D. (1996) ‘Bible, Authority of', in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.

MCRAY, J.R. (1996) ‘Bible, Canon of', in Walter A. Elwell (ed.), Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.