Theology

Having reflected on the first section of the Creed which deals with “God the Father almighty", this episode offers a brief summary of what has been said thus far and then turns its attention towards introducing the next two most significant doctrines that are contained in the Creed, namely, those concerning the Son of God and the Spirit of God. A deeper study of these two central doctrines (i.e. Christology and Pneumatology) will be the subject of several podcasts that will follow.

In this episode, Dr. Kariatlis investigates the meaning of the phrase "maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible," endeavouring to explain why these words were incorporated into the Creed. He then gives a basic outline of the Orthodox teaching on creation, raising some of the more important aspects of the doctrine and reflecting on its significance for us today.

What is it that we are saying when we confess that God is our heavenly Father? Dr. Kariatlis continues his reflection on the first article of faith in the Creed, showing that in calling God "Father" we are essentially saying something about us—namely, that we are God’s adoptive children called to share by grace the very same relationship that God has from all eternity with his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

Dr. Kariatlis examines the opening phrase of the Creed—"I believe"—and in so doing reveals the extent to which the term "faith" has become so misunderstood in today's society where it has come to mean "a lower form of knowledge." This episode demonstrates that, far from carrying with it a degree of uncertainty, faith, understood as trust, is the means by which we come to know God with certitude in a real and personal way.

Dr. Kariatlis briefly examines the historical context in which the Creed first emerged. In so doing, he sets the scene for a better appreciation of its content, which will be analysed in future podcasts.

What is The Creed? What do we mean when we say that The Creed is the standard of faith? In what way is The Creed relevant to us today? Dr. Phil answers these questions and more on today's episode.

All too often in modern society today, theology is compared to the sciences (academic disciplines) where the latter very often see no relevance for the former. Dr Kariatlis examines the different approaches that the Fathers of the Church took regarding the relationship between these two domains in order to suggest an approach for today.

Dr. Kariatlis traces the origins of the term "theology" throughout the centuries, not only to demonstrate its predominantly existential character but also to help us recover its proper meaning for today.

Dr. Phil explains the title of the podcast and defines the term "theology."