Lesson 8: The Confessional Horizon
Review
- What Is the Confessional Horizon?
- Definition: The horizon that that studies the history of Christian interpretation of Scripture
- Goal: to employ centuries of Christian thought to shape our interpretation of the Bible and protect us from error
- Why Is the Confessional Horizon Important?
- Biblical principles commend it.
- Using Rich Resources to Discover and Discuss the Confessional Horizon
- Identify markers: read and reference creeds, confessions, and catechisms.
- Read
- General: Memorize the Apostles Creed.
- Daily: Go through one section of a confession, also reading the Scriptures referenced there.
- Reference
- Creeds: Especially when studying the person and work of Jesus, read the description of his nature in the Nicene or Chalcedonian Creeds.
- Confessions and catechisms: When you come across a topic of systematic theology, turn to a section of a confession or a catechism that summarizes it.
- Ask mentors: read and reference great Christian authors from the past.
- Read a few pages a day from a great work of the past.
- Reference the work when studying Scripture (search for verse references and biblical themes).
The Five Horizons Cheat SheetpdfThis cheat sheet summarizes each horizon: its goal, and the steps required to study it (e.g. the microscope and telescope questions).
Going Further
The following resources will provide you with additional inspiration and insight with regards to the use of historical theology in Bible study.
Reeves narrates the life of some of the most prominent writers in church history, comments in some depth on their most noteworthy works, and gives advice on how to read them.
Not only does Needham tell the story of church history, but he also ends each chapter with extensive quotations from important primary sources.
