We Believe: 1700 Years since Nicaea

04. On the Son of God

This episode of We Believe unpacks the phrase from the Nicene Creed, “We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father.” I contrast pagan myths of divine sons—often immoral, localized, and historically ungrounded—with the unique, virtuous, and historical reality of Jesus. Pagan legends reflected a longing for a divine representative, but only Christ fulfilled that longing as the true, eternal Son who enters human history, not by lust or legend, but through miraculous incarnation and perfect love. I then explore what it means for Jesus to be the "only-begotten" and "eternally begotten" Son. Unlike adopted or created sons, Christ shares the Father’s divine nature eternally. His Sonship is the basis for our adoption, the clearest revelation of the Father, the model of faithful obedience, and the anchor of our allegiance. Drawing from Scripture and the Church Fathers, the episode emphasizes that Jesus is not just a son of God, but the eternal Son—true God from true God. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saintsandsociety.substack.com [https://saintsandsociety.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

03. On the Father

Episode Summary: In this episode of We Believe, I take a deep dive into the first line of the Nicene Creed: We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible. We begin by addressing the phrasing—I believe or we believe—and how both are historically accurate. Then we move into the challenge posed by thinkers like Ludwig Feuerbach and Nietzsche, who argued that belief in God is just projection—that humans invented God like they invented Superman, to represent their highest ideals. But the human need to believe in something beyond ourselves hasn't gone away, even in a secular age. C.S. Lewis helps us see that maybe our thirst for the divine isn't something we made up—but a sign that something real exists to quench it. From there, we explore what the Creed means when it says God is One, the Father, the Almighty, and the Maker. That God is One means He is the only God—He is not just the highest power, but the only true anchor we can trust. That He is Father means He’s not just distant and powerful, but personal, relational, and eternally loving. That He is Almighty reminds us that God is both good and great. And that He is the Maker of all means there is no such thing as a purely secular space—everything visible and invisible, spiritual and physical, was created by God and belongs to Him. All of this means your life is not an accident, and neither is your longing for purpose. You were made by a God who is knowable, powerful, loving, and good—and the Creed invites you to stake your whole life on that truth. Topics Covered: * The meaning and significance of the phrase “We believe” in the Nicene Creed * The theory that God is a projection of human ideals * The persistent human need to believe in a higher power * The biblical and theological foundations for the oneness of God * The Fatherhood of God in relation to the Son and to humanity * The unique Christian teaching of God as both personal and relational * The implications of God’s Almightiness for daily trust and worship * The doctrine of God as Creator of both the spiritual and material worlds and its challenge to materialism and Gnosticism Connect with us: * Website: saintsandsociety.com [http://saintsandsociety.com/] * Youtube: youtube.com/@SaintsandSociety [https://www.youtube.com/@SaintsandSociety] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saintsandsociety.substack.com [https://saintsandsociety.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

02. On Nicaea

Episode Summary: This episode takes a hard look at what really happened at the Council of Nicaea. A lot of people today think it was just a political power grab or a smoke-filled backroom deal to control doctrine. But that’s not what happened. The council was made up of bishops who had been persecuted, tortured, and exiled—men with missing eyes, crippled hands, and deep scars. These weren’t men trying to gain power; they were men who had already paid the price for following Christ. And when they gathered at Nicaea, their aim wasn’t control—it was clarity. They came to settle the question: Is Jesus truly God? We also dive into Arius—not as a cartoon villain, but as a real, complex figure. He was sincere, persuasive, and trying to preserve God’s oneness, but in doing so, he denied the full divinity of Christ. The episode traces how Alexander and Athanasius stood against his teaching, not because they wanted to win a fight, but because they knew what was at stake. The Nicene Creed didn’t come out of nowhere; it was the Church’s response to a real theological crisis. And remarkably, this creed united Christians across geography, language, and culture. It still does. That’s why it matters today—because it gives us words to confess who Jesus is and ties us to 2,000 years of faithful witness. Topics Covered: The historical and religious climate leading up to the Council of Nicaea The theological controversy sparked by Arius’s teachings Common myths and misconceptions about the Council of Nicaea Alexander of Alexandria’s central role in confronting Arius The doctrinal distinctions between orthodox Christianity, Arianism, and Modalism (Sabellianism) How the Council of Nicaea clarified the doctrines of Christ's deity and the Trinity The ecumenical nature of the council and its nearly unanimous agreement on the Nicene Creed The ongoing struggle between Arians and Nicene Christians after the council The modern relevance of the Nicene Creed for Christian unity, identity, and faithful practice today Connect with us: Website: saintsandsociety.com [http://saintsandsociety.com/] Youtube: youtube.com/@SaintsandSociety [https://www.youtube.com/@SaintsandSociety] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saintsandsociety.substack.com [https://saintsandsociety.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

01. On the Necessity of the Creed

Episode Summary: What does it truly mean to be a Christian? In this foundational episode, I tackle one of the most basic questions of Christianity: What must you believe to rightly call yourself a Christian? We'll explore the necessity of creeds, the limits of individual interpretation, and how the Nicene Creed stands as a time-tested rule of faith—a guide that helps distinguish Christian orthodoxy from heresy. We'll survey the concept of Church consensus, walk through the biblical and historical basis for a "rule of faith," and see why creeds still matter in a modern world flooded with theological confusion. Topics Covered: - Why every Christian already has a creed (even if unspoken) - The difference between personal creeds and Church-wide creeds - Why doctrine does matter—even though salvation is by grace - The limits of private interpretation and the need for boundaries - What the “Rule of Faith” is and how the Church historically used it - Vincent of Lérins and the threefold test: "everywhere, always, and by all" - How the Nicene Creed emerged as the most universally accepted expression of Christian belief - How the Creed protects believers from heresy—even today - Why knowing the Creed is a form of discipleship, not dead tradition Connect with us: - Website: saintsandsociety.com [http://saintsandsociety.com] - Youtube: youtube.com/@SaintsandSociety [https://www.youtube.com/@SaintsandSociety] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saintsandsociety.substack.com [https://saintsandsociety.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

COMING SOON! We Believe: 1700 Years since Nicaea

For 1700 years, Christians have held the Nicene Creed as the shared summary and rule of their faith. To mark this anniversary, We Believe walks through the Creed in 14 episodes, with the hope that you’ll come to understand and treasure the faith more deeply—and see just how relevant it remains for us today. We Believe is coming May 26, 2025 and will be available on major podcasting platforms as well as on Youtube at youtube.com/@SaintsandSociety [https://www.youtube.com/@SaintsandSociety]. Created by Joshua Rodriguez at SaintsandSociety.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit saintsandsociety.substack.com [https://saintsandsociety.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]