“Jesus is 100% God and 100% man — and that truth was hammered into history at Chalcedon.”

Tyler and Virginia wrap up the Creeds section of their series on Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms by tackling two of the most detailed and precise doctrinal statements in church history — the Chalcedonian Definition (451 AD) and the Athanasian Creed (5th–6th century).

From the debates over Christ’s two natures, to the Athanasian Creed’s bold claims about salvation, to why these ancient words still steady our faith today, this episode explores how the early church gave us enduring language for confessing Christ as fully God and fully man — and why that still matters.

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🧭 Episode Breakdown
0:00:00 – Opening banter: toenails, cleats, and family life
0:05:25 – Introducing the Chalcedonian & Athanasian Creeds
0:06:19 – Setting the stage: councils after Nicaea
0:08:04 – Heresies about Christ’s nature (Nestorianism & Eutychianism)
0:13:34 – Pope Leo’s “Tome” and the Robber Council
0:19:02 – The Council of Chalcedon (451 AD)
0:23:41 – The Chalcedonian Definition explained
0:37:01 – Why Christ’s two natures matter for salvation
0:41:57 – The Athanasian Creed: origins & purpose
0:47:32 – Trinitarian precision and salvation warnings
1:12:23 – Why these creeds still matter today
1:25:16 – Closing reflections & preview of what’s next

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✏️ Key Takeaways

• The Chalcedonian Definition defended Christ’s two complete natures — fully God and fully man, united without confusion.
• The Athanasian Creed is the most detailed statement on the Trinity and insists that salvation depends on rightly confessing God.
• Early church debates about Christology (heresies like Apollinarianism and Arianism) still shape how we understand the gospel.
• Creeds are not just historical artifacts — they’re still used in worship, evangelism, and discipleship today.
• Knowing these foundations strengthens our faith and guards us against shallow or distorted views of Jesus.

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🔗 Boles of Life Ad Links

• Contact Virginia for Nutrition Counseling

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📚 Resources & Mentions

• Miaphysitism (Wikipedia)
• Theology of the Oriental Orthodox Churches (Wikipedia)
• Chalcedonian Definition (Wikipedia)
• Early Creeds Overview (CRI Voice)
• Definition of Chalcedon (PDF)
• Council of Chalcedon (Monergism)
• Catholic Encyclopedia: Athanasian Creed (New Advent)
• Athanasian Creed (Wikipedia)
• The Athanasian Creed Explained (Ligonier Ministries)

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📌 Next Episode
Episode 5 → Moving into the Confessions: The Augsburg Confession and why it sparked a Reformation.

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❤️ Thanks for listening to the Boles of Life Podcast, where we explore the messy adventures of faith, family, and food.

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