Photograph: Boston’s Copley Library.
Introduction
The Theology from Nicaea Study Guide introduces the beginner to the Nicene Creed and also engages the experienced student of theology. It addresses, as we mentioned in Problems in Western Theology, why John Calvin especially — and to various degrees Martin Luther, Jacob Arminius, and John Wesley — all put forward the notion that divine justice is retributive, not restorative, and therefore Jesus’ atonement was a Penal Substitution, not a Medical Substitution.
While this Study Guide shares some material with the section of our website on God’s Goodness, there are some differences. God’s Goodness explores God’s Triune nature in the biblical story, and how we respond to God. The Theology from Nicaea Study Guide highlights the meaning of the Nicene Creed and the split between Eastern and Western Christian traditions, starting with Augustine of Hippo.