If you are into church history then you will love this book. I actually did find this interesting. I have wondered about the Creeds. We don’t say them in our church but I remember some of them from my younger years. I actually found and app that has creeds and there is power in them. Why have we walked away from these powerful traditions? I know for me I think it because it can be ritualistic but there is something refreshing in going back to these creeds.

It was very interesting to read how these came to be and how they have dissipated through the years.

If you don’t enjoy church history you probably won’t like this book but if that intrigues you it might be right up your ally.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Growing up in a non-liturgical church, the Church’s creeds and confessions did not play a role in my faith. As I have grown into Reformed theology, I have come to appreciate the value and significance of creeds and confessions in the rhythm of church life and my own faith. I was pleased to receive a copy of John V. Fesko’s The Need for Creeds Today from Baker Books to explore the role and need for creeds a little bit more.
Fesko is mainly concerned in this book to address those who, under the influence of Western individualism, have dismissed the need or even the propriety of creeds and confessions. His tone and topic suggest that he is writing for a theologically attuned lay audience, although he uses extensive citations and introduces his argument in a formal manner. He writes to defend the thesis, “confessions of faith are therefore necessary for both the being (esse) and the well -being (bene esse) of the church.” The book takes up this task over five chapters. In Chapter 1, Fesko argues that the Bible mandates the creation of confessions of faith. In Chapter 2, Fesko considers the development of confessions in the Reformation and post-Reformation period, elucidating the processes and complexities involved in their creation. Chapter 3 considers several reasons for the apparent decline of confessionalism. These include the association of confessionalism with war, individualism, scepticism, and the Enlightenment with all its social implications. After answering these charges, Fesko then argues for the advantages of confessions in chapter 4: they distinguish heresy from orthodoxy, create room for a diversified orthodoxy, and codify the church’s historical witness. Chapter 5 ends with a story from the Synod of Dort, arguing for the need for piety in the process of the creation of confessions.

I came away from The Need for Creeds Today with mixed feelings. It does several things quite well and others not so well. Chapters 2-4 helpfully illustrate the complexities of historic confession making and will be eye-opening for many readers, serving to tear down caricatures of Reformed confessions. Fesko also shows why many of the common objections to confessions are not persuasive and the genuine good that confessions achieve. For the reader who thinks that confessions are antithetical to evangelical and Biblical faith, this will indeed be helpful.

On the other hand, the first chapter does not, in my opinion, demonstrate a Biblical mandate for the creation of confessions. The passages Fesko puts forth are undoubtedly consistent with creed creation, but the Old Testament passages (Exod 13:14-15; Deut 6:4-6) are more relevant for intrafamily discipleship than a formal creedal process. Fesko’s argument from the passages in Paul’s writings where he uses πιστὸς ὁ λόγος (pistos ho logos, “the statement is trustworthy”; 1 Tim 1:15, 3:1, 4:-9; 2 Tim 2:11-13; Titus 3:4-8) involves a lot of assumptions which are far from self-evident. In short, I don’t think the sayings introduced with pistos ho logos can be used to argue for a creedal mandate. Fesko also takes several shots at one of my favourite theologians, John Frame, which hardly do justice to his thought (see The Doctrine of the Christian Life for an example of his use of the creeds and confessions). Finally, what I perceive to be the biggest issue with creeds and confessions in the contemporary Church is not addressed. Namely, what sort of authority do the creeds possess for those who confess sola Scriptura? An answer to this question is not easy and yet necessary if we are to use confessions in a formal context. Also, chapter 5 felt like an excursus less than a proper contribution to the argument.

For the reader wanting a perspective on the positive value of confessions for the Church, The Need for Creeds Today will be helpful. For those wrestling with the role of creeds and confessions in liturgy, personal faith, and denominational structures, Fesko’s book will not provide much guidance.

I enjoyed reading this book because I also feel that Creeds are important in todays church. I am not a biblical scholar so there were times where I was a little lost on some of the interpretations of scripture (which could be because I don't know the context of the scripture). I grew up in a church that always declared creeds during the service, since then I have found some of the churches I've been to have less focus on them. I liked the format of the book and made it straight forward and more of a lecture style format. I respect Fesko for writing this book because I know it could lead to some discussions. However, I believe that's a good thing because that is how we grow as Christians by having these conversations and learning why we believe what we believe. Worth the read and definitely give yourself time to study what is being said.

For some, confessionalism and the use of creeds creates controversy and supplants the doctrine of sola Scriptura. Many in the Western world distrust tradition. If asked, a large portion of believers could not describe the theological tradition of the church they attend.

Dr. Fesko succinctly argues for the continued use of confessions as they are "necessary for both the being and the well-being of the church." Fesko claims Scripture teaches the church to create confessions and argues this in the first chapter. The author details the biblical grounds by surveying Exodus 13:14-15, Deuteronomy 6:4-6, the "trustworthy sayings" of Paul, and Jude 3. Chapter two compares Reformation and Post-Reformation confession. Fesko showing the confessions written following the Reformation, such as the Westminster Confession of Faith, build upon the doctrinal teachings of the Reformation. This is contrary to recent teachings that pit the scholastics against the Reformation and Calvin versus the Calvinist. Responsibility for anticonfessionalism deserves to be spread around, and in chapter 3, Fesko looks specifically at Reformation era skepticism and the Enlightenment. Chapter 4 details the benefits of creeds: they (1) distinguish from orthodoxy and heterodoxy, (2) create a diversified orthodox, and (3) codify the church's historic witness. Chapter 5 concludes the book by telling the story of Franciscus Gomarus challenging Matthias Martinius at the Synod of Dort. Fesko spends some time detailing the background to dueling before drawing out two primary lessons. Christians are to be on guard against worldliness and ground our conduct in our union with Christ.

I enjoyed reading this book. Dr. Fesko deserves praise for his clear writing. Each chapter tells you what to expect, provides the details, and then wraps up with a conclusion. Upon encountering the last chapter, I did struggle to follow where the story of the attempted duel was heading; the rest of the book did not employ the use of narrative. In the end, I saw the story as a fascinating bit of history surrounding the Synod of Dort, and the author offers good principles worthy of concluding the book.

Seeing this title as an upcoming release, I was intrigued by what Dr. Fesko would offer with other works such as Carl Trueman's The Creedal Imperative. The author argues the same point as Trueman, but picks up on different texts of Scripture and offers an insightful commentary on the declining use of creeds. One of the biggest takeaways is Fekso's argument that our culture is hypermodern and hyperindividualistic. These are terms I have not frequently heard, and provide food for thought to our ever-changing culture. J. V. Fesko suggests our period maintains the elements of modernism but in "exacerbated form." Pastors and seminarians need to wrestle with the underlying forces on our culture to best understand how to continue communicating the doctrinal truths of Scripture. Creeds and confessions are just as useful today as they were hundreds of years ago.

I recommend pastors and students get a copy of The Need for Creeds Today. Even if they have read other books on this topic, they will likely benefit from the additional arguments for utilizing confessions. For lay believers, if you are either unconvinced or engage others on this topic, then I would highly recommend picking yourself up a copy.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review purposes. Comments are my own.