In his slim introduction to the Thirty-Nine Articles, Oliver O’Donovan reflects on how, faced with the task of setting out the distinctives of their faith in the face of a number of growing threats, the Tudor Reformers began the Thirty-Nine Articles with a recapitulation of Nicene Trinitarianism. Accused of illicit innovations to the faith by the Roman Catholics, and faced with novel and heretical variations of Christianity (in particular, Universalism), the Reformers established their unwavering commitment to the tradition. And by opening the Thirty-Nine Articles with an affirmation of the classical doctrine of God, the Tudor Reformers affirmed the classical point of departure for all theology: that God is. O’Donovan says, “The whole theological undertaking arises from the simple affirmation of a believer: ‘I believe in God.’”  

It is this childlike beginning that all Christians share, even if their creed is “no creed but Jesus.” After all, sola Scriptura is only a meaningful rallying cry after the more fundamental, “I believe in God.” This is the rock on which all subsequent theology is built, the center of gravity around which the life of the Christian orbits. In this special issue of Ad Fontes, we pay tribute to the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea by exploring what has been built on its solid foundation.

First, Fred Sanders considers the Nicene Creed not only as a summary of the content of biblical faith, but also in relation to the collational reading practices of the early church. How did the early fathers read Scripture in conversation with itself, and how can we imitate them? 

Joseph Minich asks whether the Nicene Creed is still plausible. Why do the claims of Nicaea often feel implausible, often even to believers? Minich brings his extensive work on the plausibility of faith to bear on questions of authority, tradition, and the role of the ancient Creed in modernity. 

D. Glenn Butner Jr. reminds us of the much neglected canons of Nicaea. Butner argues that Nicaea should be remembered not only for its seismic effect on Christian doctrine, but for its contribution to the church’s ecclesial and ethical formation. Can these neglected canons help provide some much needed ethical guidance for modern Christians?  

Aaron James reflects on the history of the Nicene Creed set to music, an unlikely union for “an orderly prose list of doctrinal propositions separated by the conjunction ‘and’.” How can one’s affections be stirred by the “consubstantiality” of the persons of the Trinity? Throughout the history of the Church, how have composers used different musical features to foreground the various truths about Christ? And what did we lose when we stopped singing the Creed? 

James Matthew Wilson has written us a beautiful original poem reflecting on the gift of the ancient words of the Creed, and Cynthia Harris offers a Donne-esque sonnet reflecting on the Incarnation.

This issue features two book reviews. Eminent patristics scholar, Donald Fairbairn reviews Jared Ortiz and Daniel A. Keating’s new commentary on the Nicene Creed, and J. Caleb Little reviews Frances Young’s magisterial two volume work, Doctrine and Scripture in Early Christianity.

Finally, I am particularly excited to feature in our new section, Ex Fontes, a first-ever English translation of a work by Jacob of Serugh (451-521), the poet-bishop of Batnan (now South-eastern Turkey). J. Darren Duke has translated Jacob’s Mimro on the Council of Nicaea. Jacob sees the triumph of orthodoxy at Nicaea not only in terms of God’s providence, but as the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. In this print issue we share a brief introduction from the translator and the complete text of the poem.

The legacy of Nicaea lies not only in the Nicaean dogma and creed, but in the art and culture inspired by the paradoxes of Nicene Christology. In addition to the two original poems, this issue also features, for the first time in Ad Fontes, artwork by Ned Bustard inspired by the Nicaean Creed.

It is an honor to add our contribution to the many Christian voices celebrating 1700 years of Nicaea. We hope you enjoy this issue. 

Robin Jean Harris 
Interim Senior Editor 
December 2025