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What CBA Believes and Teaches

 

 

The Center for Biblical Apologetics is an orthodox, evangelical, interdenominational parachurch ministry organization. What do we mean by “orthodox” and “evangelical”?

 

 

Standards of Orthodoxy

 

Orthodoxy is defined as adherence to the system of doctrine represented by the theological and Christological creeds of the early church. These are, minimally:

• The Apostles Creed (ca. 100-150)

• The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (325, revised 381)

 

Arguably, a full-bodied orthodoxy also includes:

• The Athanasian Creed (late 4^th century)

• The Definition of Chalcedon (451)

 

In the area of the doctrine of salvation, orthodoxy is identified with the Augustinian tradition of sola gratia (“by grace alone”) over against Pelagianism.

• Sola gratia is implicit in the Nicene Creed. Salvation results from Christ’s work (which dominates the creed) and that of “the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life.”

• Pelagianism was condemned at the Council of Ephesus (431) and the Second Council of Orange (529).

• Sola gratia is affirmed by all three major branches of Christianity (Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant).

 

In sum, orthodoxy is adherence to the basic theological standards of historic Christianity, specifically the doctrines of the Trinity, the Incarnation, and salvation by grace alone.

 

 

Standards of Evangelicalism

 

Evangelicalism is defined as adherence to the Reformation principles of sola scriptura (“Scripture alone” as the infallible source of doctrinal truth) and sola fide (justification “by faith alone”) within the context of orthodoxy. The theological boundaries of evangelicalism are reliably expressed in the international, interdenominational statements of faith and confessions of the evangelical movement. This means that the following are reliable expressions of evangelicalism:

• World Evangelical Alliance (1951)

• Lausanne Covenant (1974)

• Manila Manifesto (1989)

 

Denominational or regional confessions, though they may be soundly evangelical, are not normative or necessarily representative of evangelicalism as a whole.

 

Evangelical theology—in particular, the principle of sola fide—is essential to a sound proclamation and understanding of the gospel. Thus, while we do not hold that only evangelicals are orthodox Christians, we do maintain that reliably sound forms of Christian faith, piety, and life are to be found only in evangelicalism.

 

CBA Staff Theological Commitment

 

All CBA staff members are required to affirm the Apostles and Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creeds and the confessions of the World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF), the Lausanne Covenant, and the Manila Manifesto. CBA and its staff also affirm the doctrinal statement of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), which is almost identical in wording to the WEF confession. Since these documents are considered faithful but not inspired or infallible, minor disagreements with these creeds and confessions are allowable.

 

CBA as an organization affirms biblical inerrancy and recognizes as excellent though non-binding expositions of that doctrine the Chicago Statements on Biblical Inerrancy and Biblical Hermeneutics.