Warum es im Glaubensbekenntnis keine Ethik gibt Überlegungen aus kirchenhistorischer Perspektive

Abstract

The article discusses possible reasons for the lack of references to Christ's ethical teaching in the creeds. It suggests that the
earliest rules of faith were composed in order to propagate a particular view of the divine status of Jesus Christ which served
to safeguard salvation. By contrast, debates about the ethical consequences of a life dedicated to Christ did not touch upon
doctrine proper. Nevertheless, initially, credal and ethical statements were often combined in theological discourse. However,
when the fluid rules of faith coagulated into fixed formulae, things gradually changed. For creeds express both a personal
loyalty to God and a consent to a series of propositional statements. As such they became increasingly incompatible with
ethical commandments which are, by nature, adhortative or imperative. In addition, the earlier equilibrium between creed and
paraenesis began to shift when, in baptismal catechesis, knowledge about matters of faith was given more attention than the
teaching of Christian love for one's neighbour. Finally, it is discussed in what context, if at all, Christians were taught about
biblical ethics.