Credo Alliance: We Believe in the Holy Spirit

In this episode of the Credo Alliance, Credo Fellows John Fesko, Fred Sanders, and Scott Swain join Matthew Barrett to discuss the Holy Spirit and the  eternal spiration of the Holy Spirit. They explore the historical and theological background of the Nicene Creed, and the implications of the Holy Spirit’s procession from the Father and the Son. Additionally, they address the Filioque debate, highlighting both Eastern and Western perspectives, and emphasize the importance of securing the Spirit’s personhood in relation to the Father and the Son. In doing so, the come together to contemplate a great mystery: how eternal spiration is distinct from eternal generation, examining the nuances within the Classical theological tradition. Throughout their conversation, these Credo Fellows navigate theological and biblical complexities, seeking to establish a clear understanding of the Holy Spirit’s personhood and procession within the Trinity.

Fred Sanders serves as professor in the Torrey Honors College, an undergraduate program in the great books, at Biola University. He has written several books and articles including The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything (Crossway, 2010), The Triune God (Zondervan, 2016), and Fountain of Salvation: Trinity and Soteriology (Eerdmans, 2021). Sanders serves as a Fellow of Credo Magazine.

J.V. Fesko serves as Harriet Barbour Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary. He is the author and editor of several books, including The Trinity and the Covenant of Redemption (Mentor, 2016). Fesko serves as a Fellow of Credo Magazine.

Scott Swain serves as president and James Woodrow Hassell Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary. He is the author of several books, including most recently The Trinity and the Bible: On Theological Interpretation (Lexham Press, 2021) and The Trinity: An Introduction (Crossway, 2020). Swain serves as a Fellow of Credo Magazine.

Matthew Barrett is the editor-in-chief of Credo Magazine and host of the Credo podcast. He is associate professor of Christian theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Director of the Center for Classical Theology. He is the author of the award-winning Simply Trinity and his new book is called, The Reformation as Renewal. He is currently writing a Systematic Theology (Baker Academic).