158 Irenaeus: Life, Scripture, LegacyConclusions
The Development of the Tra diti o
When we come to the time of Eusebius, perhaps as much as a century later than Ire-
naeus, we meet the phenomenon of a trinitarian and declaratory baptismal creed. We
reject von Campenhausen’s claim here that Eusebius was presenting a private creed
after the manner of a disputation simply because Eusebius states that it was received
in baptism whereas von Campenhausen’s primary intent is to argue that no such thing
existed at the time.^45 Nonetheless, we may accept von Campenhausen’s more general
point that a credal statement does not necessarily mean a creed that is fixed in wording.
In particular, as Eusebius states that this creed has been learnt from the scriptures, we
may accept that it is a more general reflection of catechesis, with a general similarity to
the regula fidei. As such we may not be absolutely sure that this is a creed like those of
a later period that has fixity in wording. However, the trinitarian shape is significant as
is the incorporation of an extended christological sequence into the creed. Insofar as
Eusebius states that it is received in catechesis, we may recognize that there is a reflec-
tion of the instruction received but that also there is a repetition of a trinitarian state-
ment of belief within the baptismal ritual, presumably at the syntaxis.^46 Here we may
suggest that there is a development of what would subsequently become more wide-
spread, namely, the substitution of a trinitarian statement of belief for a christological
confession.^47 We may suggest, moreover, that the candidate’s declaration (sic) is still
prompted, and for that reason is said, still, to be received in the course of the baptismal
ritual. Thus there is no redditio symboli beyond the repetition of the creed in the bap-
tismal rite; such a ritual, it would so appear, within the complex of catechumenal rites,
came about due to the growing weight placed upon precise doctrinal formulations in
the course of the fourth century.
Baptism as a Source of Exegesis in Irenaeus’s Theology
Having a picture of the ritual presupposed by Irenaeus, we may return to the context of
Irenaeus’s statement regarding the baptismal reception of the regula fidei.
In this part of Adversus haereses, he is arguing against Valentinian interpretation of
scripture. It is the rule of truth, he suggests, which is the hermeneutical key to under-
standing the scriptures, the rule of faith received in baptism. It is in doing so that he
comes to concentrate on the role of Jesus as incarnate Word and Savior.^48 Thus when
he comes to present the rule of truth, he supplements this with a christological section
and it is this christological confession which, I suggest, is derived from the baptismal
rite. However, the reason for its being appended is the earlier discussion, concentrat-
ing on Christ as the true meaning of the scriptures, as Christ is the word delivered to
the candidate within the baptismal ritual and so confessed. This is the same statement
that is made more fully and explicitly in Demonstration 7, again a statement relating
directly to a repetition of the regula fidei: it is through the baptismal water that we
receive the Spirit, and the Spirit leads us to understanding of the Word, Jesus Christ,
enfleshed and spoken in the scriptures.