A Church Divided

After centuries, Rome, the most powerful empire in the world, had its first Christian ruler.

Constantine was eager to give Christianity the limelight he felt it was due, but, in doing so, encountered an age-old problem.

Angry theologians.

As we saw yesterday, Constantine called together a council of influential bishops to work through various theological conflicts so the Empire could have a clearer picture of Christianity.

Today, we’re going to take a brief look at the topics discussed. 

Arianism 

Today, all orthodox branches of the Church believe in the Holy Trinity.

That is the existence of one God in three Persons: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Considering its present, fundamental status, it might be surprising to learn that the Trinity wasn’t always a given.

It was a concept that took time to develop, and that development didn't come easy.

Enter Arianism. 

At the time of Nicaea, Arianism was the most contentious issue within the Church.

The belief got its name from the theologian most associated with it, Arius (who hailed from modern-day Libya). He believed that Jesus, God the Son, being begotten by the Father (John 3v16), had to be a created being.

This flew in the face of Trinitarian theology, which asserted that the Father, Son, and Spirit - though distinct - were all coequal and coeternal with one another.

Understandably, Arius and Arianism drew the ire of staunch Trinitarians, most notably the influential Alexander and Athanasius of the Egyptian city Alexandria.

 The depth and importance of these debates were so strong that they served as the catalyst for Nicaea…

…yet, Arianism was far from the only thing discussed at the Council.

The Other Issues of Nicaea

Important discussions were also held as to the date of Easter, observance of Lent, Church authority, and other practical, ecclesiastical matters.

It’s not difficult to see the endurance of some of these topics, showing us that this 1700-year-old council is more than ancient history.

If you still aren’t convinced, I encourage you to join us tomorrow as we explore how Nicaea’s central issue, the nature of Jesus, has made a lasting impact on how we worship today.

And, kinda off topic, but if you want a good laugh, google “Santa Claus Council of Nicaea”, the story might not be historically accurate, but it’s still a great conversation starter.

For now, be blessed.

Jon

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