The Council of Nicea

July 25, 325: The Council of Nicea closes.
The first ecumenical council, convened by Constantine, rejected the Arians (who denied the full divinity of Christ) as heretics (see Debating Jesus’ Divinity).

Did You Know?

The Nicene Creed Isn’t What You Think It Is
The creed you may recite in church each Sunday is not the original creed as crafted by the Council of Nicaea in 325. It is, in fact, a more developed version of the creed as issued by the Council of Constantinople in 381. The original Nicene creed had fewer clauses and a much simpler theology of the Holy Spirit. It also had an "anathema" or legal condemnation that directly attacked the Arian position. The later council dropped this to make the creed more universally applicable.

Quote of the Week

The Original Nicene Creed

"We believe in one God, the Father, almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the son of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten, that is, from the substance of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one substance from the Father, through Whom all things came into being, things in heaven and things on earth, who because of us men and because of our salvation came down and became incarnate, becoming man, suffered and rose again on the third day, ascended to the heavens, will come to judge the living and the dead;
And in the Holy Spirit.
But as for those who say, there was when he was not, and, before being born he was not, and he came into existence out of nothing, or who assert that the son of God is a different hypostasis or substance, or is subject to change or alteration–these the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes."

On this day…

• Psalm 59 – 2024
• Psalm 58 – 2024
• A Solemn Question For Those Who Are Rejecting Christ That They May Obtain the World – 2008
• A Question That Should Startle Every Man Who is not a Christian – 2008
• Constantine – 2008
• The Road to Nicaea – 2008
• Scripture Saturation – 2008
• Origen – 2008
• Septuagint – 2008
• Romans 8:33 – 2007