On May 20, 325, a day like today almost 1,700 years ago, the Council of Nicaea began, in which the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed was born, a declaration of faith that also responded to the heresy of Arianism, which stated that Jesus Christ He was an inferior God.
The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed or Symbol is a dogmatic declaration of the contents of the Christian faith, promulgated at the Council of Nicea and expanded at the Council of Constantinople in the year 381.
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In the book 50 questions about Jesus Christ and the Churchprepared by a group of professors from the University of Navarra (Spain), explains that the Council of Nicaea is the first ecumenical council, “that is, universal, in that bishops from all the regions where there were Christians participated. It took place when “The Church was able to enjoy stable peace and had the freedom to assemble openly.”
It took place from May 20 to July 25 of the year 325 and had the collaboration of Emperor Constantine. The emperor, “after having achieved the reunification of the Empire with his victory against Licinius in the year 324, also wanted to see the Church united, which at that time was shaken by the preaching of Arius, a priest who denied the true divinity of Jesus Christ. “, as described by The Work of God.
According to Catholic Encyclopedia Arianism (doctrine of Arius) “described the Son as a second, or inferior God… Only God was beginningless, uncreated; the Son was created, and had once not existed.”
Among the council fathers was Alexander of Alexandria, helped by the then deacon Athanasius, who would become bishop, and declared a saint after his death. The latter would be essential in the fight against the Arian heresy.
At the Council, when Eusebius of Nicomedia, a supporter of Arius, took the floor to say that Jesus Christ was not divine in nature, the majority of those present noted that this doctrine betrayed the faith received from the apostles.
To avoid confusion, the council fathers decided to draft, on the basis of the baptismal creed of the church of Caesarea, a symbol of faith (creed) that would reflect the genuine confession of faith received and accepted by Christians from the beginning.
All the council fathers, except two bishops, ratified it on June 19, 325.
Although Constantine supported the holding of the Council, he did not influence the formulation of the faith that was made into the creed, because he did not have the theological knowledge for that.
Other theological problems, especially Trinitarian ones, would not be resolved until the first Council of Constantinople, when the divine character of the Holy Spirit was definitively affirmed.
At the Council of Constantinople the Nicene Creed was expanded and the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed was thus passed.
You can read the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed HERE.
Central Editorial
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