Council Of Nicaea (325 A.D.)
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org, please feel free to visit the school website)
The following research on the Council of Nicaea was done by Dennis
Hinks from 1983-1999 and is also covered in the book by Frances Legge, Forerunners Of Christianity (1964).
The
Scriptures teach that there is only one God, they also teach that
Christ is God. We will look at the view of Christ, the action taken at
Nicaea and the reaction to the Nicene formula. The Council of Nicaea
(325 A.D.) condemned Arianism and affirmed the Son of God to be
identical in essence. A statement (creed) was written in an attempt to
accurately define the relationship between Jesus and God. A certain
controversial, misunderstood word is included in the creed. This word
“coessential” means that the Father and Son are said to share the same essence.
Though in agreement with the spirit of the creed, many were discontent
with the inclusion of this word. For political reasons, Emperor
Constantine temporarily upheld the Orthodox view. Through his
influence, nearly everyone signed the creed, in spite of the
controversial word. The issue here involved the question of how Jesus
(the Son) is God. These definitions are not to be interpreted as an implied denial of the fact that Jesus (the Son) was also human.
It is important to note a little history about Constantine. He became
powerful in Christianity based on the outcome of a very important
battle. Before he embarked for the battle, he received a vision in
which a cross appeared to him and he was commanded to fight under the
sign of the cross in battle. If he did this, he would be victorious.
Therefore, he instructed his entire army to emblazon the symbol of the
cross on their shields. They fought the battle victoriously. He was in
such gratitude, he established the city of Constantinople as the
headquarters of Christianity, and became integral to the forming of
Christianity, stabilizing it as the official religion in Rome.