Who were the Council of Nicaea?

1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV: “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

The Council of Nicaea (an ancient Greek city known as the First Council of Nicaea) was the first ecumenical (representing several Christian Churches: promoting or relating to unity among the world’s Christian Churches). Roman Emperor Constantine convened the first council in 325 AD. The first council comprised 300 bishops to settle a controversy between the Christian churches and the teachings of Arius, Arianism.

Constantine became the sole ruler of the Roman Empire in 324 AD. At this time, Constantine was not a Christian. In 337 AD, he was baptized on his deathbed. However, he allowed Christians to practice their faith through the Edict of Milan in 313 AD.

The Edict of Milan was a proclamation establishing religious toleration for Christianity within the Roman Empire. It resulted from a political agreement in Mediolanum (modern Milan) between the Roman emperors Constantine I and Licinius in February 313. The proclamation, made for the East by Licinius in June 313, granted all persons freedom to worship whatever deity they pleased, assured Christians of legal rights (including the right to organize churches) and directed the prompt return to Christians of confiscated property. Previous edicts of toleration had been as short-lived as the regimes that sanctioned them, but this time, the mandate effectively established religious toleration. The extant copies of the decree are those posted by Licinius in the eastern parts of the empire.

Arianism, in Christianity, is the Christological (concerning the doctrine of Christ) position that Jesus, as the Son of God, was created by God. It was proposed early in the 4th century by the Alexandrian presbyter Arius. It was popular throughout much of the Eastern and Western Roman empires, even after it was denounced as a heresy by the Council of Nicaea (325).

The council condemned Arius as a heretic and issued a creed to safeguard “orthodox” Christian belief. The creed states that the Son is Homoousion tō Patri (“of one substance with the Father”), thus declaring him to be all the Father is: he is entirely divine. However, this was only the beginning of a long-protracted dispute. Across the Roman Empire, they met in Nicaea to settle the controversy. The council condemned Arius as a heretic and issued a creed to safeguard “orthodox” Christian belief. That was only the beginning of a long, protracted dispute across the Roman Empire.

The Nicene Creed: “I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through Him, all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, He came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and became man. For our sake, He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, He suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins, and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.”

Roman Ruler Constantine hoped that Christianity would unify all of his subjects. Divisions within the various beliefs meant this challenge would be difficult to achieve. He then convened the Council of Nicaea to unify the Christian faith. The Council of Nicaea met in 325 AD to debate which books should be included in the Bible. They decided on 27 books of the New Testament and 39 books of the Old Testament.

The formation of the Council of Nicaea was a significant event in the history of Christianity, as it provided a clear and authoritative collection of sacred texts that could be used for teaching and guidance. However, the canonization process was controversial, and many texts were excluded from the canon that some communities continued to regard as sacred.

The Council of Nicaea remains a critical moment in the history of Christianity, as it helped to establish the foundations of the faith and set the course for its development in the centuries that followed. By studying the history of the Bible and its formation, we can gain a deeper understanding of the religious and cultural significance of this timeless book.