The Council of Nicea
- The Beginnings of Pagan Christianity
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The early centuries after Jesus Christ existed there were a group of people called the Ebonites, who believed Jesus was the Messiah (foretold by the Old Testament), and they observed the Law of Moses. They did not believe Jesus was divine, but a prophet. 193 194 Similar beliefs were from another group of people called the Elcesaites/ Elkasaites (Elxai). 195
There were also groups that had different views i.e. that Jesus was human and not divine, that Jesus was divine and not human, some thought he had two different natures (one human and one divine).196
At the time of Constantine, there were many views of Jesus. Notably there were bishops who were arguing/debating regarding the matter of Jesus’ divinity and the ‘Doctrine of the Trinity’.
Presbyter (priest/elder) Arius – Emphasized the supremacy and uniqueness of God the Father. The Father alone is the Almighty and is infinite and greater than the Son. Christ was a kind of second-tier god, subordinate to God and inferior to God in every respect. This belief is known as Arianism. Arius was later on excommunicated after his belief was rejected by the council. 196
Bishop Alexander & Athanasius – Maintained the view that Jesus the Son of God was divine in the same sense as the Father, and was co-eternal with the Father, otherwise he could not be a true Son. 196
Constantine invited 1,800 bishops of the Christian church to the council of Nicaea. The attendees were about 250 bishops. The council rejected Arianism.
The outcome of this was the decree made by the council known as the Nicene Creed (325 A.D). 197 The creed was updated later in 381.A.D. 1
“The majority of modern-day Christian writers suppress the truth about the development of their religion and conceal Constantine's efforts to curb the disreputable character of the presbyters who are now called ‘Church Fathers’.” Catholic Encyclopaedia 94 |
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