First Council of Nicaea - Is Jesus God or Man?

325 A.D.

About 300 Christian bishops from all over the Christian world have come to Nicaea near Constantinople (Turkey) to come to agreement on church policies. Most Christian bishops believe that Jesus is God, and they believe in a trinity [set of three] as one: God the father, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. However, some Gnostics (mostly Greeks), have said that Jesus is not the Son of God, but a human. There have been many arguments about what Christians should believe.

The Council was brought together by Emperor Constantine, the first emperor to become a Christian himself. The emperor waited until all the bishops had taken their seats before making his entry. He was clad [dressed] in gold and covered with precious stones in the fashion of an Asian ruler. A chair of gold had been made ready for him, and when he had taken his place the bishops seated themselves. The emperor spoke in Latin, expressing his will that religious peace should be reestablished.

The emperor began by making the bishops understand that they had a greater and better business in hand than personal quarrels and name-calling.

The group decided on this declaration and was agreed upon by all but five bishops. This later became known as the Nicean Creed:

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, and born of the Father before all ages. (God of God) light of light, true God of true God. Begotten not made, consubstantial to the Father, by whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. And was incarnate of the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary and was made man; was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried; and the third day rose again according to the Scriptures. And ascended [went up] into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, and shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, of whose Kingdom there shall be no end. And (I believe) in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who together with the Father and the Son is to be adored and glorified, who spoke by the Prophets. And one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We confess (I confess) one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for (I look for) the resurrection [coming back to life] of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen."

 

They also debated when exactly to celebrate Easter, whether priests should live with a woman, whether church leaders can lend money and get interest, and many more questions.

Icon depicting the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea. Roman Emperor Constantine I is the figure in the center. The scroll contains the first half of the Greek text of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.

 

The business of the Council having been finished Constantine celebrated the twentieth anniversary of his becoming emperor, and he invited the bishops to a splendid feast. Then each of the bishops received rich presents from Constantine. Several days later the emperor commanded that a final session should be held where he asked the bishops to work for peace. He asked for their prayers, and authorized the bishops to return to their churches.

 

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