Dr. Dafydd Daniel

So the Council of Nicaea was a church council called by the Emperor Constantine in 325. It's the first ecumenical council, so worldwide council. In fact, the word ecumenical was coined by Eusebius of Caesarea, one of the early church historians who was there to describe this council worldwide. It's significant because it decides really –

So the Council of Nicaea was a church council called by the Emperor Constantine in 325. It's the first ecumenical council, so worldwide council. In fact, the word ecumenical was coined by Eusebius of Caesarea, one of the early church historians who was there to describe this council worldwide. It's significant because it decides really –

So the Council of Nicaea was a church council called by the Emperor Constantine in 325. It's the first ecumenical council, so worldwide council. In fact, the word ecumenical was coined by Eusebius of Caesarea, one of the early church historians who was there to describe this council worldwide. It's significant because it decides really –

two of the most fundamental doctrines in Christianity that we've all heard about, the Trinity and the Incarnation. But also because through that, it really is the beginning of, well, one of two things, depending on your point of view.

two of the most fundamental doctrines in Christianity that we've all heard about, the Trinity and the Incarnation. But also because through that, it really is the beginning of, well, one of two things, depending on your point of view.

two of the most fundamental doctrines in Christianity that we've all heard about, the Trinity and the Incarnation. But also because through that, it really is the beginning of, well, one of two things, depending on your point of view.

It's either the beginning of modern Christianity, Christianity as a public, visible religion, civic religion, or it's the beginning of the corruption of Christianity because it involves this decision of what is orthodox and therefore what is heretical and involves the state's action in that.

It's either the beginning of modern Christianity, Christianity as a public, visible religion, civic religion, or it's the beginning of the corruption of Christianity because it involves this decision of what is orthodox and therefore what is heretical and involves the state's action in that.

It's either the beginning of modern Christianity, Christianity as a public, visible religion, civic religion, or it's the beginning of the corruption of Christianity because it involves this decision of what is orthodox and therefore what is heretical and involves the state's action in that.

Yes. This is where the church council produces this Nicene Creed, something still read out today. This is a foundational text. Now, it certainly is trying to clearly decide a distinction between orthodoxy and heresy. One of the interesting things is that it's not necessarily entirely clear what Nicaea has decided.

Yes. This is where the church council produces this Nicene Creed, something still read out today. This is a foundational text. Now, it certainly is trying to clearly decide a distinction between orthodoxy and heresy. One of the interesting things is that it's not necessarily entirely clear what Nicaea has decided.

Yes. This is where the church council produces this Nicene Creed, something still read out today. This is a foundational text. Now, it certainly is trying to clearly decide a distinction between orthodoxy and heresy. One of the interesting things is that it's not necessarily entirely clear what Nicaea has decided.

These obscure phrases, homoousion, which I'm sure we'll get to, what does that really mean? Is that heretical itself, which was one perspective at the time? And then even though Nicaea, the council, makes this decision, In the immediate aftermath, really, the opposing side, who are the Aryans, seem to come to the fore a bit more than the Nicenes.

These obscure phrases, homoousion, which I'm sure we'll get to, what does that really mean? Is that heretical itself, which was one perspective at the time? And then even though Nicaea, the council, makes this decision, In the immediate aftermath, really, the opposing side, who are the Aryans, seem to come to the fore a bit more than the Nicenes.

These obscure phrases, homoousion, which I'm sure we'll get to, what does that really mean? Is that heretical itself, which was one perspective at the time? And then even though Nicaea, the council, makes this decision, In the immediate aftermath, really, the opposing side, who are the Aryans, seem to come to the fore a bit more than the Nicenes.

So it's part of a very vibrant struggle or discussion, depending on how you want to phrase it, through this period.

So it's part of a very vibrant struggle or discussion, depending on how you want to phrase it, through this period.

So it's part of a very vibrant struggle or discussion, depending on how you want to phrase it, through this period.

Yeah, it's striking because we don't really. I suppose that's the interesting thing because I think now we'd, certainly I would think of something like a church council of any kind would have all sorts of minutes taken and there'd be all these records and everything else. But that's not the case here. I mean, it goes on for decades. a couple of months, it seems.

Yeah, it's striking because we don't really. I suppose that's the interesting thing because I think now we'd, certainly I would think of something like a church council of any kind would have all sorts of minutes taken and there'd be all these records and everything else. But that's not the case here. I mean, it goes on for decades. a couple of months, it seems.