theo 206
Please explain the 4 th-century Trinitarian controversy with particular attention to the Councils of Nicaea (325 CE) and Constantinople I (381 CE).
Christianity first became legal to practice in 313 when Emperor Constantine gave the Edict of Milan. This meant that Christians did not have to hide themselves and be afraid of being prosecuted due to their different beliefs. Constantine himself wanted to learn more about Christianity and became a protector of Christian faith. Doctrine of Trinity is defined as God being one but manifested in 3 persons; God the Son, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. In the 4th century there was a big controversy of whether it was appropriate to call Jesus God or the son of God. This issue was first brought up between an Arian Priest by the name Arius and his bishop. Arius said that you cannot be a son, be born and be born eternally. Arius taught that Jesus was in fact the first creature God created but was still a creature (human) and impossible for him to be eternal. He also believed that the son of God became incurrent in Jesus which meant that he was not eternal, that he must have come into being, he must have been made therefore meaning that he was no God. He refused to believe that Jesus was really God himself and started preaching his beliefs to the public. The reaction to this controversy was quite dramatic. It divided many of the believers, some siding with Arius and others taking a position against him. Emperor Constantine was faced with this major crisis after only 12 years since Christianity became legal in 313. He decided to call a gathering of bishops, called the council of Nicaea which took place in 325 to decide if Arius had reason. The gathering at the time decided that Arius was wrong and that it was appropriate to call Jesus God. Arius was to be exiled and removed as a priest in Alexandria.
From this council of Nicaea came the Creed of Nicaea which is a profession of faith. This creed is used to indicate
Christianity first became legal to practice in 313 when Emperor Constantine gave the Edict of Milan. This meant that Christians did not have to hide themselves and be afraid of being prosecuted due to their different beliefs. Constantine himself wanted to learn more about Christianity and became a protector of Christian faith. Doctrine of Trinity is defined as God being one but manifested in 3 persons; God the Son, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. In the 4th century there was a big controversy of whether it was appropriate to call Jesus God or the son of God. This issue was first brought up between an Arian Priest by the name Arius and his bishop. Arius said that you cannot be a son, be born and be born eternally. Arius taught that Jesus was in fact the first creature God created but was still a creature (human) and impossible for him to be eternal. He also believed that the son of God became incurrent in Jesus which meant that he was not eternal, that he must have come into being, he must have been made therefore meaning that he was no God. He refused to believe that Jesus was really God himself and started preaching his beliefs to the public. The reaction to this controversy was quite dramatic. It divided many of the believers, some siding with Arius and others taking a position against him. Emperor Constantine was faced with this major crisis after only 12 years since Christianity became legal in 313. He decided to call a gathering of bishops, called the council of Nicaea which took place in 325 to decide if Arius had reason. The gathering at the time decided that Arius was wrong and that it was appropriate to call Jesus God. Arius was to be exiled and removed as a priest in Alexandria.
From this council of Nicaea came the Creed of Nicaea which is a profession of faith. This creed is used to indicate