History of the First Council of Nice/Chapter 1
THE FIRST ŒCUMENICAL
COUNCIL OF NICE.
CHAPTER I.
PROLOGUE.—OBJECTS AND RESULTS.
The principal object of this famous Synod was to discuss and settle, upon a firm basis, the true Christian doctrine respecting the Divine nature of Christ, and his precise relation to the Almighty Deity of the material Universe; because the churches, and even the public, had been recently disquieted by the Arian controversy. But there were other questions of doctrine and discipline to be determined by this great Assembly of Christian Prelates; the more prominent of which questions were those relating to the Meletians, for having agitated a novel dogma, and the Novatians, for the same reason, and the most appropriate day for celebrating the Passover.
Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor of the Roman World,[1] having been appealed to by some of the most noted bishops to take cognizance of these affairs of the church, being now relieved from his political antagonists, conceived and executed the design of summoning the Council of Nice; in which Synod he might exert all his influence to effect a reconciliation among the contentious prelates and churches, as well as conciliate their favor, and unite all in support of his character and his dominion.
These objects were all attained by means of the Council, except the principal one. Arianism, though checked for a short time, again burst forth with tenfold energy, and long agitated the religious world.[2] However, it finally was completely vanquished and eradicated from the high places of Christendom. And the Synod of Nice, on account of its antiquity, its universality, and its princely splendor, as well as the magnitude of its deliberations, as it had no precedent, so it has no equal in ecclesiastical history.[3]
- ↑ Dr. Mosheim says,—"About A.D. 313, Constantine, who had been previously a man of no religion, is said to have embraced Christianity. But he also regarded some other religious as likewise true and useful to mankind." His purpose of abolishing the ancient religion of the Romans, and of tolerating only the Christian religion, he did not disclose till a little while before his death; when he published his edicts for pulling down the Pagan temples, and abolishing the sacrifices. According to the historian Zosimus (lib. ii., p. 104), an Egyptian (probably Hosius, bishop of Cordova in Spain), came to Rome and instructed the emperor upon the nature of Christianity.
- ↑ The Arian sect, for three hundred years, were a great power. The Goths and Teutons, Alaric, Genseric, Theodoric, and the Lombards, were all Arians.
- ↑ The Roman Catholic Church recognizes twenty General Councils,—the first A.D. 50, the second, 325, at Nicæa, and the last, 1870; but there was no general council held in the year 50, according to the best authorities, so that the Council of Nice was unquestionably the first that was ever convened, and certainly it is the most celebrated in the whole history of the Christian Church.
Œcumenical Councils.
1. Nicæa,A.D. 325 2. First Constantinople,381 3. Ephesus,431 4. Chalcedon,451 5. Second Constantinople,553 6. Third Constantinople,680 7. Second Nicæa,787 8. Fourth Constantinople,859 9. First of Lateran,1123 10. Second of Lateran,1139 11. Third of Lateran,1179 12. Fourth of Lateran,1215 13. First of Lyons,1245 14. Second of Lyons,1274 15. That of Vienna,1311 16. Constance,1414–18 17. Basle,1431 18. Fifth Lateran,1512–17 19. Trent,1545–63 20. Council of the Vatican,1870