This is a fascinating post. I’m jumping in a bit late, so right now I’m just enjoying the comments.

Mary

Thanks for stopping by here. Your comments on other blogs are an encouragement to me, too.

So do we interpret the Nicean creed as led by God?

That’s the million dollar question

I have gotten my first computer and found my way to your site. Somehow I made it through college without needing one And now finding an entry on church history is exciting as that is the direction I want my education to go. Constantine is certainly a good place to start the discussion, oh the ensuing centuries of controversy! Whether he was saved or not he has left an indelible impact upon those within Christianity. Now considering such roots is obviously connected to our current thoughts on biblical church -a topic I feel I am only beginning to explore. Interpretation is important as the ‘facts’ are buried in time as your post began by reminding us. So do we interpret the Nicean creed as led by God? I would like to point out that Paul regularly went to the synagogues to preach. This was the home of the Pharisees, Sadducees, who were clearly in league with the Roman government insofar as they were able to influence the secular government to crucify Christ. Perhaps the synagogue is comparable to the ecclesiastical court of Constantine. And therefore a place where the gospel is preached to many? Suffice to say I agree with your admonition not throw out the creed simply on the basis of the questionable nature of the court. And well I just wanted to get in on it.
Josiah

Thank you for a really good post. Now I may be able to get some folk to believe me. I hope you do do some work on the Reformation, but be prepared for some eye-brow raising.

Aussie John

Your paragraph about forming a corporation and consulting business made me chuckle. I love the tongue-in-cheek way of putting that.

Just yesterday a friend mentioned that we should all just use the Nicean Creed in a local group because there is so much division of beliefs.

Maybe we should all form a corporation and just decide for everyone else what all Christians should believe. We could announce that we are inspired by the Holy Spirit and even make a document proclaiming that statement. Then people could pay us for consulting fees and everyone would get along and live happily ever after. If there are any not “with us”, we could attempt a hostile take over of their group and force all groups to merge under us –for their own good of course. What do you think?

Personally, I’m partial to the Bible.

It seems to me that we are called to love people enough to share with them –the good news of God’s word–, yet without accepting all beliefs as equal. We have a source of truth. It is God through His written word to us and His Holy Spirit guiding within us. Those who are in Christ are already connected being one body and all members of one another.

There seems to be a pattern throughout history, whenever a man is followed as the high and holy one, the followers go off and get into all sorts of problems.

I very much agree with your words:

“From all accounts, I think we are naive to think that the Council of Nicaea was a gathering of Spirit-filled men seeking to glorify Christ by careful examination of the scriptures. I’m not saying that nothing good came out of it (I’ll leave that to the reader to determine for themselves), but I am saying that there is a lot that is not indicative of the Spirit of God.”

Well said. This is something that has been close to my heart lately. I’m feeling lately that as the recipients of the very breath of God we should view all people with some sense of connectedness. Now I realize that there is a connection with those who are “in Christ” that is not available outside of Christ, but I think that we need to be aware of, concerned about and involved in the lives of our fellow mankind no matter if they are in the Kingdom of light or not. There is such a tendency within the Body to become insulated from the outside world in the name of not being contaminated by their sin. Sure doesn’t look like how the first-begotten Son of God treated those outside the fold though does it? A bit of a tangent but thanks ded for the comment.

Mike, I owe you a reply to the last email you sent me anyway (sorry!!) so I will include ded’s email address with that reply.