Nicaea in a few reflections
Four short reflections: Nikaia in today’s world and the ways we relate to it. The first reflection (by Martin Putna) is an account of a journey to the remains of the Council of Nicaea site in present-day Turkey; the second (by Petr Gallus) examines on Nicaea and the facets of the Nicene Creed from the perspective of a present day systematic theologian, the third (by Pavel Dudzik) considers the legacy of Nicaea in the thought of one of the recipients, Cyril of Jerusalem, not long after the event, and the fourth (by Tomáš Petráček) takes the Council as a stimulus requiring, even after many centuries, challenging theological reflections to be done by particular people.
Stanislav Doležal
The Council of Nicaea and Caesar Constantine
In this text, which is based on his book Constantine: The Journey to Power (České Budějovice, University of South Bohemia Press 2020), the Czech philologist and historian discusses the Council of Nicaea from the perspective of the imperial policy of the Roman Caesar Constantine I, also known as Constantine the Great, who ruled the Roman Empire from 306 to 337. This skillful politician and outstanding military leader, who became a Christian in the first phase of his reign, supported the Christian Church and actively engaged in ecclesiastical disputes. He was involved first in the Donatist dispute and later vigorously took up the Arian dispute, for dogmatic unity and conciliation in the Church were for him an important part of political unity in the empire. In this effort the Council of Nicaea was to play an important role, through which Constantine wanted to avoid schism, bring the quarreling parties to reconciliation and achieve unity. The author follows the course of the Council, Constantine’s individual steps and their success, and the Council’s impact on the future life of the Church.
Wolfram Kinzig
The Creed of Nicaea: Old Questions, New Answers
This article gives an account of the discussions about the creed that took place at the Council of Nicaea in 325. It considers major problems regarding its origin and history and outlines the circumstances of its composition, its peculiar structure, and its purpose on the basis of the latest research. Finally, it discusses the legacy of Nicaea for today’s theology. The theological development that began at Nicaea in 325 and culminated in the victory of the Neo-Nicenes at Constantinople in 381 brought about a conceptual clarification that helped to establish a wide consensus regarding how the Christian God and God’s saving work in Christ and in the Holy Spirit is described. This development continues to influence Christian theology after 1700 years, despite heavy criticism in recent decades, some of it justified. It is to be hoped that the anniversary of Nicaea is an encouragement to go beyond commemorating the golden age of patristics by developing new ways to communicate the significance of the incarnation, passion, and resurrection of Christ for our salvation to a wider public.
Henryk Pietras SJ
Canons of the Council of Nicaea
The canons of the Council of Nicaea gained such authority that they were adopted by other synods and eventually ended up in the Decretum Gratiani, becoming an integral part of Church law for centuries. The Polish theologian and patrologist, professor emeritus at the Gregorian University in Rome, discusses the various canons, examines the historical, social, and theological contexts that influenced their formation, shows their meaning and significance in shaping the faith and life of the Church, and explains some important terminology.
David Vopřada
Nicaea semper construenda
The idea of “Nicaea” and its continuous reception
In his text, the Czech patristic theologian and member of the editorial committee of Salve reflects on what the Council of Nicaea has meant for the following generations, what is the relationship between its historical course and its reception, and what the transformations of this relationship and the Church’s perception of this Council can teach us in relation to our present and our perception of the authority of ecumenical councils. The author first examines the reception of the participants themselves, then discusses the reception and interpretation of the Council in the 4th and 5th centuries, and then outlines pathways to reception in the Church today. He shows that “Nicaea” is not a closed chapter but an open text, and that an intensive and mutual contact between the text of the Nicene resolutions and today’s reader is possible and necessary. The example of the Council of Nicaea shows us that a new terminology is needed to express old truths and that honest theology plays a crucial role in moments of epochal transitions and crises because it is able to maintain continuity with Tradition by expressing and developing it appropriately.
Dominique Gonnet SJ
Athanasius’ acceptance of Nicaea I: what types of language does he use when he is to speak of the Word?
In his text, the Belgian Jesuit theologian and philologist discusses the reception of the Nicene Creed in the work of Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria and teacher of the Church (c. 295–373). He presents Athanasius as a “defender of Nicaea” who fought tirelessly to make the faith expressed in the Nicaean creed the faith of the whole Church. In doing so, he emphasizes that Athanasios does not allow himself to be bound by the terminology of the Nicene Creed, and shows how he uses the terms of the Nicene Creed while remaining free from them. He demonstrates this especially in the terms homoúsion and hypostasis and in the expression salvation and the term “created”. He appreciates that the claims of Nicaea are not slogans for Athanasius to use to crush his opponents, but that he is pursuing his own understanding of the Word. His approach shows that fidelity to Scripture and the teaching of the councils does not hinder the ability to think theologically.
Lenka Karfíková
“Begotten, not made”
Victorinus’ defense of the Nicene Creed in his reply to Arian Candide
The Czech theologian, philosopher and translator discusses the polemic between two authors concerning the most significant idea of the Nicene Creed, the idea of the Son of God being “begotten, not made”. Marius Victorinus, one of the earliest pro-Nicene Latin theologians (born in Africa between 281–291), who was a respected rhetorician in his day and influenced, among others, St. Augustine by his example and work, defends the Nicene Creed against Arian Candide, about whom there is some doubt whether he is a real correspondent or a fiction of Victorinus. The author first introduces the position of Candide, whose main thesis is the rejection of the idea of being born in God, and then analyzes the response of Victorinus, whose conception of the Trinity contributed to the elaboration of Western trinitarian theology. The correspondence presented here is a valuable document of philosophical reflection on the Nicene Creed and its difficulties.
Benedikt Kranemann
Creed in liturgy
Reflections in Liturgics and Pastoral Theology
On the occasion of the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, a German theologian and professor of liturgics reflects on the Creed in the context of the contemporary Mass liturgy. The liturgy of the Word, and thus the Creed as part of it, is receiving increased attention today on the basis of suggestions from cultural anthropology and literary studies. There is a need to clarify the theology of the service of the word and its importance for the life of faith. The author first describes the history of the Creed in liturgy and then its significance, both from a liturgical-scientific and liturgical-pastoral perspective. He also discusses the objectivity and subjectivity of the Creed and its linking function. It concludes by outlining the various ways and opportunities for the Creed to be involved in the liturgy.
Birgitta Kleinschwärzer-Meister
The relevance of the Council of Nicaea for the contemporary time
Review and perspectives
The council of Nicaea (325) marks the beginning of the later so-called ecumenical councils of the Ancient Church, which on the basis of the Holy Scripture and in analysis of the philosophical thought of the respective era laid the foundation of Trinitarian doctrine and Christology. They were also decisive for the structure of the church. This contribution discusses the relevance of the council of Nicaea and in doing so considers four aspects: criteria for the ecumenical nature of a council, significance of the Nicaean Creed, interdependence of trinitarian doctrine and ecclesiology, struggle for an answerable way of talking about God today as a central task of ecumenical theology.