While I'm not in a position to take up the baton, it seemed at least
important to mention that there were two major crises of central
importance prior to Nicea (and several "minor" ones), namely:

"Jewish Christianity"
"Gnosticism" (and Marcionism)

Both of these, but especially the latter, left their strong imprint on
the development of classical creeds. 

(By "minor" I had in mind such controversies and challenges as Montanism, 
Manichaeism, Encratism, Donatism, and the like.)

Back to thee, Anatole!

Bob 
-- 
Robert A. Kraft, Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania
227 Logan Hall (Philadelphia PA 19104-6304); tel. 215 898-5827
[log in to unmask]
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/kraft.html


> The Threatened Series - 1
> 
> I promised - or threatened - some time ago to do a series about the
> controversies which affected the early Church.  Having got one or two
> other literary efforts out of the way, I shall now endeavour to keep my
> threat.  But first - I perceive that there are many on this list who
> know as much about the subject as I do, and some who know far more.  If
> any of you can do a better series, I beseech you to do so and save me
> the trouble.
> 
> The relevant controversies, I think, are those which were discussed in
> the first six, or perhaps seven, ecumenical councils.  These may be
> listed as follows, with their dates and controversies:
> 
> 1.  	Nicæa I		325		Arianism
> 2.	Constantinople I	381		Apollinarianism
> 3.	Ephesus		431		Nestorianism
> 4.	Chalcedon		451		Eutychianism ( = Monophysitism)
> 5.	Constantinople II	553		Three Chapters Controversy
> 6.	Constantinople III	680-1		Monothelitism
> 7.	Nicæa II		787		Iconoclasm.
> 
> The first council of  Nicæa was summoned by Constantine to deal with
> the Arian controversy.  Whatever one tries to say about the first
> council of Nicæa is bound to be contradicted (though on this list,
> always with courtesy), because if the council kept minutes of its
> proceedings, they have now vanished.  
> 
> The canons passed by the council, which have survived, have nothing to
> do with the Arian controversy, but with various disciplinary matters. 
> Canon 1, for example, deals with priests who have been castrated, or
> who have castrated themselves.  
> 
> The council did issue a creed, but it was not the one now in use,
> commonly referred to as the 'Nicene Creed'.  I quote the 'Creed of
> Nicaea' from Bettenson, 'Documents of the Christian Church' p. 35:
> 
> We believe in one God the Father All-sovereign, maker of all things
> visible and invisible;
> 
> And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father,
> only-begotten, that is, of the substance of the Father, God of God,
> Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten not made, of one
> substance with the Father [homoousion to patri], through whom all
> things were made, things in heaven and things on the earth;  who for us
> men and for our salvation came down and was made flesh, and became man,
> suffered, and rose on the third day, ascended into the heavens, is
> coming to judge living and dead.
> 
> And in the Holy Spirit.
> 
> And those that say, 'There was when he was not,'
> 	and 'Before he was begotten he was not,'
> 	and that 'He came into being from what-is-not,'
> or those that allege, that the son of God is
> 	'Of another substance or essence'
> 	or 'created,'
> 	or 'changeable,'
> 	or 'alterable,'
> these the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes.
> 
> We shall look in our next posting at what is meant by this creed, the
> controversies underlying it, and the opinions which it anathematizes. 
> But no doubt before then many on the list will want to contribute their
> two penn'orth.
> 
> The Supple Doctor.



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