What happened at the Council of Nicaea?

In 325, bishops gathered at Nicaea confessed that Jesus Christ is true God from true God, begotten not made, CONSUBSTANTIAL with the Father, and they anathematized the claim that there once was when he was not. They also issued twenty canons on church order. Those canons do not list the books of the Bible. The English below is Norman Tanner’s translation, hosted by papalencyclicals.net, which is not the Holy See.

Key points

• The Tanner text (1) of the 325 creed says the Son is “true God from true God, begotten not made,” and “CONSUBSTANTIAL with the Father.”
• The same creed anathematizes those who say “there once was when he was not,” and that he came to be “from things that were not.”
• The synodal letter says “the most pious emperor Constantine” called the bishops together, and that anathemas were pronounced against Arius’s terms. The letter’s words “impious” and “blasphemous” stay inside that letter.
• The same letter says Theonas of Marmarica and Secundus of Ptolemais “suffered the same fate.” The fetched acts do not name Nicholas of Myra.
• The twenty canons are about clergy, Lent, Easter standing, and the customs of Alexandria, Antioch, and “a similar custom” for the bishop of Rome. They are not a table of biblical books. How was the Bible canon decided, and what is the Apocrypha? is that question.
• The Orthodox Church in America catechism (2) says the Symbol of Faith was drawn up at Nicaea in 325 and at Constantinople in 381, and it prints the 381 sentence that the Spirit “proceeds from the Father.”
• John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.John 1:1 · King James Version (3): “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Trinity and Is Jesus God? stay on that confession.

Who met, and who called them

The host’s introduction, citing Tanner, says the council “opened on 19 June in the presence of the emperor, but it is uncertain who presided.” It says Ossius of Cordova and the presbyters Vitus and Vincentius are listed before the other names, “but it is more likely that Eustathius of Antioch or Alexander of Alexandria presided.” It says the figure 318 “is from Hilary of Poitiers and is the traditional one,” and that other counts differ: Eusebius 250, Eustathius about 270, Athanasius about 300. Those sentences are the introduction’s, not a canon.

The synodal letter to the Egyptians says, “the grace of God and the most pious emperor Constantine have called us together from different provinces and cities to constitute the great and holy synod in Nicaea.” Who started the Catholic Church? quotes the claim that Constantine founded the church. The letter fetched here says he called this council. It does not say he wrote the creed or invented the Trinity.

The creed of 325

John 1:14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.John 1:14 · King James Version (4): “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.” Matthew 28:19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Matthew 28:19 · King James Version (5): “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

The Tanner translation (1) of the profession, including the translator’s glosses:

We believe in one God the Father all powerful, maker of all things both seen and unseen. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten begotten from the Father, that is from the substance [Gr. ousias, Lat. substantia] of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten [Gr. gennethenta, Lat. natum] not made [Gr. poethenta, Lat. factum], CONSUBSTANTIAL [Gr. homoousion, Lat. unius substantiae (quod Graeci dicunt homousion)] with the Father, through whom all things came to be, both those in heaven and those in earth; for us humans and for our salvation he came down and became incarnate, became human, suffered and rose up on the third day, went up into the heavens, is coming to judge the living and the dead. And in the holy Spirit.

The host’s introduction says the bold words in that profession are, in Tanner’s words, “The additions made by the council to an underlying form of the creed.” The creed itself ends the Spirit sentence at “And in the holy Spirit.”

The anathema, in the same translation:

And those who say “there once was when he was not”, and “before he was begotten he was not”, and that he came to be from things that were not, or from another hypostasis [Gr. hypostaseos] or substance [Gr. ousias, Lat. substantia], affirming that the Son of God is subject to change or alteration these the catholic and apostolic church anathematises.

The Catechism (6) prints a later form of the same creed, including “true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father.” What do Catholics believe? quotes that creed. What does the Eastern Orthodox Church believe? quotes the Orthodox Church in America text.

325 and 381

The OCA catechism (2) says the Symbol of Faith “was formally drawn up at the first ecumenical council in Nicea (325) and at the second ecumenical council in Constantinople (381).” It prints the 381 sentences on the Spirit, including “the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father,” and “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.” The 325 text above stops at “And in the holy Spirit.” Eastern Orthodox vs Catholic quotes the later argument about the filioque, which is not a sentence of the 325 creed.

Arius, and the letter to Egypt

The synodal letter says the affair of Arius “was discussed in the presence of the most pious emperor Constantine.” It says the synod agreed that anathemas should be pronounced against “his impious opinion and his blasphemous terms and expressions,” including “there once was when he was not,” “before he was begotten he was not,” “he is from things that are not,” and calling the Son “a creature and a work.” The words impious and blasphemous are the letter’s. This page does not add a description of the man.

The letter says, “Of that man and the fate which befell him, you have doubtless heard or will hear,” and that “Theonas of Marmarica and Secundus of Ptolemais shared in the consequences, for they too suffered the same fate.” It then turns to Meletius: he might remain in his own city “without any authority to nominate or ordain,” and “retain the bare name of his office.” The fetched acts do not name Nicholas of Myra.

The twenty canons

The canons are disciplinary. Canon 1 is about clergy who have been castrated. Canon 4 says a bishop should be appointed by the bishops of the province, or at least three with the written consent of the absent. Canon 5 provides two synods a year. Canon 6: “The ancient customs of Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis shall be maintained, according to which the bishop of Alexandria has authority over all these places since a similar custom exists with reference to the bishop of Rome.” Canon 20 says prayers on Sunday and in the season of Pentecost are offered standing. None of the twenty is a list of biblical books. How was the Bible canon decided, and what is the Apocrypha? quotes the later lists churches actually published.

Canon 6 names “a similar custom” for the bishop of Rome beside Alexandria’s custom. Who started the Catholic Church? quotes the Catechism and Westminster on Peter’s office. This page does not decide that question from canon 6.

The host says a paragraph on the Pasch “is not found in the latin text, but is found in the greek text.” That paragraph says the brethren in the East “who have hitherto followed the Jewish practice will henceforth observe the custom of the Romans and of yourselves and of all of us who from ancient times have kept Easter together with you.”

Frequently asked questions

Did the Council of Nicaea invent the Trinity?

The 325 creed confesses one God, one Lord Jesus Christ who is true God from true God and of one substance with the Father, and the holy Spirit. John 1:1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.John 1:1 · King James Version (3) and Matthew 28:19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Matthew 28:19 · King James Version (5) are the New Testament sentences this site cites for that confession. The council’s anathema rejects the claim that the Son once was not. The 381 council, in the OCA catechism’s account, adds the sentences on the Spirit as Lord and giver of life. The Trinity is that doctrine.

Did Constantine start the Catholic Church?

The synodal letter says Constantine called the bishops to Nicaea. Who started the Catholic Church? quotes the Catechism, which says Christ inaugurated the Church, and Westminster, which says Christ is the only head. The acts fetched here do not say Constantine founded the church.

Did Nicaea choose the books of the Bible?

The twenty canons do not list them. A paragraph that set a biblical canon was not in the Tanner text fetched here.

Was the vote about whether Jesus is God?

The creed says he is “true God from true God” and “CONSUBSTANTIAL with the Father,” and the anathema rejects “there once was when he was not.” The introduction says who presided is uncertain and that the traditional count of 318 is Hilary’s. The text does not print a tally of votes.

The churches on this site

• Christianity
• Eastern Orthodox
• Catholic
• The Trinity
• Is Jesus God?
• What does the Eastern Orthodox Church believe?
• Who started the Catholic Church?
• How was the Bible canon decided, and what is the Apocrypha?
• Common arguments