I know that a lot of good came from Jesus and His teachings but do you have reason to question some of the dogmas and teachings of Christianity when reading about the Council of Nicea? Do you trust that truth was priority when a pagan emperor and 300 bishops came together that day to establish what Christians were to believe??
2007-09-18 09:51:17 · 17 answers · asked by Jonny 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No. I question "dogmas and teachings", but not my faith or beliefs.
"thumbs down" for this. You people are hysterical.
2007-09-18 09:58:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 5⤋
This is a misconception... The emperor was not really in attedance per se. He saw Christianity as a way to unite his people together politically and financially, and so ordered the church leaders to get together and make a declaration of faith - which was widely oppossed by many followers, causing a split.
Anyways, getting back to the Constantine "deciding" anything - really he didn't. He used the religion as an opportunity to essentially make money, he pretty much told the leaders to make a declaration as to what they believed and then declared their statement as Truth according to state law.
That being said, people had been arguing over the status of Jesus, whether or not he was divine, etc. for years, and they were forced to declare a theology regarding this subject. This is what happened over and over..Jesus pretty much came to earth and said "I am the way" and then got killed. He didn't really have time to get into any theological depth, and so it was through these councils that things got defined. And only really when there was enough strife regarding a subject to cause problems between follower groups.
So, to answer your question in a more direct manner - there are texts in and out of the Bible that has Jesus essentially teaching the same thing - he is the way in one manner or another. This all depends on whether you believe what the NT says, or if you have read and understood the more gnostic versions of Christian literature. All of them say that Jewish laws are moot because he is the new Israel. Believe what I, Jesus, say and you too will go to be with God.
No, truth was not a priority to Constantine, he called the council together for political purposes only. Truth was a factor for the leaders, who would have had to come together sooner or later on this matter anyways. They believed as a body of people that the theoligical views they established were Truth based on their own understandings of what they considered their religious texts (keep in mind that the New Testament wasn't formed for another 25 or so years after this).
SO yes, I question this stuff in depth all the time..but then I have had a very different teaching from those....and I do still believe in Jesus and God - just in more of the Nag Hammadi, "gnostic" sense of things.
2007-09-18 10:11:00 · answer #2 · answered by SisterSue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus had sufficient effect to create perception. St. Paul taught the perception and inspired the church homes. The Council of Nicea twisted the doctrines and altered the ideals. no person quite believes interior the council of Nicea. So...permit's see....the biggest effect....hmmm..might might desire to be the founder.
2016-10-09 10:18:11 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
From what I've learned the council of Nicea was the first of many similar councils where important doctrines, cannons, and even country laws were decided by way of vote.
Does that cause me as a Christian to question some of the results of these councils? Of course, I'd prefer my religion to come by way of revelation from God (as was the pattern in the time of the apostles) rather than by votes of men.
Of course I think it's healthy for people to question their beliefs. I think it's vital for people to search their hearts, and seek God out in prayer over their beliefs (or how else can it truly be a belief of theirs?).
All in all, I think the questioning must be done one little decision they made at a time...some of the decisions of these councils I think have been dead right (i.e let's stop feeding Christians to the lions), others decisions they have come to I think are dead wrong (i.e lets burn intelligent women). I wouldn't want to accept or reject all of their decisions in one package deal.
2007-09-18 10:28:20 · answer #4 · answered by daisyk 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Well... I do think its possible for things to be switched around and changed to promote a certain belief..and scripture has fallen in the wrong hands more than once but think for a minute... Im not talking about what specific religions might be teaching, but what is the Bible, as we know it today teaching? Does it really sound like something a pagan emperor would want people to believe? Would it emphasize Christ and not man? Would it show the "great" people of the Bible as faulty human beings? Wouldn't it be more likely that men would be elevated in it, to maybe say that the Apostles were holy and without sin? Would the New Testament promote monogomous relationships? One wife and one husband? Dont be greedy, drunk, violent or permiscuous?
Doesn't sound like things people with ill intentions would promote to me.
2007-09-18 10:02:40 · answer #5 · answered by impossble_dream 6 · 1⤊ 4⤋
They didn't establish anything, but rather merely formalized what the Gospels and other New Testament books already taught.
2007-09-18 12:57:22 · answer #6 · answered by Deof Movestofca 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't question my beliefs anymore. I used to question, and I sought answers. When I asked God to reveal those answers to me, He did. God is real and I do not need to rely on any counsel or anyone else to tell me that or to tell me what to believe. Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of mankind and He saved me, personally.
2007-09-18 10:04:27 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Actually, Constantine was not a pagan, he was christian, which is why he organized the council in the first place The fact that he changed the sabbath, a big no-no, doesn't make him a pagan, just not a very bright christian. I believe what the bible tells me, not what the council of Nicea tells me. Man made laws really have no meaning in faith.
2007-09-18 09:59:33 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 8⤋
They tried to define the Godhead. They got as far as the Father and the Son, they never got around to the Holy Ghost. Did you notice that they didn't have the council until after the Apostles and the Early Church Fathers were no longer around to defend what they knew to be Truth? The full Nicean Creed is confusing and contradictory at best.
2007-09-18 10:01:41 · answer #9 · answered by michael m 5 · 2⤊ 7⤋
The Council of Nicea lead to what is happening to the church today.
The faith once delivered is why when Jesus comes back there will still be believers here on earth.
2007-09-18 10:00:11 · answer #10 · answered by hisgloryisgreat 6 · 0⤊ 7⤋
No, not at all, but that is because I do not hold to the creed of the that council.
2007-09-18 10:04:25 · answer #11 · answered by Someone who cares 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋