The First Council of Nicaea (325 AD)

Concilium Nicaenum Primum: Latin Texts, English Translations, and the Canons of Nicaea

Discover the history, theology, and lasting significance of the First Council of Nicaea (AD 325) in this comprehensive course on one of the most important events in Early Church history. You will explore the political and theological events that led to the Council of Nicaea, including the rise of the Arian controversy, the teachings of Arius, the leadership of Emperor Constantine, and the Church's response to questions about the divinity of Christ. This course places primary sources at the center of your learning. You will read and analyze the Letter of Eusebius to Paulinus, the Letter of Arius to Eusebius, and Constantine's Letter to Arius and Alexander, gaining firsthand insight into the debates that shaped Christian theology. You will also study the twenty Canons of the council in the original Latin with an accompanying English translation, examine the Nicene Creed of AD 325, and learn why it remains foundational to Nicene Christianity. The course concludes with a brief introduction to selected quotes from Athanasius's De Decretis Nicaenae Synodi and its defense of the council's doctrinal decisions. Ideal for students of Catholic Church history, theology, pastors, seminarians, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Early Christianity and the First Council of Nicaea.

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