Matthew Johnson wrote:
> In article ,
roger_pearse{at}yahoo.co.uk says...
> >basicallyblues wrote:
> >> Yes. Apostate Christianity adopted pagan teachings, customs,
holidays
> >> and tried to "Christianize" them. Only a fraction
of the bishops
even
> >> took part at Nicea but compromised when Constantine demanded unity
in
> >> his empire at the expense of truth.
> >
> >Constantine made no such demand.
>
> Of course, you are right. But mad anti-trinitarian ideologues, who
enter this NG
> frothing at the mouth with insane accusations against the life-saving
dogma of
> the Trinity and even against all Trinitarians, will not hesitate from
slandering
> the sainted Emperor in this way. Why would they, when they are so
willing to
> call all the rest of us 'apostates', 'pagans' and 'idolators'? Why
would they,
> when they are willing to rewrite history and even Scripture itself to
support
> their own narrow-minded, fanatically anti-christian view?
>
> I hope you will feel free to treat this topic at more length,
explaining what
> the Emperor was _really_ doing when he convoked the Council. You have
done this
> well before.

You're very kind.  In brief, if we look at the ancient accounts, we
find that the dissentions in the church of Alexandria were causing all
sorts of problems.  A council of bishops was called at Ancyra to
resolve this.  Then bishop Hosius of Cordova persuaded Constantine to
host the council, pay the bills so that Western bishops could attend,
and the venue was changed to Nicaea so Constantine himself could
attend.  The deliberations of the council were fairly free-form, and
Arius was condemned.  The date of Easter was harmonised and some canons
issued on various matters of discipline.  Arius and the two bishops who
refused to accept the Nicene formula were exiled by Constantine; but
all were allowed to return later.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

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