Fourth-century Council of Nicaea shaped European history, Anglican theologian says
[World Council of Churches] The 1700th anniversary in 2025 of the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea is an opportunity to reflect on the significance of the event for Christian unity and for the shaping of European culture, according to the Rev. Charlotte Methuen of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
“It marks a point at which Christianity goes from being a persecuted religion and a religion very much on the sidelines to actually having an official status,” said Methuen, a member of the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches. “Without the Council of Nicaea we might not have had European Christendom and the whole of the European history would have been different,” Methuen said in a WCC video interview.
The Council of Nicaea was a gathering of Christian bishops under the patronage of the Roman Emperor Constantine, who converted to Christianity in 312 CE and was concerned about disunity among Christians. From being a persecuted religion, Christianity now had an official status, she said.
Read the entire article, and watch the video interview, here.
