Councils and Creeds

Question 1

Council of Nicea

Answer 1

Date: 325 AD
Purpose: Called by Constantine to settle diety of Christ and Arianism
- Ruled against Arianism and produced term homoousius
- First ecumenical council

Question 2

Council of Constantinople

Answer 2

Date: 381 AD
Purpose: Called by emperor Theodosius to deal with Arianism that still lingers after Nicea
- Produced the “Nicene Creed” against Arianism
- Defended consubstantiality of the Holy Spirit against Macedonianism. Also against Apollinarianism (Human soul replaced the the logos)

Question 3

Council of Ephesus

Answer 3

Date: 431
- Dealt with Nestorianism (making two persons out of two natures)
- Nestorius Condemned

Question 4

Council of Chalcedon

Answer 4

Date: 451
- Fourth ecumenical creed
- Addressed monophysite/eutychian heresy that confused the two natures of Christ.
- Marcian asked for a creed to be produced, which is the Chalcedonian Creed

Question 5

Athanasian Creed

Answer 5

Date: 5th Century

Question 6

Apostle’s Creed

Answer 6

• Grounded in Regula Fidei
• Earliest text in the 6th century. 4th century has commentary on it by Rufinus