On Saturday 7th June 2025 at Gidea Park Catholic Church, to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the first Council of Nicaea, and of the Nicene Creed, Dr Ken Carleton, deacon of the diocese of Brentwood, who has a doctorate in Church History, and lectures at St Mary’s College, Oscott, gave a presentation entitled ‘Consubstantial with the Father: Creed, Church and Constantine’. Dr Ken set the context of the early centuries of Christianity, and the turmoil in the Roman Empire of both East and West. It was the emperor Constantine who, in 325, summoned this first council of the universal church. The central problem to be addressed was raised by the teaching of the priest Arius, who maintained that the Son of God was not God. There was a time when he was not. He was not of one being with the Father. Opposition to this heretical teaching was led by Athanasius of Alexandria, who would subsequently become patriarch. Despite achieving an acceptable expression of Christian faith, (only two Council Fathers of more than two hundred voted against), the issue was not brought to a close, and Arianism continued to enlist support for centuries.
Dr Ken explored how the doctrine about Christ and about the Trinity developed further, and how the role of a council was refined. This was a wide-ranging and fascinating presentation.