| One of the most important events in the history
of the Christian Church was the Council of Nicaea, held in 325 AD), where the Nicene
Creed, defining Christian orthodoxy, found its origin. Two of the principal figures at the
Council are pictured in this window. On the left is the Roman Emperor Constantine (circa
274-337 AD) who called the Ecumenical Council in order to settle the controversy dividing
the church over the nature of the Person of Jesus Christ. Tradition records that
Constantine saw a vision of the cross in the sky, and then sought to unite the Roman
Empire under the sign of the cross. History shows a strong Christian and humane tendency
in his policies and legislation. The figure on the right. Athanasius (296 - 373 AD),
emerged as a leading proponent of orthodoxy at the Council. He argued that Jesus Christ
was one Person with two natures, "fully human and fully divine." Christ was the
pre-existent Son of God, Co-eternal with the Father. The Nicene Creed would not be fully
developed until the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD, but the seeds of Christian truth
were sown at Nicaea which would blossom into a Trinitarian understanding of "God in
three persons. blessed trinity." (Continued under picture...) Westminster Presbyterian Church |
Athanasius would later become the Bishop of Alexandria, continuing to work for "the peace, unity and purity" of the Church, and standing today as one of the great Church Fathers. In the background are the Church leaders who built their theology and faith upon the foundation of the Trinity. Athanasius holds a triangle in his hands, the artist's poetic expression of the Trinity. |
