First Council of Nicaea

== Arian Controversy ==
The main purpose of the Council was to resolve disagreements brought about by the [[Arian controversy]] in the [[Greek East and Latin West|Greek-speaking east]].<ref>{{harvnb|Carroll|1987|p=10}}</ref> A dispute arose from within the [[Church of Alexandria]] over the nature of [[Jesus]] in his relationship to the Father: in particular, whether the Son had been 'begotten' by the Father from his own being, and therefore having no beginning, or else created out of nothing, and therefore having a beginning.<ref name="kelly1978">{{harvnb|Kelly|1978|loc=Chapter 9}}</ref> [[Pope Alexander I of Alexandria|St. Alexander of Alexandria]] and [[Athanasius of Alexandria|Athanasius]] took the first position; the popular [[presbyter]] [[Arius]], from whom the term [[Arianism]] comes, took the second. To most bishops, the teachings of Arius were [[Heresy in Christianity|heretical]] and dangerous to the [[Salvation in Christianity|salvation]] of souls.<ref>{{harvnb|Ware|1991|p=28}}</ref> 

The Council decided against the Arians overwhelmingly (of the estimated 250–300 bishops present, all but two agreed to sign the creed, and these two, along with Arius, were banished to [[Illyria]]).<ref name="EB1911" /><ref>{{harvnb|Schaff|Schaff|1910|loc=Section 120}}</ref>

=== The Nicene Creed ===
Most significantly, this council formulated the [[Nicene Creed]]. With the creation of the creed, a precedent was established for subsequent local and regional councils of bishops ([[synod]]s) to create statements of belief and [[Canon (canon law)|canons]] of doctrinal [[orthodoxy]]—the intent being to define unity of beliefs for the whole of [[Christendom]].<ref name="EB1911">{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Nicaea, Council of |volume=19 |pages=640–642 |first=Carl Theodor |last=Mirbt}}</ref>

=== Easter ===
Another result of the Council was an agreement on when to celebrate Easter, the most important feast of the ecclesiastical calendar, decreed in an [[epistle]] to the Church of Alexandria in which is simply stated:<blockquote>We also send you the good news of the settlement concerning the holy pasch, namely that in answer to your prayers this question also has been resolved. All the brethren in the East who have hitherto followed the Jewish practice will henceforth observe the custom of the Romans and of yourselves and of all of us who from ancient times have kept Easter together with you.<ref>{{harvnb|SEC|p=114}}</ref></blockquote>