Posted on 11/30/2025 3:53:38 PM PST by xxqqzz
IZNIK, Turkey (AP) — Pope Leo XIV joined Eastern and Western patriarchs and priests Friday in commemorating an important anniversary in Christian history, gathering at the site in Turkey of an unprecedented A.D. 325 meeting of bishops to pray that Christians might once again be united.
Leo, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and other Christian leaders met on the shores of Lake Iznik, the site of the Council of Nicaea that produced a creed, or statement of faith, that is still recited by millions of Christians today.
Standing over the ruins of the site, the men recited the creed, which Leo said was “of fundamental importance in the journey that Christians are making toward full communion.”
“In this way, we are all invited to overcome the scandal of the divisions that unfortunately still exist and to nurture the desire for unity for which the Lord Jesus prayed and gave his life,” he said.
The prayer marked the highlight of Leo’s visit to Turkey and the main reason for his trip, the first of his pontificate.
A crucial moment in Christianity The Nicaea gathering took place at a time when the Eastern and Western churches were still united. They split in the Great Schism of 1054, a divide precipitated largely by disagreements over the primacy of the pope. But even today, Catholic, Orthodox and most historic Protestant groups accept the Nicaean Creed, making it a point of agreement and the most widely accepted creed in Christendom.
As a result, celebrating its origins at the site of its creation with the spiritual leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox churches and other Christian representatives marked a historic moment in the centuries-old quest to reunite all Christians.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
There will be Christian unity . United on common doctrine. It’s coming and it’s prophecy.
There there is Christian unity now, with Christ, regardless of human institutional differences. “Ecumenism” is about the human institutions, not Christ.
“Orthodoxy” - as in one universal “orthodox” belief system, in anything, is the institutional means of preventing open discernment of the truth. The purpose of “orthodoxy” is to claim anyone outside of it a heretic, and thus prevent any challenge to “orthodoxy”. It matters not if the matter is religious or scientific.
The version of the “Nicene Creed” which is commonly recited today is actually the crred adopted in 381 at the second ecumenical council (the First Council of Constantinople). The 325 creed is similar but has some sentences which were omitted in 381, and expands on other parts. The part of the 325 creed about the Holy Spirit is only 6 words long (in Greek).
I meant that the 381 creed expands on the 325 creed in parts.
I disagree. I like orthodoxy, in the sense that it respects the original understanding of something. And the assumption is, that the original is correct. If not, or if it needs adjusting, it is a matter of seeing if the original concept can be upheld with deeper or more complete understanding. The original gets the benefit of the doubt.
I like originalism in constitutional interpretation. Many conservatives do. I think it is analogous to orthodoxy. Of course I am no expert, I’m just loyal to my roots, which have stood the test of time.
“I like orthodoxy, in the sense that it respects the original understanding of something. And the assumption is, that the original is correct. If not, or if it needs adjusting, it is a matter of seeing if the original concept can be upheld with deeper or more complete understanding”
Philosophically it may be the case, but humans do not practice philosophy, they practice self-interest, and human institutions practice self interest most of all, leaving insufficient room for “adjusting”.
Only breaking out of orthodoxy, and often with institutional disruption, can the honest and well reasoned skeptics lead toward those adjustments.
“Climate change” narrative is an orthodoxy that has used its “official” positions to call all skeptics “climate change deniers” - heretics.
It has taken disruptive actions in society and politics to begin to declare that orthodoxy null and void.
Read Dava Sobel’s story “of the lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time”.
You will understand the nature of “orthodoxy” in action in society.
**“Orthodoxy” - as in one universal “orthodox” belief system, in anything, is the institutional means of preventing open discernment of the truth.**
You got that right. Just look at the extreme effort to proclaim ‘climate change’ as settled science.
There is historical facts that there were differing beliefs in defining the Godhead at least 100 (maybe even 200) years before the 325AD meeting, and that those beliefs have continued afterwards. History shows the varying beliefs had strong support in parts of Europe and north Africa.
However, regardless of mankind’s recorded history, I stay with the scriptures. Jesus Christ repeatedly said that the Father was in him, and he in the Father. He said his commandments and instruction were not his, but his Father’s. He called himself, and others called him ‘the Son of God’, not ‘God the Son’.
God has given us a wonderful type and shadow of the Godhead in the story of Joseph. There had already been a Pharaoh in Egypt for many centuries. Joseph began to exist before coming to the promised land, where he then began to wear his outer covering (the coat of many colors), and interact with his brethren. They rejected him, sold him, and (with a simulated death: the blood spattered coat, he was removed from their sight.
Joseph was not Pharaoh. Yet Joseph was given, by Pharaoh, ALL power and authority over Egypt, but remained 2nd in the throne, and rode in the second chariot. Everywhere Joseph went he had the power of Pharaoh at his disposal (Jesus Christ was GIVEN the Spirit without measure by his Father).
Joseph’s brother Judah, before realizing that Pharaoh’s governor was actually his own brother, said to Joseph, “thou art even as Pharaoh”.
After saving both Hebrews and Gentiles, by giving them life preserving food, Joseph remained in his postion as second only to Pharaoh.
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