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Examined Doctrine

Council of Nicaea I on Authority of Scripture

325 · ECUMENICAL COUNCIL · DOCUMENT, NOT A PERSON
READ IN A PRIMARY SOURCEAFFIRMS°
STANCE

Scripture with tradition and church teaching office

"all that so say, the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes them."
Creed, concluding anathema

THE POSITION

Nicaea settles doctrine by conciliar definition and binds it with an anathema issued in the name of the church, not by appeal to Scripture alone. On church order the canons repeatedly ground authority in "ancient customs" and "custom and ancient tradition." Scripture is quoted as decisive where cited, but the operative authority for the doctrinal ruling is the assembled church.

8 OTHERS HOLD THIS

AquinasBasil the GreatChalcedonChrysostomConstantinople IEphesusWilliam of OckhamJohn Duns Scotus
Scripture alone is the final, only infallible authorityJACOBUS ARMINIUS · VODDIE BAUCHAM · CALVIN · JONATHAN EDWARDS · THE CHURCH OF ELEVEN22 STATEMENT OF FAITH · CHARLES GRANDISON FINNEY · BILLY GRAHAM · M. HEISER · JOSH HOWERTON · TIM KELLER · SECOND LONDON BAPTIST CONFESSION · LUTHER · JOHN MACARTHUR · PHILIP MELANCHTHON · GAVIN ORTLUND · JOHN OWEN · JUSTIN PETERS · JOHN PIPER · R.C. SPROUL · WESLEY · WESTMINSTER CONFESSION · GEORGE WHITEFIELD · ZWINGLI
Scripture supreme, recognized and interpreted through the churchATHANASIUS · AUGUSTINE · IRENAEUS
See all 36 figures on authority of scripture →

ABOUT THIS FIGURE

Settled that the Son is homoousios — of one substance — with the Father, against Arius. Also fixed a common date for Easter and issued 20 disciplinary canons.

7 OF 7 POSITIONS QUOTED
Everything Nicaea I holds →
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"Council of Nicaea I on Authority of Scripture", Examined Doctrine, July 2026 edition, https://examineddoctrine.com/position/nicaea-1/scripture-authority (archived at https://examineddoctrine.com/editions/2026-07/position/nicaea-1/scripture-authority).

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