Council of Nicaea I on the Trinity
One substance, three persons, co-equal and co-eternal
Creed — "being of one substance (homoousion, consubstantialem) with the Father"
THE POSITION
The Son is "of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made, being of one substance (homoousion) with the Father." The anathema names and excludes the Arian slogans: that there was a time when the Son was not, that he was made from things that were not, or that he is of a different substance. The Spirit gets only a bare clause — "and we believe in the Holy Ghost" — which is what 381 would have to complete.
17 OTHERS HOLD THIS
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.
Cite this page
"Council of Nicaea I on the Trinity", Examined Doctrine, July 2026 edition, https://examineddoctrine.com/position/nicaea-1/trinity (archived at https://examineddoctrine.com/editions/2026-07/position/nicaea-1/trinity).