This week, the blog is sponsored by Nicea Conference. This October, join church leaders from every inhabited continent in Istanbul to commemorate the heritage of the church, to remember the truth proclaimed through the ages, and to proclaim and protect the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Use promo code CHALLIES@NICEA to enjoy 20% off your registration. This post is written by Caleb Greggsen.
1700 years ago, theologians and ministers from across the known world gathered in a small imperial town, Nicea, just south of Constantinople. The council was initiated by the Emperor Constantine, concerned that his new religion was dividing between those who said Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the eternal Son of God, and those who said there was a time when Jesus was not.
But the stakes were far higher than Constantine’s political concerns. At stake was the defense of the faith once for all delivered to the saints. At stake was whether churches would honor Jesus as Lord, or dishonor him as some lesser being. At stake was the truth by which the Church was unified. In God’s kind providence, while the council didn’t end the conflict between biblical teachers and heretics, it did produce one of the oldest and most widely used summaries of biblical teaching: the Nicene Creed, which faithfully represents the biblical testimony about our Triune God.
1700 years later, the known world is much bigger. There are other, new issues that threaten to confuse, distract, and divide God’s people. And yet still, we gather around the one faith handed down once for all. God’s people are found in many more lands than they were back then. And yet we are still united by our union by faith to Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of the Father, light from light, true God from true God.
Nicea Conference, October 22-25, is a chance to celebrate the unity of the one faith in a unique way. In the same place where our spiritual forefathers gathered to advocate for the truth, we can gather and celebrate that same blessed truth.
I have the unique privilege of pastoring most of those behind the scenes making this conference happen. I can testify that their goals are ambitious and kingdom-minded. The hope is that this conference will not only provide edifying teaching from world-class preachers from around the world. The hope is that this will lead us to thank God for faithful saints who’ve gone before us. The hope is that it will be a launching pad for more gospel-friendships that span the globe.
Much has changed since the Council was held. Nicea is now Iznik. Constantinople is now Istanbul. The teaching will be in English, not Latin. But our Lord, and the salvation he offers in the name of Jesus has not. I hope you’ll be able to join us in celebrating God and his provision for his people across millennia at the Nicea Conference.
“Christ alone, using common speech and through the agency of men not clever with their tongues, has convinced whole assemblies of people all the world over to despise death, and to take heed to the things that do not die, and to look past the things of time and gaze on things eternal…” Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation, 8.47.
