Controversy over the Date of Easter: Difference between revisions

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 ==The Council of Nicea and Easter==
-The First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. repudiated Quartodecimanism (Easter on the 14th of Nissan), and acknowledge exceptional authority of the  patriarchs of the Churches in Alexandria and Rome over their respective regions.
+The impact of the Council of Nicaea were significant but not immediate.  This was the first time that a significant number of bishops in the Church gathered to agree on a doctrinal statement. This was also the first time the Emperor played a role by calling together the bishops under his authority, and using the power of the state to give the Council's orders effect.
-In 325, at the Council of Nicea, the first canon (unchanging law of discipline) was issued giving the patriarchs of Alexandria and Rome exceptional authority over other churches in their regions.  It was also decided at this council that the Christian Passover must not be celebrated with the Jewish Passover, which was the custom of the disciples. The Roman Emperor Constantine enforced this doctrine by the physical suppression of forms of worship he considered unorthodox.  <ref>Life of Constantine Vol. III Ch. XVIII by Eusebius</ref>
+In the short-term, however, the Council did not completely solve the problems it was convened to discuss and a period of conflict and upheaval continued for some time. Constantine was succeeded by two Arian Emperors: his son, Constantius II, and Valens.
-Not eager to reignite the controversy of Easter, many historians have tried to spin the resolution of this controversy in a positive light.  For example, the introductory note to Irenaeus' book "Against Heresies" includes the following note by the translators:
+Pagan powers within the Roman Empire sought to re-establish paganism (Arbogast and Julian the Apostate).  Arians regained nearly all of the rights they had lost, and consequently, Arianism continued to spread within the Church during the remainder of the fourth century.
-:''"At the Council of Nice, the rule for the observance of Easter was finally settled by the whole Church; and the forbearing example of Irenaeus, no doubt contributed greatly to this happy result."'' <ref>[[Irenaeus Introduction|INTRODUCTORY NOTE TO IRENAEUS AGAINST HERESIES]], Vol. I Ante-Nicene Fathers 309 </ref>
+The First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. repudiated Quartodecimanism (Easter on the 14th of Nissan).  It also gave jurisdiction over large regions to the bishops of Alexandria, Rome, and Antioch.
-But just because something is called a "happy result" does not mean it is a "happy result".  In fact, the "result" was the start of oppression by the Church of Rome over all other Churches around the world.
 ==Columba and Easter==