Scripture and God in Christianity

again the imperial power first in the figure of Valentinian (364) and then Theodosius (380) which
came to the rescue of the Nicene Creed with some alterations and additions at the Council of
Constantinople in 381. 622
The Nicaeno- Constantinopolitan Creed goes: "We believe in one God Father Almighty, Maker
of heaven and earth and all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the onlybegotten
Son of God, who was begotten of the Father before all ages, light from light, true God
from True God, begotten not made, of one substance with the father, through whom all things
were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of
the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and was made man, and was crucified on our behalf under
Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried, and rose on the third day according to the Scriptures,
and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, and cometh again with glory
to judge quick and dead, of whose kingdom there shall not be an end; and in the Holy Spirit, the
Lord, the life-giver, who proceedeth from the Father, who with Father and Son is worshipped and
glorified, who spoke through the prophets; in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. We confess
one baptism for remission of sins; we accept a resurrection of the dead and the life of age to
come." 623 This Creed whose origination at the Council of Constantinople is questioned by F.J.A.
Hort and A. Harnack 624 and established by scholars like Eduard Schwartz and Badcock and
Kelly 625 was displaced everywhere throughout the East and the West in the sixth century under
the name of Nicene Creed. The Creed represents more nearly the position of Cappadocians than
that of the Athanasius. It represents the homoiousionoi, who accepted homoiousios (meaning
"similar") but not homoousios. That is why it omits the words "from the same substance (homoousios)
of the Father" which was the most important phrase to Athanasius. 626 Though more moderate
than the earlier original Creed it aims at achieving the same goal: the proper divinity and
deity of Jesus Christ hence conserving the results achieved at the Nicene Council.
It is pertinent here to mention the Cappadocian Fathers, Basil the Great (330-379), Gregory of
Nazianzuz (329-389) and Basil's brother, Gregory of Nyssa (329-394). 627 They are known for
their Trinitarian formula. Though they agreed completely with Athanasius in attributing real and
proper divinity to Christ by accepting him being from the same substance and nature as of the Father,
628 they disagreed with him in the question of persons. According to Athanasius, the "Father,
Son and Spirit are the same being living in a threefold form, or in three relationships, as many
may be at the same time a father, a son and a brother. According to Cappadocians, on the other
hand, Father, Son and Spirit are three like or equal beings sharing in a common nature, as different
men share in the common nature of man." 629 This is real Trinity.
This is what Basil describes when he discusses the matter at length: "Many, not distinguishing in
theology the common substance from the hypostases, fall into the same fancies and imagine that
it make no difference whether substance (ousis) or hypostasis be spoken of. Whence it has
pleased some to admit without examination that if one substance then also one hypostasis should
be affirmed. And on the other hand those who accept three hypostases think themselves compelled
to confess an equal number of substances. I have therefore, that you may not fall into a
similar error, written you a brief discourse concerning the matter. This then, to put it briefly, is
the meaning of the word: Some nouns which are used to cover many and various objects have a
more general sense like man.... When we imply this word we designate the common nature... not
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