This year marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, and has rightly seen renewed interest in all things Nicene–confirmed by so many discussions, books, conferences, and so on. I myself have spent much time carefully considering what to underline as (to my mind) most important. Should I explain what is signified by homoousios?; show the error of Arianism?; reflect on the theological why of filioque (regardless of issues of ecclesial politics)?; something else?
Yet throughout my musings these last months, one saying from Augustine has repeatedly returned to me, and I believe it is most important: “intellectum valde ama”; or, in English, “fiercely love understanding.”1
What do I mean by this? In a year like this, most people (rightly) recommit themselves to assent or firmly hold to the Nicene Creed. They speak of why it is so important to do so; the consequences of not doing so; and so on. However, most people here remain, merely assenting from faith to this list of proposition…
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