Christian History

Universal Life Church Seminary /Christian History

Submitted by Ernest Kayorie

From Nicaea to Nicaea:  The Attempted Solidification of the Christian Empire 

A proper understanding of the reasons why Christianity became the over powering influence in western civilization cannot be separated from an understanding of the first seven ecumenical councils.  The questions that were paramount on the minds of the historians and theologians in the early Church were similar to the questions on the minds of early Christians then and now.  Who was Jesus? What was the nature of his being and how was it revealed to us?  What was the relationship of Mary to her son and how was she to be revered?  What books were to be condoned and which books/writings were to be banned?  What was the Church proper and how was it to be organized? What was the relationship of the Father to the Son and what was the Holy Spirit's role in the doctrine of the Trinity?  These questions that have occupied Christian minds since earliest times were largely consolidated as a result of the decisions that were made during the councils. 

Felix Just, prominent Catholic theologian and historian expressed in his article,  The Development of Core Christian Teaching that "these large meetings of bishops also produced some of the earliest and most concise statements of belief which are still foundational for the Christian religion"[1]

The first ecumenical Council of the Christian Church convened on June 19^th, 325 AD with 318 Church fathers present along with the presence of the Emperor Constantine.  The number of 318 Church Fathers is the traditional number although other numbers range from 250 to more than 300 depending on whom one reads.[2]

The reason for the convening of this event was twofold.  Constantine's presence was to ensure that some form of unity be established within the ranks of the Christians and hopefully this would help the state of affairs existing within his empire.  The bishops and theologians present were concerned with the standardization of rules for governing the many churches and sects that existed within their ranks although regional sectarianism cannot be dismissed as a motive.  They also seemed to be aware that the united front that Christianity presented was of vital importance to their future security within the empire.  The fact that years of persecution from the empire and their own internal strife weighted heavily on the attending fathers cannot be denied.  It was only a few years earlier that the Edict of Milan placed Christianity in a favorable light protected as an officially favored religion.

Prior to the Council of Nicaea, Christians chose a variety of beliefs concerning questions about their founder although the majority seems to have no question about the divine nature of Jesus. After all, the teachings of Paul stated that "in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form," and also "Jesus is God overall".    John's Gospel declares Jesus as the Divine Logos, "the Way, the Truth, and the Life"[3]

 Jean Danielou in his monumental work, The Theology of Jewish Christianity outlines historically and theologically the various theories that came to designate and define the relationship of the Father to the Son.  He convincingly relates how the streams of thought throughout Jewish theological thinking form a strong and solid foundation for belief in the relationship of the physical Jesus and the Divine Logos. The Name and the Word were interchangeable.[4]

It is a safe assumption that the Council did not deify Jesus Christ, but rather attempted to affirm the majority opinions concerning that position. The question now was about how Jesus was divine and determining that would some how unify the faith. 

A major issue raised at the Council was the question of the apparent heretical stance taken by Arius who taught that Jesus was inferior to God the Father and was created by the Father, which relegated Jesus to the position of a god but not God.  According to Alexander, the newly appointed Bishop of Alexandria, Arius proposed that:

"That God was not always the Father, but that there was a period when he was not the Father; that the Word of God was not from eternity, but was made out of nothing; for that the ever-existing God ('the I AM'—the eternal One) made him who did not previously exist, out of nothing; wherefore there was a time when he did not exist, inasmuch as the Son is a creature and a work."[5]

             

To counter this apparent threat, the official Nicene proclamation (by a majority vote only two dissenters) stated in the Letter of the Synod in Nicaea to the Egyptians the following:

"First of all, then, in the presence of our most religious Sovereign Constantine, investigation was made of matters concerning the impiety and transgression of Arias and his adherents; and it was unanimously decreed that he and his impious opinion should be anathematized, together with the blasphemous words and speculations in which he indulged, blaspheming the Son of God, and saying that he is from things that are not, and that before he was begotten he was not, and that there was a time when he was not, and that the Son of God is by his free will capable of vice and virtue; saying also that he is a creature. All these things the holy Synod has anathematized, not even enduring to hear his impious doctrine and madness and blasphemous words even to be heard."[6]

The official declaration of the Council which was to become known as the Nicene Creed stated:

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of his Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance, consubstantial with the Father. By whom all things were made, both which be in heaven and in earth. Who for us men and for our salvation came down [from heaven] and was incarnate and was made man. He suffered and the third day he rose again, and ascended into heaven. And he shall come again to judge both the quick and the dead. And [we believe] in the Holy Ghost. And whosoever shall say that there was a time when the Son of God was not, or that before he was begotten he was not, or that he was made of things that were not, or that he is of a different substance or essence [from the Father] or that he is a creature, or subject to change or conversion — all that so say, the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes [7]

A very important issue was the use of the term, homoousia that was seemingly inserted to establish the anti-Arian sentiments of the document.  As C.A. Blaising states in his article on the proceedings at Nicea:

"The theology expressed in the Nicene Creed is decisively anti-Arian. At the beginning the unity of God is affirmed. But the Son is said to be "true God from true God." Although confessing that the Son is begotten, the creed adds the words, "from the Father" and "not made." It is positively asserted that he is "from the being (ousia) of the Father" and "of one substance (homoousia) with the Father." A list of Arian phrases, including "there was when he was not" and assertions that the Son is a creature or out of nothing, are expressly anathematized. Thus an ontological rather than merely functional deity of the Son was upheld at Nicaea" [8]

No doubt, there were many other heretical issues on the minds of the participants at the Council but Arias was currently under fire for his views and it seems that he was convenient and the most current threat.

The influence of the proceedings at the Council of  Nicea and how those decisions further influenced the solidification of the new fledgling organization that was to become the official religion of the Roman Empire seem to be a stepping stone but what is apparent is that the Christian churches and groups seemed to have lost an element of choice when the Council decreed its proclamations.

Further declarations that emerged from the proceedings dealt with definite disciplinary standards for the consolidation of churches and clergy including establishing a common date for the celebration of the most solemn of Christian feasts, namely Easter.

The long-term effects of the Council's proclamations seemed to break down after their dismissal with many of the bishops and theologians returning to their areas only to attempt to soften the proclamations and find a compromise that would be more acceptable to the Arian outlook, a position that still found adherents among theologians and ruling leaders. Ironically, Constantine who received baptism on his deathbed was given that ritual by an Arian bishop, Eusebius of Nicomedia. 

All in all, the significance of the first recognized ecumenical council was substantial because it was a first attempt to attain some type of consensus in the rapidly developing church using an assembly of bishops and theologians that represented a majority of Christendom.  It was apparent that a definite theology was developed concerning the nature of the Christ.  The fact that the Emperor convened it was significant because it signaled a measure of imperial control that would plague Christianity throughout its history. Establishing the Nicene Creed set a precedent for the establishment of specific beliefs that would become guidelines for a definite orthodoxy that characterizes the history of Christianity.

Held in Constantinople in 381, the second ecumenical council, also called the first Council of Constantinople was convened for the purpose of clarification of issues that had arisen concerning the doctrine of the Trinity.  Although the relationship of the Father to the Son was clearly defined by the Council of Nicaea, the position that the Holy Spirit held was not.  As a result of the disagreement, certain factions contended that the Holy Spirit was not a person but a power of God.  The followers of Macedonius advocated this position. The Emperor Theodosius convened the council to clarify the controversy.  As a result of their decrees, the Macedonian heresy was condemned and the council added five articles to the original Nicene Creed.  The creed would now read:

             

And [we believe] in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver-of-Life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.  And [we believe] in one, holy, (II) Catholic and Apostolic Church.  We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

[and] we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.  Amen.[9]

The significance of this addition seems to have had an effect on the future of the Trinitarian Doctrine for the Church because Theodosius, the last emperor of both the eastern and western Roman Empire issued the Theodosian Code which in effect made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.  It states:

"It is our desire that all the various nations which are subject to our clemency and moderation, should continue to the profession of that religion which was delivered to the Romans by the divine Apostle Peter, as it has been preserved by faithful tradition and which is now professed by the Pontiff Damasus and by Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, a man of apostolic holiness. According to the apostolic teaching and the doctrine of the Gospel, let us believe in the one deity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in equal majesty and in a holy Trinity. We authorize the followers of this law to assume the title Catholic Christians; but as for the others, since in our judgment they are foolish madmen, we decree that they shall be branded with the ignominious name of heretics, and shall not presume to give their conventicles the name of churches. They will suffer in the first place the chastisement of divine condemnation and the second the punishment of our authority, in accordance with the will of heaven shall decide to inflict."[10]

The canons issued by the Council are significant in that they deal with administrative decisions that have an effect on the future standing of the Church.  The seeds of the final split between the eastern and western parts of the Empire and the Church trace their origins to the acceptance of the canons issued by the second ecumenical council. The insistence that Constantinople was to hold a privileged position surfaced officially with the acceptance of the decree that stated:

The most holy Pope of Old Rome shall be first of all all priests.  But the most blessed Archbishop of Constantinople, which is New Rome, shall have the second place after the Holy Apostolic See of Old Rome.[11]

The next council that is considered ecumenical by both East and West was held in Ephesus in 431. Once again a controversy arose considering the nature of  Christ. The dispute centered around the teachings of Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople who emphasized the dual natures of Christ. If Jesus was both human and divine, he was also subject to the human condition.  After all, was not man  a sinner by his very nature? If Jesus was only divine, this fact would make him different from humans.  If Jesus was both human and divine, he would be a sinner as well.  This stance angered the other church fathers especially Cyril of Alexandria who convinced the pope to condemn the heresies put forth by Nestorius.  In addition, because of the position held by Nestorius, the question of the status of the Virgin Mary was also brought into question.  Did she give birth to a human or a god? Socrates, noted for his impartiality related in his history of the church that:

Nestorius had an associate whom he had brought forth from Antioch, a presbyter named Anastasius; for this man had high esteem and consulted him in the management of affairs.  Anastasius, preaching one day in church, said, "let no one call Mary Theotocus: for Mary was but a human being; and it is impossible that God should be born of a human being."  This caused a great sensation, and troubled both the clergy and the laity, as they been heretofore taught to acknowledge Christ as God and by no means to separate his humanity from his divinity on account of the economy of incarnation[12]

Socrates goes on to state that had studied the writings of Nestorius and that he found him to be "an unlearned man" and "that the causeless alarm he manifested on this subject just exposed his extreme ignorance."

The banter that resulted between Nestoprius and Cyril, each espousing the correctness of their positions resulted in the councils declaring that Nestorius was to be excommunicated. The decree issued by the council stated:

As, in addition to other things, the impious Nestorius has not obeyed our citation, and did not receive the holy bishops who were sent by us to him, we were compelled to examine his ungodly doctrines. We discovered that he had held and published impious doctrines in his letters and treatises, as well as in discourses which he delivered in this city, and which have been testified to. Compelled thereto by the canons and by the letter of our most holy father and fellow-servant Cœlestine, the Roman bishop, we have come, with many tears, to this sorrowful sentence against him, namely, that our Lord Jesus Christ, whom he has blasphemed, decrees by the holy Synod that Nestorius be excluded from the episcopal dignity, and from all priestly communion.[13]

Once again the council declared the decisions made at Nicaea were to be adhered to and that the creed that was accepted there was to be considered doctrine. As with previous councils, administrative concerns involving the organizational aspects of the church were dealt with but most were reiterating the absolute adherence to the Nicene Creed going so far as forbidding the production of new creeds.

Twenty years passed before another major controversy threatened to shake the foundation of the Church.  Considered to be the fourth ecumenical council of the Christian church, the Council of Chalcedon was convened in 451 at the decree of the eastern emperor, Marcian.  Although the Pope Leo urged the  Emperor to postpone the council, communications failed and the council was convened first at Nicaea and then transferred to Chalcedon to be closer to the Emperor  This council's main purpose was to settle major theological disputes about the nature of Jesus Christ, an ongoing controversy since the first council at Nicaea.  Perhaps the reason this council was planned to be held at the original site was a desire of the church fathers to glean inspiration there.  Although the Nicene Creed was accepted as an absolute declaration of faith for Christianity, it did not stop theologians and church fathers from meandering into areas of inquiry about how the nature of Christ was to be viewed. Orthodoxy in theological thought seemed impossible as long as man possessed a thinking mind. 

The number of bishops and legates attending the council attests to the severity of the issues that were to be discussed. A safe estimate seems to be "more than five hundred bishops with several papal legates in attendance."[14] 

The next challenge that confronted Church fathers was Monophysitism which overemphasized the divine nature of Jesus to the detriment of his human nature.  The council reiterated the beliefs and decisions of previous councils based on the Nicene formula, affirming that Christ is two natures in one person.  This formula embraced Nicene doctrine and became known as the Chalcedonian Formula.  It stated in its body all the decisions affirmed by the previous councils and emphasized:

One and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of  natures being in no way annulled by the union….not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ…[15]

Although the council was concerned with the growing controversy, the most significant contribution to Church history was the famous tome attributed to Pope Leo I.  As Judith Herrin states in The Formation of Christendom:

His famous Tomus, the letter addressed to Patriarch Flavian of Constantinople on the question of Christ's two natures, became the agreed doctrinal definition of this gathering of over 500 bishops, who invested the Roman document with supreme authority[16]

 

With the acceptance of this document, Rome took a leading role in establishing Christian dogma.  Needless to say, the eastern churches hesitated to accept its supremacy and as Judith Herrin summarizes "that in the years to come the western churches in particular were to cling to this fame and the increased theological standing that Leo brought to the see of Rome."[17]  Needless to say, this and other decisions in previous and future councils further contributed to the separation between the Eastern and Western Churches that has characterized the Christian Church today.  Administrative and doctrinal issues remain at the heart of the gap between East and West. It reappears again and becomes especially crucial for future generations of Christian growth after the next council held in 553.

The next council convened by the Emperor Justinian in Constantinople (553) seems to have a definite political agenda.  Judith Herrin points out "the resurgence of anti-Nestorian conviction in the churches after Chalcedon seemed to Justinian to present an opportunity to reunite Monophysite tendencies with Constantinople."[18]  She further emphasized that "all parties could agree on an emphatic condemnation of Nestorianism…this became the chosen weapon and the Three Chapters the particular instrument" [19]  The Three Chapters were texts of three particular bishops (Theodore of Mopsiestia, Ibas of Edessa, and Theodoretas of Kyrros) which apparently espoused the beliefs of Nestorius or were at least close to heretical tendencies attributed to Nestorius.  It seems that Ibas of Edessa and Theodoretas of Kyrros were cleared of charges at Chalcedon according to Judith Herrin citing information  from The Concilium Chalcedonese but the fame of Theodore of Mopsiestia was too much to ignore since he had been a teacher of Nestorius.

The condemnation of the bishops and the Three Chapters had overwhelming consequences for both the Church and the Empire.   Herrin points outs that "an inevitable distrust of imperial power developed in the West, together with tendency to dismiss eastern theological debate.  Instead of accepting Greek doctrinal definitions, western churches would in the future draw on the Augustinian corpus that had created a comparable Latin authority of their own.  The Fifth Council opened a breach in the ecclesiastical oikoumene which would never be repaired"[20]   Justinian was attempting to institute total control over ecclesiastical affairs using the new religion as emperors in the past had used the old pagan cults at their whim.  Christianity had developed its own authority in both its eastern and western sections.  Its seems that as the political unity of the empire became a thing of the past, the idea of Christian unity became a fact of the present.[21]

The next ecumenical council called the Third Council of Constantinople (680-681) was summoned by Constantine IV and had a definite secular presence. As is pointed out by Judith Herrin in her exposition on the council taken from The Formation of Christendom:

The emperor presided at the first eleven sessions, until March 20, accompanied by 13 military, civilian and judicial officials, representing the highest offices of state.  When he was unable to attend, his place was taken by four lay officials, and every session was directed by a secular person…discussions were subjected to a marked degree of non-clerical control. [22]

As with preceding councils, the acts and canons of those councils were read and reaffirmed in an ongoing attempt to establish stronger unity throughout Christendom and Empire especially with the looming threat of Islam lurking at its eastern door.

The heresy of the day was Monothelitism (The Doctrine of the One Will) and as was common with all Christological discussions between east and west, tensions developed culminating in the rejection of Monothelitism by the west. The definition of faith reaffirmed by the Council once again attempts to establish the unity in thought tracing its origins from the First Council at Nicaea to this council.  It states unequivocally that any divergence from the established creed must be anathematized. The definition of faith declared:

           

            And this our holy and Ecumenical Synod inspired of God has set its seal to the

Creed which was put forth by the 318 holy Fathers, and again religiously confirmed by the 150, which also the other holy synods cordially received and ratified for the taking away of every soul-destroying heresy.   The Nicene Creed of the 318 holy Fathers; we believe.. etc… the Creed of the 150 holy Fathers assembled at Constantinople; we believe..etc… 

The holy and Ecumenical Synod further says, this pious and orthodox Creed of the Divine grace would be sufficient for the full knowledge and confirmation of the orthodox faith.[23]

The next Council was called by Justinian II in 692. Both the Fifth and Sixth Ecumenical Councils fully occupied their time with Christological problems and issued no canons pertaining to ecclesiastical government and order. Actually, this Quinisext Council  (combination of the fifth and sixth councils) may be considered to be the continuation of all the preceding Ecumenical Councils. It also ratified the so-called "Eighty-five Apostolic Canons", the canons of local synods, and the most important of the canons of the principal Fathers of the Church, thus empowering all of them with Ecumenical authority.[24]  The important consideration of this act was that the canons ratified were apparently intended to legislate for the entire Christian world and that they reveal a preoccupation with discipline which was peculiar to the East.[25]  These disciplinary canons were not accepted by the West in their entirety and, since Justinian tried to force their decisions on the West, another breach developed that signaled the division between the two parts of the Church.[26] 

The disciplinary canons of the Quinisext, however, were not accepted by the Pope, and even though most of them were not completely observed in the East, they contributed to the widening of differences between East and West.   

The next Council dealt predominantly with the controversy regarding icons and their place in orthodox worship. It was convened in Nicaea in 787 by Empress Irene at the request of Thrasios, Patriarch of Constantinople. The Council was attended by 367 bishops.[27]

The iconoclastic controversy had once more shaken the foundations of both Church and State in the Byzantine empire. Excessive religious respect and the ascribed miracles to icons by some members of society, approached the point of worship which was due only to God and idolatry. This instigated excesses at the other extreme by which icons were completely taken out of the liturgical life of the Church by the Iconoclasts. The Iconophilles, on the other-hand, believed that icons served to preserve the doctrinal teachings of the Church; they considered icons to be man's dynamic way of expressing the divine through art and beauty.[28]

The Council decided on a doctrine by which icons should be venerated but not worshiped. In answering the Empress' invitation to the Council, Pope Hadrian replied with a letter in which he also held the position of extending veneration to icons but not worship, the last befitting only God.   It was stated emphatically that:

The council decreed that similar veneration and honour should be paid to the representations of the Lord and of the Saints as was accustomed to be paid to the "laurata" and tablets representing the Christian emperors, to wit, that they should be bowed to, and saluted with kisses, and attended with lights and the offering of incense.  But the Council was most explicit in declaring that this was merely a veneration of  honour and affection, such as can be given to the creature, and that under no circumstances could the adoration of divine worship be given to them but to God alone.[29]

The decree of the Council for restoring icons to churches added an important clause which still stands at the foundation of the rationale for using and venerating icons in the Church:

"We define that the holy icons, whether in colour, mosaic, or some other material, should be exhibited in the holy churches of God, on the sacred vessels and liturgical vestments, on the walls, furnishings, and in houses and along the roads, namely the icons of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, that of our Lady the Theotokos, those of the venerable angels and those of all saintly people. Whenever these representations are contemplated, they will cause those who look at them to commemorate and love their prototype. We define also that they should be kissed and that they are an object of veneration and honour but not of real worship, which is reserved for Him Who is the subject of our faith and is proper for the divine nature. The veneration accorded to an icon is in effect transmitted to the prototype; he who venerates the icon, venerated in it the reality for which it stands". [30]

In addition, the Council issued 22 canons relating to administrative and disciplinary matters, condemning Simony (ordination for payment), the election of bishops by secular authority, and the erecting of mixed monasteries. However, and in spite of the recognition of this Council by the Pope, Charlemagne refused to recognize it not only as Ecumenical but altogether. He disapproved of its decision for venerating the icons, and as a result of his hostility, a synod at Frankfurt in 794 condemned the veneration of icons and rejected the entire Council.[31] And it was only by the end of the 9th century that the Council was recognized in the West but without its rules that were contrary to the established practices of the Roman Church. The unique fact in this decision lies in its declaration of independent Western thought separate from Eastern domination.  It also showed that the traditional method of representing Christianity at a general council was no longer valid and decisions made at such councils were not binding universally within the Christian world.[32]  The concept of the universality of the Church had changed and would define the face of the Church for future centuries.

From the beginning, Church councils were bureaucratic sessions which formed an organization of impenetrability.  It cannot be denied that the solidification of the Church and its doctrines, both signs of that impenetrability  were forged through the work of the first seven ecumenical councils. The acceptance of the universality of those Councils were, on occasion questioned but their impact on the unification of the organization cannot be ignored. The decisions of the Councils defined  Church doctrine and at its best established a firm orthodoxy upon which its belief structure could rely. In addition, they laid a strong cultural foundation upon which the West could build its own identity.

After the Second Council of Nicaea, the history of the Church was impacted strongly by the strengthening of the position of the West politically and economically. With the rise to power of the Carolingian rulers, the west became a match for its Eastern counterparts. The rise and predominant position of the Islam Empire was another significant factor in the strengthening of the West's position.  The eastern faction of Christianity was in essence in a position of subjugation and could not be relied on as safe. In addition to its political challenges, the West had become increasingly disillusioned with the Eastern viewpoint. The tendency of the Eastern theologians to bicker over theological positions and the use of Councils to strengthen those positions became a significant factor in the separation of thought between the East and the West.  As early as 382, Gregory of Nazianzus  wrote on the futility of councils when he said:

For my part, if I am to write the truth, my inclination is to avoid all assemblies of bishops, because I have never seen any council come to a good end, nor turn out to be a solution of evils.  On the contrary, it usually increases them.  You always find a love of contention and love of power…[33]

The growth of the separate empires both adhering to their supremacy fashioned the path that eventually became the world that we know today.  The Church helped to fashion that world and continues to exert its influence in ways that form the foundation of both Eastern and Western thought.[34]

After Thought

As I completed my research on the seven ecumenical councils and realized what their impact on the development and organization of western civilization produced, it reminded me of a story that has God and Satan walking side by side in the heavens.  As they walked along talking, they both saw ahead of them a brilliant ball of light.  Both were dazzled by the brilliance and beauty of the object.  God walked over and picked up the object and said… Ah…Truth…how beautiful!!!   Satan, without any hesitation whatsoever said ….here…. let me have it..I can organize that for you.

Bibliography

Bettenson, Henry. ed., Documents of the Christian Church, London: Oxford University Press, 1943

Blaising, C.A., The Nazarene Way of Essenic Studies, The Council of Nicaea, http://www.thenazareneway.com

"Council of Ephesus." Church Fathers.  http://newadvent.org

Danielou, Jean. The Theology of Jewish Christianity. Chicago, The Henry Regency Co., 1964.

"First Seven Ecumenical Councils." Wikipedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org

"The First Ecumenical Council."  http://www.goarch.org"

"First Council of Nicaea – 325 AD", St Michael's Depot, http://www.piar.hu/councils/ecum01.htm

Gallatin, Harlie Kay. Unit One: Lecture/Essay Eighteen: "Strife over Anthropology and Christology, and How the Church of the East came to be called Nestorian:
From c. AD 364 to c. AD 480", HIS/THE 3463. History of Christianity I, Southwest Baptist University.

Hall, J H.  (Elwell Evangelical Dictionary)  NPNF, series II, vol. XIV.

Herrin, Judith.  The Formation of Christendom. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton             University Press, 1987.

Just, Felix S.J., Ph.D. The Development of Core Christian Teaching in Ecumenical Councils,  http.//www.catholic-resources.org/ChurchDocs/Ecumenical Councils.htm

"First Council of Nicaea – 325 AD", St Michael's Depot.

Labbe and Cossart: The Seven Ecumenical Councils, The Christian Classics Ethereal Library, NPNF 2-14. http://www.ccel.org

Schaff, Phillip. The Seven Ecumenical Councils, The Christian Classics Ethereal Library, NPNF 2-14.  http://www.ccel.org

Stevenson, J.  Creeds, Councils, and Controversies: Documents Illustrative of the History of the Church A.D. 337-461. New York: The Seabury Press. 1966.

"Socrates and Sozomenus Ecclesiastical Histories", Chapter VI. Christian Classics Ethereal Library

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[1] Just, Felix S.J., Ph.D. The Development of Core Christian Teaching in Ecumenical Councils, catholic-resouces.org/ChurchDocs/Ecumenical Councils.htm

[2] "First Council of Nicaea – 325 AD", St Michael's Depot, http://www.piar.hu/councils/ecum01.htm, 1

[3] Epistle to Colossians 2:9; 1:19; Epistle to Romans 9:5; John 14:6 (Confraternity Edition)

[4] Jean Danielou, The Theology of Jewish Christianity (Chicago: The Henry Regnery Co, 1964)  147-163

[5] Socrates and Sozomenus Ecclesiastical Histories, Chapter VI. Christian Classics Etheral Library, 2-02

                               

[6] "First Council of Nicaea – 325 AD", St Michael's Depot, 6.

[7] "First Council of Nicaea – 325 AD", St Michael's Depot, 1.

[8] C.A. Blaising, The Nazarene Way of Essenic Studies The Council of Nicaea, p.3,       http://www.thenazareneway.com/

[9] Schaff, Phillip: The Seven Ecumenical Councils, The Christian Classics Ethereal Library, NPNF 2-14

[10] Henry Bettenson, ed., Documents of the Christian Church, (London: Oxford University Press, 1943), p.31

[11] Schaff, Phillip: The Seven Ecumenical Councils, The Christian Classics Ethereal Library, NPNF 2-14

[12] Creeds, Councils, and Controversies (A.D. 337-461) ed. by J. Stevenson The Seabury Press, New York 272-273

[13] Council of Ephesus (A.D. 431) Session I, http www.newadvent.org/fathers/3810 htm

[14] J H Hall  (Elwell Evangelical Dictionary)  NPNF, series II, vol. XIV; P. T. R. Gray, The Defense of Chalcedon in the East; J. S. Macarthur, Chalcedon; R. V. Sellers, The Council of Chalcedon.

[15] Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, Tom. Iv, col 562, Seven Ecumenical Councils, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, NPNF 2-14.

[16] Herrin, Judith, The Formation of Christendom, (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1987), 102

[17] Herrin, 103

[18] Herrin, 108

[19] Herrin, 122

[20] Herrin, 124

[21] Herrin, 126

[22] Herrin, 277

[23] Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, Tom. IV, col. 1019, Seven Ecumenical Councils, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, NPNF 2-14.

[24] Herrin, 285

[25] Herrin, 285

[26] Herrin, 287-289

[27] Herrin, 420

[28] Herrin,422-423

[29] Schaff, Phillip: The Seven Ecumenical Councils, The Christian Classics Ethereal Library, NPNF 2-14, Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, tom. Vii., col 59; col 537

[30] Schaff, Phillip: col 543-546

[31] Herrin, 434-435

[32] Herrin, 436

[33] Stevenson, J ed., Creeds, Councils, and Controversies. New York: The Seabury Press,1966.150

[34] Herrin, 480

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Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Comparative Religion

Final Essay Comparative Religion Course by Rev. Terry Glenn Rempel  What a wonderful and interesting course to say the least. The pictures and graphics were incredible. A picture is certainly worth a thousand words and I learned and awful lot just from the pictures alone. My knowledge about other religions has been greatly enhanced and will help me in my ministry I have no doubt.  Being a Christian Minister I've read the Bible off and on most of my life. The more I read the Bible the more I realize how incredibly deep this book is. The Bible can be read at a surface or literal level and there is some benefit to the reader, but from my experience I'm far better off if I read between the lines and look behind the letters. I call this reading deep and find this to be a more spiritual and sacred reading experience. Actually according to Rev. Kythera most of the worlds sacred texts have multiple layers and is what makes them sacred to the various religions. She goes on to say that, " they constantly grow and can be redefined according to the consciousness of the individual working with them." After taking this course I realized that mankind will always need the worlds sacred texts for direction and guidance no matter how high tech or advanced we become.  I really enjoyed how Rev. Kythera begins discourse 3 by quoting The Bhagavad-Gita " Mankind comes to me along many roads, and on whatever road a man approaches me,on that do I welcome him, for all roads are mine." What wisdom, what beautiful tolerance. Speaking of wisdom, in this discourse I also learned that there are similar teachings throughout the world religions. She lists them as: 1 (The Golden Rule) 2 ( Peace) and 3 ( Seek within). What follows than is a lot of quotations from the sacred scriptures of the world that talk about , The Golden Rule, Peace, and Seek within. This certainly made for interesting reading and I came away with the feeling why all the fighting? Don't we all share at the core within all the major religions the things that truly matter, like the Golden Rule for example.  In another discourse Rev. Kythera talks about similar stories throughout religions. For example in the Jesus story and Krishna story there are really a lot of similarities. I learned that in these two comparisons there was a warning send by a non human of upcoming danger. The Ruler or Governor in both these stories was hostile towards the mission of Jesus and Krishna. A decree was issued to kill them. Finally the parents of Krishna and Jesus flee the scene. It's human nature I suppose to think that we all have the perfect religion sent from God, but this course really challenges that notion. It certainly makes you think.  As I journeyed through this course lesson after lesson I would sometimes get this feeling of how interconnected all the major world religions are. We are not as unique as we all like to think we are. At the beginning of my essay I professed to being Christian, but even years before I ever became a Christian I had this gut feeling or intuition that all the major world religions were valid. Jesus in the New Testament says " that I am the way, the truth and the life nobody comes unto the Father but by Me." I believe this to be true, but what you have to ask yourself is what was that way? At this stage in my spiritual growth I can honestly say that Jesus's way was the way of Love. All the world religions are valid if they follow the way of Love and they are on the way to the Father. With the power of Love we are all interconnected we are all part of the family of God.  ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

The Quest for Historical Jesus

The Quest for the historical Jesus: Why now?

The Rev. Dr. Graham Louden,  MA DipEd (Oxon)  BA  ACP

At the start of this essay, it seems appropriate to ask why, after two thousand years of church history, we need to embark upon such an exercise and endeavour to identify the essential message of the Christian faith as propounded by its founder.  The answer to the question lies precisely in those two thousand years during which generations of church empire-builders manipulated, embellished and reshaped the teachings of Jesus in order to serve the interests of church and state and to enable them to achieve status and dominion over their fellow men  'in his name'.  Consequently, those basic  timeless principles that drove the early followers to glory and martyrdom, have been overlaid with dogma and liturgy,  with hierarchy and  prostration, in ways that Jesus would surely not recognize as in any way related to his teachings.  The episode where Jesus confronts the Grand Inquisitor in The Brothers Karamazov and is informed that the church has outgrown him and must dispense with him,  takes on even greater resonance  today than it did in tsarist Russia.

The theologian, Adolph Harnack, has summed up this process very effectively, saying

      The living faith seems to be transformed into a creed to be believed; devotion to

     Christ into Christology;  the ardent hope for the coming of the Kingdom into a

     a doctrine of immortality and deification;   prophecy into technical exegesis and

     theological learning;  the ministries of the spirit into clergy;  the brothers  (and

     sisters) into lay people in a state of tutelage…..fervent prayers become solemn

    hymns and litanies;  the spirit becomes law and compulsion.

As a result of this studied change, the simple God of love and compassion taught by

Jesus has been transformed into a distant, extrinsic, theistic entity before whom we must prostrate ourselves as if to a tin-pot dictator and praise in the most hyperbolic language that we can muster.   Ralph Waldo Emerson reacted to this blatant sycophancy, saying,  'I cannot but think that Jesus Christ would be better served by being less adored.  The language, of course,  that constantly reiterates that the  worshipers are 'miserable offenders' tainted with original sin,  who 'stand  condemned  before the throne of Grace',  is clearly intended to  invest  God's representatives on earth,   with an aura of sanctity and  omniscience to enable them to maintain their spiritual and psychological hold upon  the  faithful who, incidentally, funded  the ever-more lavish life style of the clergy!

We now live in a more informed and rational age, illuminated by the works of great scientists and thinkers that have altered radically our approach to the world in which we live.  Paradoxically, however, millions of  people are yearning for  some spiritual message which will enable them to make sense of our world and the conflicting majesty and malignancy that we encounter in our lives.  The traditional churches, however, cannot offer a prescription that is acceptable to the majority of those seekers;  the requirements of  debatable doctrines such as the literal truth of scripture, the virgin birth, the substitutionary view of the atonement and the certainty of the physical bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead,  form a serious stumbling block   to belonging for all except the minority for whom faith is enough.  Others wish to change the balance and to use reason and analysis as far as it can be taken, whilst still acknowledging the ultimate need for faith where the final commitment is concerned. 

The traditional churches, too, have set their face against history and the prevailing morality,  accepted by most,  which is tolerant of homosexuality, recognises the aspirations of women as equal both outside and within the church, accepts the Darwinian thesis, cannot accept that swathes of people are eternally damned because hey worship a different God or no God or the unsavory notion of original sin.  These views, anathema though they be to many clergy, will not  'have their day and cease to be', rather it is the church which is likely to be no more than a social club for the elderly within just a few decades  unless we heed the words of Thomas Sheehan, professor of religious studies at Stanford who warns both of the danger of  seeking a 'new deal' for Christianity and the risks of not doing so.

        If we perform the radical surgery (on Christianity) that is required,  not only will

        certain  traditional formulations of faith fall by the wayside, but also  much of

        presumed content of Christianity,  and rightly so.   Our only consolation is that if

       we  do not intervene radically, the patient will die.

The value of the 'quest' is that it assists us to return as far as possible to the mindset and culture of Jesus' day and to try and understand what feelings and motivations drove those who were willing to face persecution and oppression on the basis of what they knew and heard of one of many preachers, would-be messiahs and prophets who abounded  in those days. Today, people tend to judge the church by how it has developed rather than try to identify what it set out to be and the process whereby it became so sadly subverted and corrupted.  After two thousand years of reliance on the 'Christ of Faith' as the foundation stone of Christianity, we need to remould our perceptions of Jesus in the light of a new intellectual world order and zeitgeist.

Clearly, there are many who will oppose vehemently this process of revision;  those for whom blind faith is sufficient but whose ever more strident  defense of their stance surely condemns them inevitably to wither and perish.  All pre-existing belief systems emerged as some see it, to combat what Freud termed, 'the trauma of self-consciousness', and Tillich 'the shock of non-being', that is the attempt to make a frightening and incomprehensible environment more manageable by attributing  a god  or spirit to every aspect of  nature and developing rituals of  prostration and appeasement in order to placate them and ward off  calamitous natural happenings such as earthquakes and famines.  Much of this motivation was carried over into early Christianity to accommodate the prevailing mindset  and so the all-powerful, omni-competent God was retained and subsumed into the new dispensation. Today, we have grown beyond and away from a   god of this type and it behooves us to  re-examine  the roots of our Christian heritage free of such  historical distraction.

It might be suggested that the quest for the historical Jesus is not, in itself, a revolutionary process;  rather, it involves the traditional tools of the investigative historian, in particular the key skills of  'testing' basic sources with regard to their origins, authorship, context and  intent.   This approach, when allied to the techniques and tests that modern research technology can supply,  should assist us to identify much more systematically the  extent to which the essential message of Christ was 'spun' and  embellished to suit  various agenda which the   early  progenitors of Christianity as an institutional and creedal persuasion  felt  it appropriate to apply.

Over two thousand years,  it had  not been considered necessary to do this  as the faithful were  generally credulous  and unquestioning   (although it should be remembered that  there were always dissident sects and schismatics such as  Cathars and Albigensians,  Protestants,  Jansenists, etc).

It is, therefore, important to see the Bible as a set of documents to be decoded rather han idolised at face value, contradictions and all.  Sam Harris has even described the Bible as containing  'masses of life-threatening gibberish'   and it is certainly true that there are many passages that advocate practices long since abandoned by a more humane society and many examples of a capricious and vengeful God that do not seem to conform to the God of Love and Compassion preached by Jesus. Some groups, mainly those of an evangelical nature,  remain oblivious to developing bible scholarship  and base their condemnation of  fellow beings on the evidence of a few verses  taken out of context,   eg. the  vitriolic opposition to homosexuals and the prescription of the death penalty in some Christian states (currently being mooted in Kenya  although  world opinion may cause this to be annulled).   In fact, Jesus never mentions  the issue and there are only twelve references to it in the whole of the New Testament, as opposed to myriad references by Jesus to the problem of poverty and suffering which, curiously, does not seem to generate the same passion.. 

As regards New Testament validity, it may be time to look more closely at the process

whereby the canon of  included texts was identified.  Certainly, many others have

emerged which may well have been available but were rejected as not suiting the

criteria laid down by that  Jesus Seminar of old.  Early works such as  the Q source

(which   many theologians believe  to have existed),   the Book of Thomas and the

Gospel of Mary,   seem to fit in well with the core teachings of Jesus and to reinforce

his message but perhaps these did  not provide the unique selling point that the fathers

of the church wished to create.  It is arguable that Jesus' own utterances are not

startlingly original;  many of his statements are foreshadowed typologically in the

Old Testament  or  refer back to other cultural prescriptions and the concept of the

Golden Rule.  His simple humanity and god-presence was perhaps not enough for

those  who were charged with   assembling  the canon and  developing a  liturgical

interpretation of the events of his life.  Close study of the gospels in the chronological order in which they were written, indicates that  into each,  new and more formal theology was introduced, beginning that process whereby the church was wont to graft on new dogma on an ad hoc basis, such as the immaculate conception in 1950  (caused  by  panic when the virgin birth explanation was scuppered by scientific revelation  about the transmission of the genetic code through the female as well as the male line)   and  papal infallibility,   enunciated in 1871 to combat  flagging enthusiasm in  another so-called  age of reason. 

Even sequencing in the New Testament can seem suspect;  the works of Paul  follow

the  four gospels even though  the apostle's life and works predate them.   There is no

evidence that Paul had access to any form of gospel or anthology of sayings and in

Paul there is no reference to a miraculous birth  nor   any concrete suggestion of a

physical resurrection.  Nor is there any suggestion of a separate event on the lines of Pentecost or any mention of the Judas story.  Mark, writing perhaps a decade or so later, is referring back to events prior to Paul and is therefore purporting to record the actual events and sayings of Jesus' life whilst Paul is a chronicler of the moment, of life after Jesus.  Nonetheless, Mark adds miracle stories but no miraculous birth story and his account of the resurrection lacks supernaturalism and  does not deal with the  raised Jesus. He does, however, seem to use many of the symbols and events of  the Jewish calendar as a pegboard for the  life of Jesus, perhaps to  give a semblance of familiarity for Jewish converts to Christianity and to provide a  set of Christian readings that could be incorporated into  major celebrations in the Jewish synagogue.

So, Passover, the Feast of Dedication,  the Feast of Tabernacles, Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are all closely linked to Mark's version of the life of Jesus.  This may well be an early example of how the message was already being 'spun' in order to adapt it to the intended recipients and/or to benefit those who felt that the legacy had been   handed on to them for protection and interpretation.

The imposition of a theistic mold upon Jesus begins in earnest in the gospel of Matthew  (late eighties or early nineties).  The miraculous birth is expounded and Jesus is represented as son of a father who is the Holy Spirit and a mother who is a virgin.   Jesus is now declared son of God from conception and the story of the magi reinforces this.  The resurrection story is given a 'proper' ending in contrast with Mark which originally ended abruptly at verse 8 of ch.16 and Pentecost evolves, possibly to cover the Jewish festival of Shavuot.  Two earthquakes are incorporated into the resurrection story and Jesus appears to the women in physical form  and the  miraculous packaging of the bodily  resurrection  (though fifty years after the event) is under way.   Luke, writing between 88-95, embroiders Matthew's virgin-birth story by adding an angel to announce the birth and also depicts Jesus as raising the dead. He separates the ascension from the resurrection and includes much more material to substantiate the notion of Jesus' return as a deity in human form.    

This developing theistic interpretation of Jesus continues, and is even intensified, in the gospel of John  (written between 95 and 100) which portrays Jesus as 'Logos', who was with God from the dawn of creation and  who is God made flesh to dwell among us.  He also identifies Jesus with the theme of Yom Kippur depicting Jesus as the sacrificial lamb charged with taking upon himself the sins of the people.   John's account of the resurrection story stresses Jesus' supernatural powers and suggests that he has already ascended at the time of his appearances to the disciples and returns to boost their spirits and to prepare the way  for the gift of the holy spirit.

Consequently, within a period of less than a century, the image of Jesus has been altered perceptibly; his humanity is rapidly downgraded whilst his divine status is accentuated and   bolstered  by the addition   of supernatural  happenings and miraculous explanations.  This provides the groundwork for later doctors of the church and clergy, sitting in council, to convert  doctrine into dogma and  formulate a  prescribed   set of  beliefs   reinforced  by  draconian  penalties  such   as excommunication and  the auto-da-fe.   Over the coming centuries, the church was to prove itself as adept in the maintenance of discipline by the application of cruel and unusual punishments as any temporal empire.  Moreover,  the combination of throne and  altar   could be potent  and culturally  calamitous  as we see  in the  activities of the conquistadores  in  south  America. 

Although the quest for the historical Jesus has  been  a feature of biblical scholarship for centuries, it is arguable that it is really only recently that it has become a branch  of  study which can be pursued without fear of favor by  scholars  who are genuine seekers  after truth  unencumbered by disciplinary restraints such as those which trammelled  the activities of Hans Kung some thirty years ago  (and which have not yet been lifted by Rome!).   Writers such as former bishops  John Shelby Spong and Richard Hollaway , in their numerous books, have made us privy to their genuine, at times anguished,  attempts to  make sense of their residual beliefs and to  salvage from the dust heap of  institutional Christianity that which is relevant and usable in a

post-Christian age.   Charles Taylor and Philip Jenkins with their writings on religion

in a secular age,  Archbishop Rowan Williams with his thoughtful and intelligent insights into true functions of organised religion,  Miroslav Volf on the subject of the churches'  great malfunctions,  all   offer insights into the  real  essence of  the Christian faith.

 It is perhaps true to say that the Christian church needs not so much to

reinvent itself as to rediscover itself and to  strip away  the protective camouflage with which it has been covered over the centuries by clergy who  were possibly compensating for their  lack of confidence in the power of the Christian message to keep the faithful in thrall.  Only with the aid  of pageantry, ritual,  sumptuous ceremony and power politics would their  political ambitions be achieved. The challenge now is to redress this balance, to identify the essential message and to trust in that message to commend itself without the need for complex dogma and medieval ritual.  Where better to begin this process but with Jesus himself, considered within his cultural and religious context with full allowance made for the metaphor and mythology which were  important teaching aids for any one in his position.   Any teacher or lecturer would agree that reference to contemporary events and the use of the vocabulary of the day that would make the lesson relevant and gripping  is crucial to the process of communication;  equally, they would agree that  the references and language of two thousand years ago would not usefully be deployed in a twenty first century lecture hall.  The quest for the historical Jesus needs to address this and to decide which elements of his teaching  were genuine and original and to identify the extraneous  accretions that  now serve only to obscure the core teachings.

Many traditional Christians fear that the movement symbolised by the quest for the  historical  Jesus  will involve wholesale surrender to what  Martin Luther described as the seductive  'whore reason' and that only biblical revelation can offer knowledge of God.  This approach necessitates trusting, boundless faith and place us in   a  credo ut intelligam   position where knowledge plays no part in the formation of our beliefs  but is subordinate to and entirely dependent upon belief.   The eighteenth century divine,  Matthew Tindal,   when evaluating claims for the scriptures, mused  

                It's an odd jumble to prove the truth of a book by the truth of the

               doctrines it contains, and at the same time conclude those doctrines

               to be true because contained in that book.

The quest for the historical Jesus will assuredly carry us beyond the compromise position of the Roman Catholic Church with its  distinction between  natural theology (which can be argued rationally)  and supernatural theology (which can be known only by faith).     In 1972,  Hans Kung  articulated a version of this which is likely to appeal to many seekers after truth, when he wrote 

                   Faith must not be blind, but responsible.  Man ought not to be

                   coerced, but rationally convinced, so that he can make a justifiable

                   decision of faith.   Faith must not be void of reality, but related to

                   reality.  Man ought not to have to believe simply, without verification.

                   His statements should be proved and tested by contact with reality,

                   within the present-day horizon of experience of man and society, and

                   thus be covered by the concrete experience of reality.

As a mission statement  for our quest  to find the real Jesus, this surely hard to fault!

********************

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

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Spirit Quest

Hello Amy;   First,  I would like to thank you for putting together such a remarkable, Life changing course.  I feel as though I am a much better person after completing it. My Essay follows:                   Master of Metaphysics ~ Spirit Quest                         Janus Olivia Carson   I found this course to be Life changing and spiritually freeing. I especially enjoyed the  visualization techniques beginning in "Lesson 3 - Grounding and the center of your head".   When I first began the visualization exercises  it would take a while, I would need quiet and the visualizations were not very clear. After a few weeks of practice with the meditative techniques the began to be easier and clearer. Now, I can send a grounding cord down in an instant, I can even feel it as it grows from my spine and borrows into the ground. I can also feel the energizing power of the golden suns as they enter my body, it is truly incredible!   Over the course of the last few months the chair in my "control room" has gotten very comfortable and the control room itself has grown and been updated even as I have grown. The screen is now a 360 degree wrap around, The chair hovers slightly over the control room floor and moves with my thoughts. One thing I did not expect was that this meditation has made my knowledge of  "I am not my body" more experiential  in nature thereby solidifying that concept within me. I really love the time I spend in my Control room spirit - Body interface.    Every night I now build the most beautiful, finely detailed roses and blow them to smithereens effectively riding myself of negativity that would otherwise be clogging up the works in my body and spirit. Then I bring in a huge yellow sun and run some earth and cosmic energy, revitalizing myself.    My life has become more of a wonderful adventure with the use of these fantastic meditative tools. I have made many great friends and am enjoying life much, much more. I am now working three days a week doing hypnosis at a Metaphysical shop and many of the people are amazed at my energy levels. I owe so much of where I am in my life now to this course. Thank You; ~Janus Carson C.HT.~ True Mind Hypnosis (205) 386-0069 "Live life from the inside out" ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Chaplaincy Studies

The Chaplaincy Course Final Essay

Rev. Anna Pohl

We were asked to answer four questions for this essay. And what questions!

What did I learn from this course?

What helped me the most?

What could be improved in this course?

And What do we hope to accomplish after taking this course?  

I'll tell you, I was hard pressed to know where to begin.  It's been obvious through my posts along the way, that the discourses were thought provoking and that throughout I learned a myriad of lessons.  I'll try not to repeat my posts to much here, while I attempt to express the value of what I've learned.

Each lesson gave me something new to explore and consider. They also reinforced so many of the things that I do use or believe. The subjects covered were to the point and I never found wasted space nor did I feel I'd ever wasted any time in anyway.  I found the usage of the Gospel text made a huge difference to me in our study. This was not just as an example but as a meditative tool. A tool I used to digest the subject matter and one that made it that much more of a pleasure to study.

As I read through and took in each discourse, I appreciated how our instructor presented the points not so much as just a list of "should or should not do's"  but with real care of getting his subject across to benefit the practice of the chaplaincy. This helped me as an individual and certainly assists us as a chaplaincy community. 

One big thing that was given to me through this course was a new sense of Confidence. I was not only able to read about the subject of chaplaincy but was able to put into use the information from each discourse immediately. Each week I built a new more solid foundation for my practice. Be it the introduction of the history of chaplaincy or the real experiences shared by our instructor, each week built on the last. I now feel that when I chaplain for the community, I have a more coherent appreciation for what I want to accomplish and what I am capable of accomplishing.

A poignant observation that has transformed my ministry and budding chaplaincy was the discovery of Subtlety.  This struck me early in the course, the subtlety of the attention, healing and prayer that was addressed, often only being implied.  I consciously began to apply more subtlety or should I say the consciousness of subtlety in my practice.  It isn't that I was so abrupt before, it's that making the conscious effort to use subtlety, has opened a subconscious door for the people I come in contact with.  

For example, I have been more able to introduce prayer with them without the sometimes uncomfortable moment that occurs in the asking (for them and myself).  I have been able to be available for people in such a way that they open up the quiet parts of themselves and they have a comfortably with me that they may not have had before. There is most definitely a moment that after the introductions and breaking of the ice that in most cases, we have no communication obstacles.  This is quite something.

Hidden possibilities for chaplaincies are just waiting in our communities to be discovered. This is another point that became a realization for me during this course. You can find a person who needs you almost anywhere. This is connected to the subtlety I mentioned previously. The two make a very important point together. Chaplaincy, the Divine Mark or Spiritual Intention, all this, is not something we turn off and on. It is always there ready to be of use. It becomes a matter of how high we turn up the volume.  Meaning that there really is a time and place for everything under the sun.  And this fact, this gift and the discernment to use it is one of the most important things that God blesses us with in our being and experience as chaplains.

I would be completely remiss in this essay if I didn't mention the one thing that helped me most. It was the personal attention of our instructor. I found this was so necessary to my learning.  I not only read the comments for my posts but those of others. 

(Of course this means the forum was very useful as well.)

This added perspective and guidance is the most influential and valuable effort after the text. The hands on approach was priceless and there is nothing that can replace the knowledge that your instructor truly is a mentor also and cares about your success.  

The added help that our instructor gave me with each post and question asked, and even when I requested an opinion of another class essay, was above and beyond what other instructors would have done.  I can not offer enough of an appreciative thank you.

As for improvement of the course, the formatting didn't always come across but that is a minor thing over all. And there was a type-o now and then and editing here and there that were a bit distracting. Still the content is so solid that I would feel in error to say that anything needed to be corrected. I found myself wishing there had been more. Not because there was anything missing in the course. Look even at the Tool Box discourse.  It was so thorough and left nothing to chance. Yet it also gave room for personalizing to your situation.  There was allot of that in this course.  

Another thing I particularly appreciated was that the discourses were not over written. Some classes I've taken before (at other Colleges) have been one repeat point after another and the course spends it's time with long lofty sentences that say very little. This was quite the antithesis of that.  It was friendly but to the point and got right to the meat of our subject.  This left very little for us to be confused by and left a great deal of room for creative thought, practical use and finding resources. Even the verbiage used, made internet searching much more effective.

Now, when I look at what I can accomplish with all this that is pretty amazing too. This course works so well with whatever other education and experiences we have acquired.  As a truly non-denominational Minister I not only need to be, but want to be, as open minded and open-hearted as I possibly can. This gives me the opportunity to help more people, but it first bolsters what I have to give the people that are sent my way.  This course has "expanded my territory" in the best sense of the words. Whether I am working at the VA or I am at the Hospice Center if I am talking to a Bride and Groom or the new Widow I am more, so I can be more for them. 

I thought when I started out, that I most wanted to create a center where people can come when they need help, a place to be counseled, to pray and be themselves with God. I have discovered that this won't be such a difficult thing to accomplish. What is wonderful about being a Chaplain is that you get to create that place for people where ever you are.  We are able to make that "chapel" out of a restaurant booth, a bench in the park or an emergency site.  We are the chapel. We are the sanctuary. We are God's temple, a living breathing example of what God can create. Whew! It's pretty intense for me.

This course helped me gain the perspective, experience and confidence to Know, not just think, that being a Chaplain is what I am strongest at. I know that a credential/title will help some others be more comfortable with me as a professional. However this course given by the seminary and our instructor combined with my efforts will allow me to live up to it.

What an extraordinary effort put forth by our instructor and the seminary. This is a truly useful education.  To quote my Mother  "If a course teaches you that's fine but if it makes you want to learn more, now that's good teaching."

Teacher, this is good teaching!  I sure hope you have or will create more!  

God Bless you.  Anna

********************

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Chaplaincy Studies

Master of the Chaplaincy Studies by Rev. Phil Herman

Master Thesis

What did you learn?

This course enriched my understanding of what Chaplaincy is. I say IS because I now recognize that the ministry of Chaplaincy continually grows, expands and, in a sense, is a living ministry. Throughout the course I was exposed to the variety of needs that a chaplain can be called on to serve. Military, hospital, community – these are only a few of the areas where a chaplain can bring the message of salvation to those in need or who are hurting. Hospice programs and schools ca benefit from the services of a chaplain (although we need to be mindful of the type of school so as not to cross boundaries set up by the ACLU and our government).

This course identified that a level of formal education and practical experience is also needed. Before practicing as a chaplain, we need to be confident in our abilities to serve both effectively and efficiently. Effectively, so we do no harm but facilitate efforts to satisfy the needs of those we minister to. Efficiently, so we utilize our time and resources to the best of our abilities. Allowing us to spend time when necessary and where necessary, yet recognize when it is time to move on to the next individual or situation.

Education does not stop simply because we have attained a specific level of knowledge or understanding. As Chaplains, it is vital that we continue to expand our knowledge in human behavior, psychology, sociology and our religion. We need to be multi-talented and skillful voices that are able to respond to various situations. Continuing our education cannot guarantee we will always be ready, but it sure does arm us with skill sets that can surely aid us when needed.

To professionally serve others, we need to be professionals ourselves. This requires a level of ethics and ethical behavior. All professions adhere to a code of ethics. Chaplains also need a code of ethics that call for us to serve when needed, where needed and in a professional manner that causes no additional harm. Most established religions maintain a code of ethics (cannon Laws) that guide ministers. We are the examples and can be held to a much higher level of responsibility. This is both appropriate and necessary.

What helped you?

The format this course uses (internet lessons delivered on a weekly basis) is very appropriate for us "Older" students. It allows us to work on the course material at our own pace without arbitrary time limitations (due dates, etc). Although we had the opportunity to communicate with other students through the Seminary bulletin board, I found it cumbersome to do so. Without a set number of students going through the course together, it is difficult to talk about a particular issue or lesson as others are not at the same level (some ahead and others still behind).

Since the lessons are designed to be completed as an individual, I did not have any difficulties. The knowledge gained was not limited or hampered because I was studying alone. This speaks well of the lesson plan and materials supplied.

What could improve this course?

I have a few recommendations for improvement.

1. Include a reading list that corresponds with the lessons. I used the internet to gain additional information on being a chaplain. With all of the specialized areas a chaplain can go into, I can envision a substantial listing of books, pamphlets and articles that could be used to enhance this course.

2. Although individuals can start this course at any time and complete it in 20 weeks, they do not have the advantage of communicating with classmates unless others begin and end this course at nearly the same time. I believe it would benefit students to begin this course at the same time. A list of students names and e-mail addresses then could be shared and the mutual support could greatly enhance to learning process.

3. If the seminary does not want to begin the course for all students at a specific date, then at least identify among the students currently enroll who is in the program with their e-mail address. Then we can communicate with each other directly.

4. I know it is difficult to manage a large number of students at one time (I taught college courses at Washington College) but it is important to maintain student – instructor contact on a regular basis. Maybe every 5 lesson a short question and answer quiz could be inserted where the instructor can monitor student progress and comment on the answers supplied by the student. This serve several functions:

A. The student must respond to the questions before progressing to the next level

B. The instructor will review answers and guide the student as needed.

C. The student benefits from direct instructor comments.

What you hope you will accomplish as a result of taking this course.

 As a minister and a social worker, I am always looking forward to opportunities to expand my knowledge and understanding of my roll. I also look for better ways of assisting others. This course has helped along those lines.

The other benefit is the diploma or Masters Degree in chaplaincy which, in today's society, stands for formal recognition of an educational accomplishment. I gain a professional skill set needed to perform in a particular setting. Obviously as a social worker I am required to maintain currency in my field. As a minister, this should also be required, even if self imposed. The Seminary programs helps me maintain currency in fields of study needed to serve.

Submitted by:

Rev. Phil Herman, OblSB

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Spiritual Development

Doctor of Spiritual Development Essay by Janus Carson   I found the course to be most enlightening. I especially liked the way Doctor Crouch incorporated NLP techniques as a vehicle to promote spiritual development. As I have had some studies in NLP this program is refreshingly easy to follow. Dr. Crouch covered many excellent points and this course has helped greatly in my personal growth.  Surprisingly, One of the most powerful techniques I found was to ask myself who/what am I, really? I found myself returning more and more to this seemingly simple question, Meditating at times for hours. The layers of false self began to peel quickly at first, with little emotional attachment. After a few weeks I began to peel off some very painful layers however, once past the layer it was gone. I am now within the mind of my higher self and still peeling layers. This has been a very liberating experience for me. Another side effect from the self-inquiry is a calm, peaceful demeanor. I have much more energy and have begun to have prophetic dreams. I have now begun to think much more often in relation to what I desire and my life has improved immensely.    I attracted all the information I needed to learn Hypnosis Therapy. I then attracted enough clients to pay for my school and certification as a Clinical Hypnotherapist (C.HT). I am now in the process of building my business with focused concentration, meditation and visualization. Thanks to Dr Crouch and the reviews of Magick chapters I feel as though every moment is a magickal working and life keeps getting better every day. Negative events no longer have a negative hold on me, I realize that my response controls the outcome. I am in control of my emotional, mental and physical body. I live my life noticing the good and lending my energy to that. Life is becoming brighter every day. Thank you; ~Janus Carson C.HT.~ True Mind Hypnosis ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Chaplaincy Studies

Master of Chaplaincy Studies:

I subscribed to this course because of my interest in general ministry as opposed to church or congregational ministry. I have, and still serve as Chaplain of two large military veterans associations. In many organizations or associations, the appointment of chaplain is ceremonious without the appointee actually being ordained. Ordination is not required by the associations I serve, however, decidedly important inasmuch the military depends enormously on guidance from chaplains. It is much more meaningful when the chaplain is a true man of God to provide guidance in contrast to an "appointee."

Having the desire to administer to all denominations, whether at an accident scene, in the home, hospital, meetings, weddings, at funerals or memorial services or wherever there is requirement is relevant to my calling. Serving as a Chaplain is deeply satisfying to me.

In the past I have read articles and sought advice in reference to actual chaplain duties and requirements. Although helpful, I was not satisfied. Information on the internet was sketchy and denominational motivated. I was extremely grateful when ULC offered this course. There is so much to write about concerning the information and new skills I have gained from this course that it is difficult for me to pinpoint in this essay. The small hints portrayed in lesson 19, skills and abilities in lesson 3, history in lesson 5, listening in lesson 9, grief counseling, on and on I could go.

In my opinion, the course was thorough enough for college credits. I, personally, do not have any suggestions to improve this course since I have learned so much I do not yet feel qualified to comment. I have already put to use much of what I have learned and assume eventually over time I will have had the opportunity to utilize most all of what I learned. I printed out all lessons and frequently refer to them. There is no doubt that my professional status as a Chaplain has been tremendously enhanced through the lessons of your course.

Thank You and God Bless

Sincerely,

Reverend Ronald C Wilson

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To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.