Christ and the Council
Conflict, Politics, Theology, and the Outrageous, Extraordinary Story of the Church’s First Creed
- History & Biography
- Publisher: Cascade Books (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2025
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Publisher's Description
How do Christians decide what is true? And what do centuries of church tradition, the first Christian emperor, a wannabe cabbage farmer, hordes of arguing clergy, and a seventeen-century-old creed have to do with that process? Today's church conflicts are nothing new. Christians have been fighting since the church was founded. Few controversies were as consequential as that surrounding the Council of Nicaea, in which the early church affirmed the full divinity of Jesus Christ and condemned all dissenters as heretics. The aftershocks of that decision impacted the church's doctrine and history, the relationship between church and state, divisions between East and West, and even the renowned physicist Sir Isaac Newton. Christ and the Council tells the complex story of the Nicene controversy in accessible language, making the riches of early church scholarship available to the ordinary reader. Beginning with the history of the church at the dawn of the fourth century, the book walks readers through the tumultuous days leading up to the Council of Nicaea and the equally tumultuous years that followed it. With good humor and keen insight, the book unveils Nicaea's meaning for the fourth century--and the twenty-first.
Endorsements (3)
“This book is not just about understanding the past, it’s about understanding our present state in context. Rev. Ben Wyatt shares the insights that our history can provide our future—with wisdom handed out in edible bites. He invites us into this huge conversation about how Christians have handled and mishandled power, through the lenses of the Council of Nicaea and the Creed. He is a beautiful writer who leads us gently down this path. This book would be a great study for church groups and anyone who has ever wondered what this old creed has to do with love.”
“Just in time for its seventeen hundredth anniversary, Ben Wyatt’s account of the Council of Nicaea is both ‘ripping yarn’ and serious survey. Those looking for the theological equivalent of a page-turner will find this an edifying and engaging work that gives new relevance to ancient doctrine.”
“Ben Wyatt has turned early church history and the Council of Nicaea into a ‘hard to put down’ text relevant to the church and world of the twenty-first century. With theological depth and gripping narrative, Christ and the Council brings to life this critical period of history in a compelling, accessible, and engaging style. More than just a review of the past, Wyatt gives us a helpful lens with which to view the contemporary challenges of Christian faith and authority.”
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