CURRENT ISSUE :
Vol. LXI - Issue No. 185 : May-August 2026
https://doi.org/10.55997/2000pslxi185
Pre-Nicene Christology: Council of Nicaea In Context
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997/2001pslxi185a1
- Author/s :
- Czar Emmanuel V. Alvarez, OSA
Abstract :
This article presents and discusses the various speculations that existed before the convocation of the ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325. From the apostolic times up to the early fourth century, Christian thinkers, especially the so-called “Fathers of the Church,” speculated about five fundamental questions concerning the person and the work of Jesus Christ – namely, (1) his position within the Holy Trinity, specifically his relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit; (2) his role in creation; (3) his role in the salvation of man; (4) his person, particularly his being both God and man at the same time; and (5) his origin, whether he was generated, made, or created by the Father and how. The Church did not yet have clear teachings about these issues at that time. Hence, a dogmatic vacuum existed, which early Christian thinkers tried to fill in. In varying degrees they laid the foundation for a complex Christological discussion before Nicaea, particularly to Arianism, the heretical teachings of which the first ecumenical council tried to address. Knowledge of the theological issues preceding the Arian controversy is necessary in order to better understand the affirmations of Nicaea as contained in the Creed it formulated.
Keywords : Pre-Nicene Christology, early Christian heresies, Church Fathers, Christian Literature, Arianism
Imperial Unity and Ecclesial Truth: Constantine’s Motives and the Council of Nicaea (325)
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997/2002pslxi185a2
- Author/s :
- Louie R. Coronel, OP
Abstract :
The First Council of Nicaea (325 AD) represents a decisive moment in the history of Christianity and its relationship with Roman imperial authority. Convened by Emperor Constantine I (r. 306–337), the Council was the first ecumenical assembly of bishops gathered under imperial auspices to resolve a doctrinal dispute that threatened ecclesial unity. While Nicaea is most commonly remembered for its condemnation of Arianism and the formulation of the Nicene Creed, its broader historical significance lies in the convergence of theological deliberation and imperial governance at a critical juncture in Late Antiquity. This article examines Constantine’s motivations in convoking the Council, assessing whether political necessity or personal religious commitment served as the primary impetus. Through analysis of ancient sources—especially Eusebius of Caesarea and Socrates Scholasticus—alongside modern historical interpretations, this study argues that Constantine’s decision cannot be reduced to a single motive. Rather, it reflects a deliberate synthesis of imperial pragmatism and sincere concern for Christian unity. Constantine perceived doctrinal discord as both a threat to imperial stability and a spiritual danger capable of alienating divine favor. His actions at Nicaea therefore reveal an emerging model of Church–State relations in which political cohesion and theological consensus were understood as mutually reinforcing objectives.
Keywords : Constantine the Great; Council of Nicaea (325); Arian Controversy; Church–State Relations; Late Antiquity; Imperial Authority; Nicene Creed
Preaching The Accessible God: The Sense of ὁμοούσιοϛ in 325 Council of Nicaea
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997/2003pslxi185a3
- Author/s :
- Jannel N. Abogado, OP
Abstract :
The article examines the theme under consideration in three progressive stages. First, it traces the various uses of the term homoousios before it became a technical term at the Council of Nicaea in 325, describing what we have received in Church Tradition as the orthodox understanding of the nature of the Son of God in relation to God the Father. The analysis of its pre-Nicaean usages reveals both the sense that would be received as orthodox by the majority of the fathers at the Council of Nicaea in 325 and the inspirations for the Arian and Marcellan interpretations of homoousios. Second, the analysis turns to determining who among the ecclesiastical personalities present at the Council of Nicaea in 325 could have introduced the controversial term into the conciliar text, given that it was not considered in the initial deliberations. The section concludes by arguing that more important than the question of who introduced it—which is difficult to ascertain but can likely be attributed to a group in whose tradition homoousios was widely in use—is the question of which among the senses of homoousios had been accepted by the majority of the council fathers. Third, the article establishes the definitive reading of homoousios by analyzing the works of the fathers themselves, who were protagonists at the great council and who made references to the circumstances surrounding the inclusion of the term in the creed and the reason behind its acceptance. Such analysis leads to the insight that the sense of homoousios aligns with the God revealed in Scriptures, who made himself available to humankind through the incarnation of his Son.
Keywords : Council of Nicea, homoousios, Alexander of Alexandria, Athanasius of Alexandria, Eusebius of Caesarea, Marcellus of Ancyra, accessible God, gnostics, Sabellian, Arian, accessible God
From 325 Nicea to 381 Constantinople: The Role of Basil of Caesarea in the Pneumatological Elaboration
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997/2004pslxi185a4
- Author/s :
- Virgilio A. Ojoy, OP
Abstract :
The Creed formulated by the Council of Nicea in 325, while offering a detailed affirmation of the divinity of the Son in response to Arianism, made only a brief statement about the Holy Spirit. This lacuna left important questions regarding the Spirit’s nature, divinity, and relationship to the Father and the Son. This paper looks into the doctrinal development between the Councils of Nicea (325) and Constantinople (381), focusing particularly on the contribution of Basil of Caesarea. It first situates Basil’s thought within the wider context of post-Nicene Christological controversies, highlighting the efforts of pro-Nicene theologians in defending the unity of the Godhead. It then traces the emergence of theological reflection on the Holy Spirit, particularly the attempts of earlier Fathers to articulate the Spirit’s role in salvation and sanctification.
The study moreover analyzes Basil’s contribution and theological method. Special attention is given to Basil’s defense of the Spirit’s divinity through the baptismal formula and Pauline texts, and his account of the Spirit’s sanctifying, illuminating, and revelatory activity within the life of the Church. Through these arguments, Basil demonstrated that the Holy Spirit is not a creature but shares in the divine life and operation of the Father and the Son. The paper argues that Basil’s insights significantly influenced the creed of the Council of Constantinople in 381. A contribution that stands as an important moment in the formulation of a Trinitarian doctrine and the development of orthodox Christian pneumatology.
Keywords : Council of Nicea (325), Council of Constantinople (381), Christological Controversies, Pneumatology, Pro-Nicene Theology, Basil of Caesarea
Documents on the Parian and the Building of Its Church in The 18th Century (PHILIPPINIANA RECORDS)
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997/2005pslxi185pr1
- Author/s :
- Regalado Trota José
Abstract :
Much has been written about the Parian, the Chinese district outside the walls of Manila. Few archival sources have been consulted, where they can be located. Some materials have been cited from microfilm copies at the Archivo de la Universidad de Santo Tomás in Manila. For the present issue, we present transcriptions of selected documents on the Parian still conserved at the Archivo de la Provincia del Santo Rosario in the Santuario de Santo Cristo in San Juan City, Metro Manila. The first is a history of the Parian written in 1847 by its then parish priest, Dominican historian and later bishop of Nueva Cáceres, Father Francisco Gainza. This is followed by four documents related to the construction of the church of the Santos Reyes in Parian, a project that began in 1729 and ended in 1740.
Keywords : Chinese in Manila, church construction, Dominicans, Parian, Sangleys
“An early defense of the rights and capabilities of the Filipino clergy” (PHILIPPINIANA RECORDS)
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997/2006pslxi185pr2
- Author/s :
- Jorge Mojarro
Abstract :
Keywords :
Borden-Sharkey, Sarah. Edith Stein’s Finite and Eternal Being: A Companion. Maryland: Lexington Books, 2023. pp. 252. ISBN: 9781666909678. (REVIEWS & NOTICES)
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997/2007pslxi185br1
- Author/s :
- Jose Adriand Emmanuel L. Layug
Abstract :
Keywords :
Ruggierro, Fabio. La follia dei cristiani. La reazione pagana al cristianesimo nei secoli I-V. Prefazione di M. Simonetti. Roma, Citta Nuova Editrice: 2002. pp 260. ISBN 8831103350. (REVIEWS & NOTICES)
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997/2008pslxi185br2
- Author/s :
- Hilario V. Sicat Jr., O.P.
Abstract :
Keywords :
Sheffler, D. T. Plato and Christian Personalism. Hildebrand Press, 2025. pp 188. ISBN 978-1-939773-44-1. (REVIEWS & NOTICES)
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997/2009pslxi185br3
- Author/s :
- Blaise D. Ringor
Abstract :
Keywords :
Laubscher, Leswin. Levinas for Psychologists. New York: Routledge, 2024. pp. 258. ISBN: 9781003315612. (REVIEWS &NOTICES)
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997/2010pslxi185br4
- Author/s :
- Ramil M. Rosete
Abstract :
Keywords :
Reimers, Adrian. The Ethos of the Christian Heart: Reading Veritatis Splendor. South Bend, Indiana: St. Augustine’s Press, 2025. pp 250. ISBN-13: 978-1587312427. (REVIEWS & NOTICES)
- DOI :
- https://doi.org/10.55997//2011pslxi185br5
- Author/s :
- Justin Sean Luis Canaria
Abstract :
Keywords :
Editor's Note
Rev. Fr. Clarence Victor C. Marquez, O.P., SThD
Editor-in-chief
לשמע בקול תודה ולספר כל נפלאותיך׃
“That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works”
(Psalm 26:7 KJV)
The sufficient reason for the Office for Ecclesiastical Publications, for the enduring publishing of Philippiniana Sacra (since 1966) and Boletin Eclesiastico de Filipinas (since 1923), is Preaching, the unhindered proclamation of the gospel for salvation of souls, which remains as the true mission of the University of Santo Tomas, indeed, of the Order of Preachers.
Ours is a ministry of the Word - received and read, thought and taught in the Ecclesiastical Faculties of UST, through the Philippiniana Sacra; as texts written and published, disseminated and distributed in the service of the different dioceses of the Church in the Philippines, through the Boletin Eclesiastico de Filipinas.
And in this age of social communications and artificial intelligence, we take up the challenge and task of exploring and utilizing ethically these modern means in order to further the reach of our preaching, to render our message ever ancient, ever new, through means and media relevant and responsive, to be present in these new areopagi, to engage in the dialogue of life and of faith, to serve the truth in charity, to seek to sustain our efforts with focused studies and strategies, to journey with the people of God, especially the poor and the afflicted, towards the reign of God.
“Come and see…,” “ask, seek, knock…” Let these texts, both in printed and in digital forms, be testaments and testimonies to the TRUTH that sets us free, the WORD made human, “who was from the beginning, whom we have heard, whom we have seen with our eyes, whom we have looked upon, and touched with our hands, the WORD of Life… so that you too may have fellowship… so that our joy may be complete” (cf. 1 John 1:1-4).
