On the Homoousia

Abstract

The affirmation of the co-equality (homoousia) of the first and the second persons of the Trinity at the Council of Nicaea is a major milestone in the history of theology and the church. Established at a time when the Roman empire developed its Christian identity, it has often been assumed that Nicene theology was imperial theology. In this article, the theological surplus of the Nicene position will be examined, investigating its imperial pedigree while also demonstrating the anti-imperial potential and the Nicene Creed's implications for liberative theological thinking then and now.