(LifeSiteNews) — The year 2025 marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, held in 325 and later completed by the Council of Chalcedon and the First Council of Constantinople. In that first and great council of the Church the mystery of the Holy Trinity was proclaimed, declaring that the Son, Jesus Christ, is homoúsios tô Patrí, consubstantial with the Father, and therefore is God, like the Father.
The council, presided over by Bishop Hosius of Cordoba, recognized the truth proclaimed by Athanasius of Alexandria against Arius (256-336). Arianism is a unitarian doctrine which holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God from the Father but that he is not eternal, or rather is not coeternal with the Father. Arius and his disciple Eunomius maintain the total dissimilarity between the Son and the Father. Protected by the emperors, Arianism spread throughout the Western Roman Empire, was also imposed on several Germanic peoples, and later integrated into numerous heretical currents. It recognized the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, even his Resurrection, yet denied his divinity.
READ: Pope Francis’ accommodation of modern ideologies echoes the Arian crisis of the 4th century
In today’s Church the centrality of man and human rights has a semi-Arian or neo-Arian character. It is necessary to preach Jesus Christ, true God made man without ceasing to be God. An authentic Christology is Trinitarian. The Traditional Mass retains an exclusive profession of the Nicene Creed, which dispels any possible confusion, but the current Roman Rite also gives the option of the Apostles’ Creed, which could give rise to the spread of neo-Arianism. A notable antecedent can be discerned in the Jesuit tradition. Ignatius of Loyola’s famous Spiritual Exercises begins: “Man … was created.” It does not say, “God created man,” as it should. This is the origin of modern anthropocentrism and an ultra-humanist conception reinforced by the ideology of the French Revolution. This orientation is reflected in Christology as neo-Arianism.
In fact, so-called “interreligious dialogue” posits that all religions are the truth, thereby devaluing the Gospel mandate. This is the admitted reality worldwide. The former president of the United States has praised Pope Francis for “reaching out to all religions” – unlike what popes used to do. Real “interreligious dialogue” can be achieved by affirming Catholic Truth with respect for all. The Tradition of the Church enables us to pray for the conversion of the world to Jesus Christ.
Héctor Aguer
Archbishop Emeritus of La Plata
Buenos Aires, Tuesday, February 18, 2025