Ray Hagins PhD - The Council That Created Jesus Christ (lecture)

The Roman Emperor Constantine consolidated the power structures of the Roman Empire.

The Roman Emperor Constantine honored Sol Invictus as a god (the "unconquered Sun").

The Roman Emperor Constantine established in 321 CE an Empire-wide holiday or "day of rest" as a day to honor Sol Invictus. He called it SUNday. This was four years before the First Council of Nicea.

There were different brands of "Christians" across the Empire prior to Nicea. This is well-documented in many texts.

These different brands of "Christianity" did not agree even on the most basic tenets of what the modern world would consider a religion. They didn't agree about the nature of Jesus. They didn't agree about what forms correct "worship" should take. Yet, these small sects were becoming increasingly influential in provincial politics.

The Roman Empire was founded on the core idea that the power of the state and the power of religion were one and the same.

Wherever they were and whatever they believed, a uniform fact was that these extant "Christians" came into conflict with the provincial Roman governments because they claimed that their god(s) superior to the gods of Rome. This was civil disobedience. This was treason.

Constantine, in order to consolidate power, had agreed in 313 CE with Licinius (who held control over the Balkan region) that these various Christian sects could be put to good political use if their god(s) were "decriminalized." Thus, the Edict of Milan.

Constantine, in order to consolidate political power, called the heads of these many different sects to a council in Nicea in 325 CE to create a uniform statement of belief for all Christians and to create an orthodox religion.