THE ARIAN CONTROVERSY AND THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA

Resumen

This work analyzes the Arian Controversy (4th century) and the Council of Nicaea (325) in their theological and political dimensions. It begins with the theses of Arius, a presbyter of Alexandria, who affirmed the creation of the Son by the Father and His consequent subordination, and presents the responses of opponents—especially Athanasius—culminating in the affirmation of homoousios ("of the same substance") in the Nicene Creed. It examines how the legalization of Christianity and the actions of Emperor Constantine shaped the course of the conflict, highlighting the interdependence between Church and State in the Late Roman Empire. It shows that, although Nicaea condemned Arianism and established guidelines for Trinitarian Christology, the dispute continued for decades, with episcopal support and imperial interference, until later developments in Constantinople (381). It is concluded that the controversy not only consolidated central definitions of the Christian faith regarding the divinity of Christ and the Trinity, but also redefined institutional relationships and mechanisms of authority between imperial power and ecclesiastical leadership.