Foundations Of Our Faith : How Was Old And New Testament Compiled (The Third Inspired Leader)

The third inspired leader that influenced the complying of Old and New Testament was Constantine The Great.  Under of his rule of the Roman Empire he first issued the Edict of Milan.  The Edict of Milan was issued in AD 313, in the names of the Emperor Constantine, who ruled the western parts of the empire, and Licinius, who ruled the East. The two leaders were in Milan to celebrate the wedding of Constantine's younger half-sister Constania with Licinius.  The leaders were trying to appeal to the rapidly growing Christian community.  By this time the Christian Church had grown from being only an Eastern Religion to becoming popular in various areas of the Empire.  The Edict of Milan was different than recognizing the Christian Church as the official religion.  What it did was turn the Empire's official act from being anti- Christian to being neutral and allowing people who had be persecuted in the past to seek money for their property that was taken by the government. 

The Edict of Milan (Lactantius, De Mort. Pers., ch. 48. opera, ed. 0. F. Fritzsche, II, p 288 sq. (Bibl Patr. Ecc. Lat. XI).  

When I, Constantine Augustus, as well as I, Licinius Augustus, fortunately met near Mediolanurn (Milan), and were considering everything that pertained to the public welfare and security, we thought, among other things which we saw would be for the good of many, those regulations pertaining to the reverence of the Divinity ought certainly to be made first, so that we might grant to the Christians and others full authority to observe that religion which each preferred; whence any Divinity whatsoever in the seat of the heavens may be propitious and kindly disposed to us and all who are placed under our rule. And thus by this wholesome counsel and most upright provision we thought to arrange that no one whatsoever should be denied the opportunity to give his heart to the observance of the Christian religion, of that religion which he should think best for himself, so that the Supreme Deity, to whose worship we freely yield our hearts) may show in all things His usual favor and benevolence. Therefore, your Worship should know that it has pleased us to remove all conditions whatsoever, which were in the rescripts formerly given to you officially, concerning the Christians and now any one of these who wish to observe Christian religion may do so freely and openly, without molestation. We thought it fit to commend these things most fully to your care that you may know that we have given to those Christians free and unrestricted opportunity of religious worship. When you see that this has been granted to them by us, your Worship will know that we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times, that each one may have the free opportunity to worship as he pleases; this regulation is made we that we may not seem to detract from any dignity or any religion. 

Moreover, in the case of the Christians especially we esteemed it best to order that if it happens anyone heretofore has bought from our treasury from anyone whatsoever, those places where they were previously accustomed to assemble, concerning which a certain decree had been made and a letter sent to you officially, the same shall be restored to the Christians without payment or any claim of recompense and without any kind of fraud or deception, Those, moreover, who have obtained the same by gift, are likewise to return them at once to the Christians. Besides, both those who have purchased and those who have secured them by gift, are to appeal to the vicar if they seek any recompense from our bounty, that they may be cared for through our clemency. All this property ought to be delivered at once to the community of the Christians through your intercession, and without delay. And since these Christians are known to have possessed not only those places in which they were accustomed to assemble, but also other property, namely the churches, belonging to them as a corporation and not as individuals, all these things which we have included under the above law, you will order to be restored, without any hesitation or controversy at all, to these Christians, that is to say to the corporations and their conventicles: providing, of course, that the above arrangements be followed so that those who return the same without payment, as we have said, may hope for an indemnity from our bounty. In all these circumstances you ought to tender your most efficacious intervention to the community of the Christians, that our command may be carried into effect as quickly as possible, whereby, moreover, through our clemency, public order may be secured. Let this be done so that, as we have said above, Divine favor towards us, which, under the most important circumstances we have already experienced, may, for all time, preserve and prosper our successes together with the good of the state. Moreover, in order that the statement of this decree of our good will may come to the notice of all, this rescript, published by your decree, shall be announced everywhere and brought to the knowledge of all, so that the decree of this, our benevolence, cannot be concealed.

Constantine was a pragmatic leader who was in charge of consolidating his power over many different people from all over the world. The people spoke different languages, had different customs and had many different languages.  By time of Constantine several countries had officially adopted Christianity as their official religion including: Armenia in 301 CE. However, multiple Gods were worshiped all over the Empire and this diversity did not help in the everyday day to day governing of the Empire.  

Finally during the next decade of the Fourth Century two things happened.  First, the Church grew larger and larger.  No longer needing to meet in hiding places and allowed to be out in the open- the Church now even grew much more rapidly.  Second, Rome had two Emperors who were getting tired of not controlling the entire emperor themselves. The only way to unite the Empire under one person and for it to be successful would be to have the entire Empire worship the same God.  One God, one Emperor, one Empire would make it much easier to run the country.   In 323 Constantine made a calculated political move on the Eastern Roman Emperor and his Brother in Law, Licinius.   Licinius was rapidly defeated and the empire was once again united, with Constantine becoming the sole emperor of Rome. 

As consummate pragmatic politician Constantine needed to consolidate his power one more time.  He could no longer just set by allow differences to tear up his country.  Therefore the reasons which may have been political as well as religious, but no matter what the reason he did not wish to see the church or his empire divided. As the east came under his control, the Arian controversy came with it also began to rear its ugly head. Arius was a Deacon who preached that Jesus was son of God but he didn't always exist and was not equal to God.  This was branded a heresy by the Trinity believing majority of Church leaders.  They figured that a belief that Jesus did not always exist and that he was not really God, made Jesus not an important figure.  It also could lead a person to the conclusion that Jesus was just a man and not God at all.  Without getting a hold on this controversy the Empire would once again be divided in two.  This was something that Constantine did not want or need at this time.  He was trying to consolidate his power throughout the Empire and didn't want anything to interfere with this process.  Constantine's interest in this controversy goes to the heart of his main interest- ruling his Empire.  

Constantine originally tried to resolve this issue when he sent his trusted friend and adviser, Bishop Hosius of the Spanish city of Cordova, to Alexandria, for the purpose of arbitrating between Alexander and Arius. To give weight to Hosius’ mission, he was armed with a letter from the emperor himself which exhorted both sides to settle their dispute and restore the internal harmony of the church. This did not work so the in 325 the Emperor called for Council to met at Nicaea.  He invited every Bishop from all over the Church to attend.  About three hundred and eighteen came.  They were mostly from the east where the controversy was taking place. This included the Armenian Bishop 

The original purpose of the Council was established as in an agenda that was proposed for the Council.  

The agenda of the synod included: (California State University- Northridge Library) 

1. The Arian question regarding the relationship between God the Father and Jesus; i.e. are the Father and Son one in divine purpose only or also one in being 
2. The date of celebration of the Paschal/Easter observation 
3. The Meletian schism 
4. The validity of baptism by heretics 
5. The status of the lapsed in the persecution under Licinius 

In the course of the Council the attendees agreed on Twenty Cannons and One Creed.  It is interesting to note several misconceptions about this meeting.  First, Constantine was in attendance for many of the meetings- not all of them.  Second, the Pope Sylvester I did not call the meeting, the Emperor did and he did not attend.  Third, the original creed that was agreed upon by the participants is not the same Nicene Creed that Churches use today, and fourth, there was not an attempt of the Church to vote on or establish a formal Bible at this Council.

First the original Nicene Creed. 

Original Nicene Creed (The Seven Ecumenical Councils - The Nicene Creed and Creeds of Christendom: § 8. The Nicene Creed - Christian Classics Ethereal Library. 

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of his Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten (γεννηθ?ντα), not made, being of one substance (?μοο?σιον, consubstantialem) with the Father.  By whom all things were made, both which be in heaven and in earth.  Who for us men and for our salvation came down [from heaven] and was incarnate and was made man.  He suffered and the third day he rose again, and ascended into heaven.  And he shall come again to judge both the quick and the dead.  And [we believe] in the Holy Ghost.  And whosoever shall say that there was a time when the Son of God was not (?ν ποτε ?τε ο?κ ?ν), or that before he was begotten he was not, or that he was made of things that were not, or that he is of a different substance or essence [from the Father] or that he is a creature, or subject to change or conversion all that so say, the Catholic and Apostolic Church anathematizes them. 

The Original Armenian Nicene Creed (Source: Armenian Church)

 We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, the maker of heaven and earth, of things visible and invisible.  And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the begotten of God the Father, the Only-begotten, that is of the essence of the Father. 

God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten and not made; of the very same nature of the Father, by whom all things came into being, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. 

Who for us humanity and for our salvation came down from heaven, was incarnate, was made human, was born perfectly of the holy Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit. 

By whom He took body, soul, and mind, and everything that is in man, truly and not in semblance. 

He suffered, was crucified, was buried, rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven with the same body, [and] sat at the right hand of the Father. 

He is to come with the same body and with the glory of the Father, to judge the living and the dead; of His kingdom there is no end. 

We believe in the Holy Spirit, in the uncreated and the perfect; who spoke through the Law, prophets, and Gospels; Who came down upon the Jordan, preached through the apostles, and lived in the saints. 

We believe also in only One, Universal, Apostolic, and [Holy] Church; in one baptism in repentance, for the remission, and forgiveness of sins; and in the resurrection of the dead, in the everlasting judgment of souls and bodies, and the Kingdom of Heaven and in the everlasting life. 

Note the differences between the original Creed and the Armenian Creed. Constantine wasn't as interested in minor differences as much as he wanted to make things more standard.  No where is this more noted than in the Twenty Cannons of the Church that were also agreed to in Council of 325.  These were agreements over different aspects of faith or running the Church.  Even with explicit language-some Bishops took great pride in changing the meanings of words. The Bishop of Rome eventually took Cannon Six to back up their claim that Bishop of Rome was supreme to all other Bishops in the world.