Moonmaiden

This all looks pretty bizarre to me! So.... Constantine, a Pagan Emperor, invites representatives of all the major Pagan religions to a meeting with representatives of a minor (around 4% of the population) cult, Christianity, in order to sort out their theological differences? Wouldn't that be like 'Born Again Bush' inviting the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Steven Green of the Evangelical Alliance, the Mormons, the Jehovah's Witnesses, a few Mullahs and a couple of Rabbis to help the Scientologists resolve their differences, organise their book of faith and write their creed? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me!

But Christianity did not become the 'official' religion of Rome until 379AD under the rule of Theodosius I, some 50 years AFTER the Council of Nicaea. Constantine remained Pagan until his baptism on his death bed. There are remarkable similarities between the story of Jesus and many of the Pagan religions of that time ie: virgin birth of Mithras on 25th December, Dionysus celebrated a 'Last Supper' with his 12 disciples before his death, Mithras was attended after his birth by three shepherds, Attis died and was ressurected between March 23rd and March 25th.. Easter! "He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation." is an ancient inscription to Mithras... the list goes on! One of the main differences between the pagan and Christain religions, however, is that the stories contained within the Pagan religions were taught as a way for the uninitiated to understand rather than as the 'gospel truth'. As one became more initiated into the religions 'gnosis', rather than the stories, was at the root of the faith. Is it not possible, indeed quite probable then, that what happened at the Council of Nicaea was a unification of religion. An amalgamation of Christianity into Pagan thought? After all, this had happened in the past during the Roman Empire; for example, the cult of Serapis!

Thanks for the links Lacertus. The problem with these ones, however, are that they are from a Catholic site and so unlikely to contain any details or evidence of Pagan influence at the Council of Nicaea. The site I came across is this one which claims that: Despite further 'googling', I have only come up with vague references to this and wondered if anyone else has come across this information previously? If it is the case that representatives from other Pagan religions were also present at the Council, then this would certainly cast the origins of the modern day Christianianity into a different light!

Contrary to my previous beliefs about the Council of Nicaea, I have read recently that not only were Christian Bishops invited, but also Priests and representatives of the various Pagan religions. Does anyone have any more information or can shed light on this?