Unity of the Church 1700 Years after the first Council of Nicea: Challenges and Perspectives of Ecumenism

To commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325), the Ecumenical Institute, in cooperation with the Institute for Ecumenical Research at the University of Tübingen, the Johann Adam Möhler Institute for Ecumenics in Paderborn, and the Institute for Confessional Studies in Bensheim, hosted a block seminar in Heidelberg from March 24 to 27. Students and lecturer from Bensheim, Paderborn, Tübingen, and Heidelberg gathered to explore the relevance of the Nicene Creed and other key themes of the Council for contemporary ecumenism.

The seminar began with a focus on the Creed itself (Prof. Dr. Johanna Rahner, Tübingen) and the Christology formulated at the Council (Dr. Vladimir Latinovic, Tübingen). Discussions also addressed the issue of a common date for Easter (Dr. Dagmar Heller, Bensheim), as well as the ecclesiology (Prof. Dr. Friederike Nüssel, Heidelberg) and synodality (Dr. Johannes Oeldemann, Paderborn) that emerged in connection with the Council. The relationship between church and state (PD Dr. Burkhard Neumann) was also critically examined.

Over the course of the four days, participants engaged deeply with the historical and theological significance of the Council of Nicaea. The seminar also offered valuable opportunities for interdenominational dialogue and lived ecumenical experience.