Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. (II Timothy 2:23)

Inn 325, one of the biggest theological battles in the history of Christianity was over a vowel.  Is the Son of God of “similar substance (homoiousios) or of the “same substance” (homoousis)?  The argument threatened to divide Christianity.  Roman emperor Constantine brought 220 of the chief bishops in the church to meet as the Council of Nicaea.  The ensuing argument was so passionate that there were actually fights that broke out between supporters and opponents of this question.  The Council eventually decided that the Son was the “same substance” as the Father.  The council lasted for nearly a month.  Was he “like” or “the same as ” God?  What a waste of time!

When we of the “modern” age look back as this, the whole issue seems ridiculous.  Yet how many of us…