Jesus, Prophet of Islam - The Islamic Bulletin

Early Unitarians in Christianity 105

According to one source, there were at least 270versions of the
Gospel at this time, while another states there were as many as
4,000 different Gospels. Even if one accepts the most conservative
record, the number must have been quite overwhelming for a lit­
erate Christian of that time. The drawing up of a creed which con­
tained ideas not to be found in the Gospels and, in sorne cases, in
direct contradiction of what was in the Gospels, must have made
matters even more confusing for those who relied on them, while
the continued existence of such Gospels must have been very in­
convenient for others.
It was decided that all the different Gospels should be placed
under a table in the Council Hall. Everyone then left the room and
the door was locked. The bishops were asked to pray for the whole
night that the correct or most accurate and reliable versions of the
Gospel of Jesusmightfind theirway onto the top of the table.There
is no record of who kept the key to the Council Hall that night.
In the morning, the Gospels most acceptable to Athanasius, the
representative of Alexander - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John ­
were found neatly placed on top of the table. It was then decided,
in order to simplify matters, that all the other Gospels which still
remained under the table should be burned.
It subsequently became a capital offence to possess an unau­
thorised Gospel. As a result, over a million Unitarian Christians
were killed in the years following the Council's decisions. This was
how Athanasius tried to achieve unity among the Christians.
On their return from the Nicea, the bishops saon picked up the
threads of the dispute which they had left on being summoned by
the Emperor. The battle resumed and the old conflict continued.
They soon forgot about the fact that the Nicene Creed which they
had signed was meant to be an agreed profession of belief. The
supporters of Arius especially did nothing to hide the fact that they
did not consider the Creed to be an affirmation of true Christian­
ity. Only Athanasius was perhaps loyal to it, but even his support­
ers had their doubts.
In the West, the Nicene Creed remained almost unknown. Saint
Hillary was still a stranger to it thirty years after the Council of
Nicea had taken place. Of it he eventually wrote:

We anathematise those we defended. We condernn ei­

ther the doctrine of others in ourselves or our own in

others, and, reciprocally tearing one another to pieces,