From Nicene Faith to Christian Love: The Contribution of Dumitru Staniloae

This article aims to contribute to the discussion of the ecumenical significance of the First Council of Nicaea today. It elucidates the connection between the Nicene faith and Christian love, as they are understood by the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dumitru Staniloae. For Staniloae the doctrine of the Trinity – which (somewhat anachronistically) is associated with Nicaea 325 – contains an inherent logic that I understand as a logic of person and love. By this logic he is able to explain how God can be an eternal absolute being that is one and three at the same time, but also how and why he creates a world such as the one we know. In short, the Trinity “explains everything”, as Staniloae boldly has written. As created persons, we are called to a union similar to that of the Trinity. In our union with Christ we will ultimately be transformed and acquire the attributes of him, so much so that we will become one single nature or man in him – just as the Trinity is one single nature or God. And this – or so I argue – has crucial implications for how we engage with each other, both personally and ecumenically.