The Idea of Nicaea in the Early Church Councils, AD 431-451 (Oxford Early Christian Studies)

Mark Smith's The Idea of Nicaea traces the reception, authority, and evolving role of the Nicene Creed from its formulation in 325 through later councils such as Ephesus and Chalcedon.

The book argues that Nicaea functioned as a historically conditioned statement that required ongoing interpretation and development to address new Christological controversies.

Smith uses primary sources and careful historical analysis to show how exegetical debates and appeals to earlier authorities shaped doctrinal outcomes.

He highlights the tensions between treating the creed as a fixed text versus reading it as a signpost pointing back to Scripture and deeper theological reflection.

The work engages questions of doctrinal development, tradition, and how different Christian communions have received Nicaea over time.