Cardinal Kasper says the Nicaean Creed spreads 'confusion and division'*

By News Staff**

Munich, Germany, Feb 11, 2019 – German Cardinal Walter Kasper has responded critically to a “Manifesto of Faith” released by the bishops who were meeting in Nicaea. He said that the bishops' manifesto, which they are calling their “creed,” contains many statements that are so heavy handed that they could lead to division in the Church.

Kasper said that while the Nicaean creed “contains many statements of faith that every upright Catholic can wholeheartedly affirm,” some of the truths in it “are pointed out so pointedly that it fades out the other half.”

Imagine from WikiCommons

For their part, the bishops said they were meeting at Nicaea because of “growing confusion about the nature of the relationship between the Father and the Son in the Holy Trinity.” Alexander, bishop of Alexandria, had argued that the Son is “consubstantial with the Father.” Arius, a priest of Alexandria, countered that the Son is not fully divine but merely an “inferior God.”

After being convened by Emperor Constantine, the Nicaean council was led by the imperial legate Hosius, bishop of Cordova. The 200-plus bishops were able to address all the disputed areas of Catholic doctrine. Particular emphasis was given to the divine processions and the hypostatic union.

In their manifesto, the bishops came down strongly on the side of Alexander, noting that the Son proceeds from the Father and is “true God from true God.” They add that “those who say: there was a time when He was not... or that the Son of God is created, or mutable, or subject to change, (them) the Catholic Church anathematizes.” They also reiterate the Church's longstanding belief in the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

Kasper, who has been an outspoken advocate for dialogue, accused the council fathers of making “unacceptable blanket statements,” such as the assertion that the Second Person of the Holy Trinity is “God from God, light from light, true God from true God.”

“It is undoubtedly true that Jesus is divine,” Kasper charged. “But how does this leave room in the Church for faithful priests like Arius? Are there not similarities between the beliefs of Alexander and Arius that would leave room for them both?”

He also said he was “totally horrified" to read the bishops' statement that the “Catholic Church anathematizes” those who fail to acknowledge that the Son is consubstantial with the Father.

Kasper suggested that the Nicaean fathers were following the dangerous path of St. Paul, who rebuked St. Peter at the Council of Jerusalem: “They rightly advocated for reforms in the Church but wanted to pursue their reforms behind the pope's back and enforce them in opposition to him.”

Kasper concluded, “What will happen the next time the bishops meet at Constantinople? Before you know it, they will be saying that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. This can only lead to confusion and division. That could unhinge the Catholic Church.”

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* Because at this point, humor is the only thing that makes sense.
** Catholic News Agency has contributed to this report. Sort of.