Reframing the Nicaean creed Toward a theological quantum leap of “imaging God”: From zombie categories (the ontological-imperial God of “Condensed milk imaging”) to bowel categories (the misericordia vulnerable God of “Intestine thinking”)

Abstract

It is hypothesised that the Nicaean Creed in its conceptualisation of “God” is paradigmatically framed and determined by the Emperor Mystique (Caesar cult). Thus, the impact of Constantine’s imperialism, as well as Hellenistic Neoplatonism, in the formulation of the creed. Due to a lack of theological grammar at that time, the rather metaphysical allure of conceptualisation in the 4th century BC, specifically around 316–315 BC, put a rather radical challenge to the theological reframing of the specific God-image projected by the creed. Instead of the emphasis on the what of “God” (substance and essence of God – being characteristics), the article explores the paradigm shift from a metaphysical “definition” to the grassroots “infinition” of God (the how of “God”). Instead of “condensed-milk-thinking” (to reduce the divine dynamic to a definable Monophysitism of substantial oneness – ontological monadology), the divine complexity in Hebrew thinking and verbing terminology of El Shadday-terminology is proposed.