The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 1: A Journey to Nicaea • 23

neighborhood, which put his life and family at risk. His decision to prepare for ministry by attending a seminary in the U.S. eased the pressures on his family and probably saved his life. After Cesar shared his story we boarded the bus again and continued getting to know one another. As our bus carried us deep into the Turkish countryside we saw evidence of the earthquake which had devastated the country just two years before. 1 There were collapsed bridges and demolished buildings, but also some new construction underway. Constantine’s Palace “How’s the book?” asked Preacher, pointing to my copy of Eusebius’ Church History , after we’d run out of things to talk about. “Haven’t you started reading it yet?” I asked, since it was required for our class. “What’s it about?” he asked, ignoring my question. “It’s about the early Church,” I replied. Preacher waved his hand for me to continue. “It tells the story of Christianity from the Nazarene to the Nicene Council’ I added, reading from the book jacket. “That happened in Nicaea, right?” “That’s why they call it the Nicene Council, Preacher” said Cesar, rolling his eyes.

1 The Izmit earthquake, registering at 7.6 on the Richter Scale, struck Izmit in central Turkey on August 17, 1999, and was one of the most severe earthquakes in recorded history.