Nicaea 1700 Symposium: Rowan Williams, Karl Barth and the Challenge of Theology

The Reverend Dr Hanns Lessing gives a keynote lecture titled 'Rowan Williams, Karl Barth and the Challenge of Theology: An Appreciation of the Nicene Faith'

The first Council of Nicaea was a watershed moment in Christian history, faith and practice. 1700 years on, it is celebrated by millions of Christians for the creed which bears its name, and for the clarity given in theological questions around the person of Christ. This symposium on 15 November 2025 at Westminster Abbey explored the significance of the Council of Nicaea for a divided church today. Can Nicaea shed light on our models of unity? Can theological arguments heal rather than cement our divisions? What might the relationship between synodality and primacy look like in the twenty-first century? How might what we say about Jesus Christ shape our conversations around the human person, politics, and questions of justice and peace?