At the Council of Nicea: this was convened by Emperor Constantine, the Church delegates decided that the Bishop of Rome should oversee church affairs in the western part of the empire and the Bishop of Alexandria should oversee the church in the eastern part of the empire. This was in 325 A.D.
Protestant Christian Understanding: This council was convened by Emperor Constantine, the Church delegates decided that the Bishop of Rome should oversee church affairs in the western part of the empire and the Bishop of Alexandria should oversee the church in the eastern part of the empire. This was in 325 A.D.
Catholic Christian Understanding: The first misunderstanding in this objection is that The council of Nicea was not coming together to determine the jurisdiction of different dioceses. They were coming together to come up with a consensus on how to refute a spreading heresy at the time, known as "Arianism". Arius was a priest in Alexandria, Egypt that was spreading the idea that Jesus was the first creature that God made. That once God made Jesus, Jesus then made the world and then made us and all things. Arius completely denies the Holy Trinity among other Christian beliefs and was poisoning the minds of all Christians.
St. Athenasious and the Patriock of Alexandria were later brought to this council to condemn Arianism. They did address some other issues at the council as well, aside from the main issue of Arianism, but there was never any dictation or order put in place to support that the Bishop of Rome would ONLY rule the West and the Bishop of Alexandria would rule the East. Anyone can find and read all the declarations and writings that came from this council in a two volume set called, "Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils" published by Georgetown Community Press. It has the original Latin and Greek as well as English translation next to them. There is NOTHING that suggests the Church delegated any separate jurisdiction powers to the Church of the East and the West.
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