Recently, a large amount of academic literature has been devoted to eschatological topics usually focused on a particular millennial view or speculations about the timing of the Parousia, among other topics. However, it seems that little work has focused on the early church’s views of eschatology which subsequently led to its formulation in the Nicene Creed and the succeeding additions of Constantinople.
This essay will seek to provide a taxonomy of early church eschatological views and attempt to highlight the formulation of the eschatological expression of Nicaea and the more substantial additions of the Constantinopolitan revision. The work will proceed as follows: 1. Briefly trace the history of the known eschatological views of the ante-Nicaean fathers leading up to the first Nicene council, 2. Investigate the rationale of the first council’s eschatological statement, 3. Explore the Nicene fathers’ views preceding the Council of Constantinople, and 4. Examine the rationale of the robust addition to the Constantinopolitan council.