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This is part two of a three-part series examining the philosophical commitments embedded in the seven ecumenical councils of early Christianity. In this episode, Dr. Jacobs explores the metaphysical foundations of Nicene and Constantinopolitan theology, including hyalomorphism, moderate realism, the doctrine of the hypostasis, and the distinction between creation and eternal generation. He’ll walk through how the early church fathers developed sophisticated philosophical positions on the nature of God, creatures, causation, and the individual that were integral to Christian theology rather than later Greek additions.

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00:00:00 Intro

00:02:15 The Seven Ecumenical Councils wverview

00:04:42 No ancient divide

00:21:42 Ancient Christians saw Christianity as philosophy

00:29:39 Dispelling the progress narrative

00:38:21 The Arian disput & metaphysical commitments

00:39:16 What it means to be "created"

00:43:12 Hylomorphism: form & matter

00:52:24 Metaphysical realism and the law of contradiction

01:03:07 Are creatures material?

01:04:38 Biblical foundations for these commitments

01:09:20 From Nicaea to Constantinople

01:11:51 The doctrine of the hypostasis

01:14:00 Moderate realism: Aristotle vs Plato

01:23:10 The individual as its own reality

01:32:15 On "Not Three Gods"

01:42:32 The distinction of causes: begotten, not made

01:51:27 Efficient vs formal cause

02:00:05 Per se vs per accidens causality

02:02:39 Eternal generation & procession