CONSUBSTANTIAL

Co-e ential; of the same substance with another. Thus we say of our ble ed Lord , that he is consubstantial with the Father , being “of one substance with the Father .” The term ( ὁμοούσιος ) was first adopted by the fathers in the Council of Nice, A. D. 325, to expre more precisely the orthodox doctrine, and to serve as a precaution against the subtleties of the Arians, who admitted every thing except the con substantiality, using a word similar in sound, but very different in meaning, ὁμοιούσιος . This word is still the distinguishing criterion between the catholic or orthodox Christian and the Arian heretic.