1 min read 148 words Updated Sep 05, 2026 Created Sep 05, 2026
#church-history#councils#theology#tier2

Second Council of Nicaea (787)

Background

Key figures

What was condemned

Iconoclasm (the destruction/prohibition of icons as idolatry)

What was defined

Veneration (not worship) of icons is legitimate, grounded in the reality of the Incarnation — Christ took on a depictable human nature

Aftermath and reception

Primary sources

  • Full primary texts (definition + canons, NPNF2-14): nicaea_ii_787

Reading notes