Debate: WAS JESUS CHRIST A REAL PERSON?
Side: yes

Hi Shelly,First of all, I wanted to say that you brought up good questions and it is very critical to know Jesus' self-understanding of who He is as well as His followers understanding of who He is.I. Defining terms:1. "Early Christian": Is commonly known as the Christianity of the roughly three centuries (1st, 2nd, 3rd, early 4th) between the Crucifixion of Jesus (30-33) and the First Council of Nicaea in 325.2. A. Jesus' Titles of Deity: a. YHWH (Yahweh): (Exodus 3:14) Basically means "He who is," or "I am who I  am," and declares the divine self-existence" (Unger's Bible  Dictionary 409).  b. Son of God: A term used exclusively and absolute sense.  1. "His disciples and His enemies understand from their Jewish background that the real  import of the term "Son of God" was Deity. One hundred  and four times, Christ refers Himself to God as "Father"  or "the Father" (Evidence that Demands A Verdict Vol. 1,  101).  c. Son of Man: Jesus used this title in three distinctive ways: 1. Concerning His earthly ministry. 2. When foretelling His passion.  3. In His teaching regarding His coming again. Jesus clearly believed Himself to be the fulfillment of the Old  Testament prophecies of the Messiah. In referring to  Himself He continually used the title "The Son of Man" from  Daniel's vision" (Daniel 7:13, 14). (Evidence that Demands A Verdict Vol. 1, 102) d. Abba, Father: "Nobody before Him in all history of Israel had addressed  God by this word...to be sure, Jews were accustomed to  praying to God as Father: but the word they used was  Abhinu, a form of address which was essentially an appeal to God for Mercy and forgiveness. There is no appeal to God for mercy in Jesus' mode of address, Abba. It is the familiar word of closest intimacy. That is why He differentiated  between His own relationship with God as Father that of  other people" (Evidence that Demands A Verdict Vol.1, 102) A. Questions/Points: 1. "Actually, early Christians never even spoke of the divinity of Christ, they  only followed his teachings" 2. "Why wasn't he considered to be divine by those who followed him while he  walked the Earth?"  3. "His divinity was declared centuries after the crucifixion when Rome,  basically, became the center of Christianity" Introduction Because you used the term "Early Christians" I can only assume you are referring to said definition of the term provided. In point 1, (based on said definition of term), you made the claim that in all periods (1st, 2nd, 3rd, early 4th) Christ's dual nature was not acknowledged, specifically His Divine Nature. In point 2, you made a question in regards to why His disciples (since you clearly stated that it was in reference to those who were "while He walked on earth"), considered Him to be divine. Finally, point 3, you made the claim that when Rome became "the center of Christianity", it was than that Christ's Divine Nature was acknowledged. Rebuttals 1. Jesus' followers (in reference to point 2: "...those who followed Him while He  walked on earth ") did indeed believed His claim to Deity. Thomas, one of the  twelve apostles acknowledged Him as "My Lord and my God" in John 20:28.  Notice, that those who were with Thomas heard him say that directly to  Jesus (the rest of the apostles, and the rest of the disciples). None of them  rebuked him and most of all, neither did Jesus. Jesus received Thomas' worship which can only be given to God. Secondly, the apostle John, the  writer of the this Gospel, states his purpose for writing, "But these were written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing ye might have life through His name" (John 20:31). Thirdly, the writer of Acts states that the community of believers (first century/apostolic period) "...continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine" which would include Jesus' dual nature (fully God and fully human). 2. Since the term "Early Christian" covers 1st, 2nd, 3rd, early 4th between the Crucifixion of Jesus (30-33) and the First Council of Nicaea in 325, than we need to read what the representatives said from each period right? I. Anti-Nicene Fathers: a. Apostolic Fathers: Traditionally used to designate the collection of the  earliest extant Christian writings outside the New Testament ( The  Apostolic Fathers 2nd ed. pg. 1) -These were people that either were disciples of the twelve  apostles or disciples of those who had direct contact with the  apostles. These documents are primary resource for the study  of early Christianity. It is evidence that the early church  indeed "...steadfastly continued in the apostle's doctrines"  which includes the Deity of Christ.  a. Clement: "The majestic scepter of God, our Lord  Christ Jesus" "Let us fear the Lord Jesus Christ" "Jesus Christ, whom be the glory and majesty,  might and honor to Him, both now and forever and ever" b. Ignatius: "Jesus Christ our God" "There is only one physician, who is both  flesh and spirit , born and unborn, God in  man, first subject to suffering and then  beyond it, Jesus Christ our Lord"  c. Polycarp: "Our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead and gave him glory and a throne at his right hand to whom all things in heaven and on earth were subjected, whom every  breathing creature serves, who is coming as Judge of the living and the dead" b. Fathers of the Second Century. 1. Irenaeus: explained in Against Heresies (4.10) how Christ was often seen by Moses and that it was Christ who spoke from the burning bush. lrenaeus continued elaborating on Christ's relationship to God the Father: "For with Him were always present the Word and Wisdom the Son and the Spirit, by whom and in whom freely and spontaneously, He mode all things, to whom also He speaks, saying, 'Let us make man after our image and likeness. 2. Tertullian: Adv. Praxean 27 states that there are two natures, one human and one divine, which are joined in the one person Jesus Christ. 3. Clement of Alexandria: Exhortation to the Heathen, 1: “This Word, then, the Christ, the cause of both our being at first (for He was in God) ad of our well-being, this very Word has now appeared as man, He alone being both, both God and man--that Author of all blessings to us. . . . This is the New Song, the manifestation of the Word that was in the beginning, and before the beginning.” 4. Novatian: "The rule of truth demands that, first of all, we believe in God the Father and Almighty Lord, that is, the most perfect Maker of all things. . .' The same rule of truth teaches us to believe, after the Father, also in the Son of God, CHRIST JESUS, our Lord God, but the Son of God.... Moreover, the order of reason and the authority of faith, in due consideration of the words and Scriptures of the Lord ', admonishes us, after this, to believe also in the Holy Ghost, promised of old to the Church, but granted in the appointed and fitting time.” This was written in 235 AD and this was just 100 yrs. before the council of Nicaea! 5. Hippolytus: “1. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty? 2. Do you believe in Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who was born by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and was dead and buried, and rose again the third day, alive from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sat at the right hand of the Father, and will come to judge the living and the dead? 3. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, in the holy church, and in the resurrection of the flesh?” c. Fathers of the Third and Early Fourth Century: 1. Athanasius: "He always was and is God and Son" "He who is eternally God,...also became man for our  sake" 2. Alexander of Alexandria: In reference to Jesus he said this, "His  highest and essential divinity" and that He was, "an exact and  identical image of the Father" 3. Eusebius of Caesarea: "The Son of God bears no resemblence to  originated creatures but...is alike in every way only to the Father  who has begotten Him and that He is not from any other hypostasis and substance but from the Father" Hence, from the very first Church leaders directly after the time of the Apostles up to the Council of Nicaea (and it was not in Rome, it was in Constantinople) in the 4th century and beyond, had consistently believed and taught that Jesus is God.  Conclusion It is only logical with given so many evidences and testimonies, Church leaders were only declaring what was already declared by Jesus Christ and the apostles in Scripture, that Jesus was God. Therefore, it is theologically and historically inaccurate to believe that Christians never spoke of the divinity of Christ and that it was declared in Rome after somany centuries.