Thread by @LexetPhil

The oldest known Christian hymn -- dating to before the Council of Nicaea -- is being sung again after 1,800 years.

But what’s truly amazing?

It’s explicitly Trinitarian, long before Nicaea or Constantine.

Here’s what you need to know: 🧵👇1/

The hymn, found in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, is preserved on a Greek papyrus dated to around 250 A.D. -- decades before the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.).

It’s one of the earliest pieces of Christian music ever discovered. What does it say? 2/

“Let all be silent, the shining stars not sound forth, all rushing rivers be stilled as we sing our hymn to the Father, Son, the Holy Spirit, as all powers cry out in answer, Amen, Amen, might, praise and glory forever to our God, the only giver of all good gifts.” 3/

Notice the structure:

- The hymn is sung "to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." Three persons.

- The hymn praises and glorifies "our God, the only giver." One God.

So: Three persons, but "only" one "giver of all good gifts," "our God." Sound familiar? 4/

That’s why this matters:

Some like @ThoughtfulSaint claim the Trinity was a late invention, born of Greek philosophy in the "4th century."

But this hymn shows that early Christians were worshiping the Triune God long before any Greek council. 5/

And the 200s is just the date of the hymn. Unless we imagine that it is the first time Christians got together to worship the Trinity, the hymn reflects far more ancient beliefs. Christians wrote hymns about the Trinity because they had already long believed in the Trinity. 6/

As one Bible scholar, John Dickson, explained: "What is notable ... is the certainty with which the song presents the Trinity, although it predates by generations the Council of Nicaea, in 325 AD." 7/

He continues: "This is the doctrine of the Trinity....And you sometimes hear that that idea was only invented much later, say, in 325, at the Council of Nicaea, when Emperor Constantine forced this doctrine on the church." 8/

So the Trinity isn't a late interpretation of Scripture, which affirms One God (Mk. 12:29–32; 1 Cor. 8:4; 1 Tim. 2:5; James 2:19), and three divine persons who are God (Jn. 1:1-14; Titus 2:13; Mt. 28:19). Early Christians were Trinitarians, and put their faith into practice. 9/

Want to learn more about the hymn and even hear it sung? Look up thefirsthymnmovie dot com.

Sources:
- Diana Chandler, The First Hymn: Resurrected third-century praise song set for pre-Easter release (Apr. 8, 2025)
- Foust, The Oldest Christian Hymn Ever Found is Being Sung Again after 1,800 Years (Apr. 15, 2025) 10/10