ante-Niceneadj.n.

1691 W. Sherlock Vindic. Doctr. Trinity iii. 24 The Anti-Nicene Fathers were of the same Faith, before the Definition of the Council of Nice.

1719 D. Waterland Vindic. Christ's Divinity 84 The common Answer to the Charge of Tritheism, or Ditheism, as well of the Post-Nicene, as Ante-Nicene Fathers, was, that there is but one Head, Root, Fountain, Father of all.

1749 J. Wesley Let. to Reverend C. Middleton 80 You cite only one ante-nicene writer.

1845 J. H. Newman Ess. Devel. Christian Doctr. 14 There are three great doctrinal writers of the Ante-nicene centuries.

1896 R. L. Ottley Doctr. Incarnation I. iv. §iv. 273 In the course of our survey of different types of Christological doctrine, we are now approaching the close of the ante-Nicene period.

1976 B. J. F. Lonergan Third Coll. (1985) vi. 97 I should say that there is, not explicit systematic thought, but an implicit dialectic in ante-Nicene and Nicene theology.

2007 Stud. Eng. Lit. 1500–1900 47 162 Lactantius consolidated the efforts of earlier Ante-Nicene fathers to map the points at which classical values diverged most sharply from Christian teaching.

1695 Disc. conc. Nominal & Real Trinitarians 22 Origen, and other Antenicenes, make out the Unity of God in a Ternary of Persons.

1724 J. Jackson Farther Remarks Dr. Waterland's Farther Vindic. Christ's Divinity 78 All the antient Ante-nicenes, and even the Nicenes and Post-nicenes included in the Innascibility..of the Father..a real Supremacy of Dignity and Authority.

1777 H. Taylor Inq. into Opinions Leaned Christians ii. 10 The Antenicenes believed, that the Son of God was the Angel of the Covenant.

1869 Dublin Rev. Jan. 97 The Apostles, the ante-Nicenes, the fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries, the mediævalists…are made the victims of consistent and elaborate misrepresentation.

1954 Thomist 17 133 The Fathers, especially the ante-Nicenes.., placed in relief the action of the Holy Spirit in the divine work of sanctification.

2011 S. M. Hildebrand in G. Emery & M. Levering Oxf. Handbk. Trinity ii. vii. 97 Like so many other ante-Nicenes, Justin confesses the Holy Spirit..and mentions several times the baptismal formula.