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Every Catholic appeal to the writings of the [[Ante-Nicene Fathers]] as demonstrations of the apostolic origin and root of Catholic doctrine and [[dogma]] is rejected on the ground that those writings only clearly demonstrate how early the false and corrupt apostate doctrines of Catholicism began to develop in the Church—which only proves to those who reject Catholic doctrine and dogma that a great apostasy ''must'' have occurred. Catholic apologists see this as a [[logical fallacy]]. They protest that a great apostasy of the whole Church is rooted in one fundamental [[premise]]: that Jesus did not keep his promises.<ref name=promises/>

Every Catholic appeal to the writings of the [[Ante-Nicene Fathers]] as demonstrations of the apostolic origin and root of Catholic doctrine and [[dogma]] is rejected on the ground that those writings only clearly demonstrate how early the false and corrupt apostate doctrines of Catholicism began to develop in the Church—which only proves to those who reject Catholic doctrine and dogma that a great apostasy ''must'' have occurred. Catholic apologists see this as a [[logical fallacy]]. They protest that a great apostasy of the whole Church is rooted in one fundamental [[premise]]: that Jesus did not keep his promises.<ref name=promises/>

*Churches professing [[Apostolic succession]] hold that the Ante-Nicene Fathers only articulate or express the original, authentic apostolic Christian doctrine that was faithfully handed on by word of mouth and guarded by the Holy Spirit in the full deposit of the faith handed on once and for all to the apostles of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:15 and 3:6; 1 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 1:13-14 and 2:1-2, 14–15; 1 John 2:24; 2 John 9-11; Jude 3).

*Churches professing [[Apostolic succession]] hold that the Ante-Nicene Fathers only articulate or express the original, authentic apostolic Christian doctrine that was faithfully handed on by word of mouth and guarded by the Holy Spirit in the full deposit of the faith handed on once and for all to the apostles of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:15 and 3:6; 1 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 1:13-14 and 2:1-2, 14–15; 1 John 2:24; 2 John 9–11; Jude 3).

*Churches professing the rule of ''[[sola scriptura]]'' hold that every doctrine in the Ante-Nicene Fathers not explicitly set forth in the [[Apocrypha#Protestant canon|Protestant canon]] of the inspired 66 books of the [[Bible|Holy Bible]] is a deviant attempt by the writers to corrupt the pure Christian Gospel of salvation by [[Syncretism|''syncretistically'']] introducing [[pagan]] beliefs and practices (1 Corinthians 4:6; Galatians 1:7-8; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:15-17 and 4:3-4; 2 Peter 3:17-18).

*Churches professing the rule of ''[[sola scriptura]]'' hold that every doctrine in the Ante-Nicene Fathers not explicitly set forth in the [[Apocrypha#Protestant canon|Protestant canon]] of the inspired 66 books of the [[Bible|Holy Bible]] is a deviant attempt by the writers to corrupt the pure Christian Gospel of salvation by [[Syncretism|''syncretistically'']] introducing [[pagan]] beliefs and practices (1 Corinthians 4:6; Galatians 1:7-8; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:15-17 and 4:3-4; 2 Peter 3:17-18).

This doctrinal evidence in support of the traditions handed down from the apostles of the Lord directly refutes the Mormon assertion that the Great Apostasy occurred shortly before A.D. 200. The writings immediately after A.D. 100, such as the [[Epistles of Ignatius]] of Antioch and the others included in the [[Apostolic Fathers]] show a continuity with the New Testament writings before them and with the subsequent Ante-Nicene Fathers and Post-Nicene Fathers after them, which strongly dismisses the Mormon claim of a Total Apostasy.  

This doctrinal evidence in support of the traditions handed down from the apostles of the Lord directly refutes the Mormon assertion that the Great Apostasy occurred shortly before A.D. 200. The writings immediately after A.D. 100, such as the [[Epistles of Ignatius]] of Antioch and the others included in the [[Apostolic Fathers]] show a continuity with the New Testament writings before them and with the subsequent Ante-Nicene Fathers and Post-Nicene Fathers after them, which strongly dismisses the Mormon claim of a Total Apostasy.  

The same kind of evidence also weighs heavily against the Fundamentalist position. Fundamentalists claim that the apostasy does not occur until roughly A.D. 325 at the [[Council of Nicaea]] when all of the 318 gathered bishops of Christianity in [[Fear|fear for their lives]] were completely intimidated and crushed into submission under the total [[Bullying|domination]] of Emperor [[Constantine]]. To a large degree, Protestantism teaches that Constantine the Great merged [[paganism]] with Christianity, beginning with the Council of Nicaea, thereby seeking to bring unity and stability under his rule and to advance acceptance of and the power of his version of the Church as the official Imperial Roman State religion by all sectors of the empire.<ref>[http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Councils/ecum01.htm First Council of Nicaea - 325 A.D.] The Canons of the Council are listed. <br>''Compare the claim that false doctrine was introduced in them''.<br>See the anti-Catholic [[Wikipedia]] article [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Apostasy '''Great Apostasy''']</ref> But even here there is a complete continuity of teaching between the Ante-Nicene Fathers and the post-Nicene Fathers. There is no historical evidence that the Emperor Constantine had any decisive influence on the discussions, debates and decrees of the Council, made any threats, or did anything other than preside over the proceedings.<ref>See articles:

The same kind of evidence also weighs heavily against the Fundamentalist position. Fundamentalists claim that the apostasy does not occur until roughly A.D. 325 at the [[Council of Nicaea]] when all of the 318 gathered bishops of Christianity in [[Fear|fear for their lives]] were completely intimidated and crushed into submission under the total [[Bullying|domination]] of Emperor [[Constantine]]. To a large degree, Protestantism teaches that Constantine the Great merged [[paganism]] with Christianity, beginning with the Council of Nicaea, thereby seeking to bring unity and stability under his rule and to advance acceptance of and the power of his version of the Church as the official Imperial Roman State religion by all sectors of the empire.<ref>[http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Councils/ecum01.htm First Council of Nicaea - 325 A.D.] The Canons of the Council are listed. <br>''Compare the claim that false doctrine was introduced in them''.<br>See the anti-Catholic [[Wikipedia]] article [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Apostasy '''Great Apostasy''']</ref> But even here there is a complete continuity of teaching between the Ante-Nicene Fathers and the post-Nicene Fathers. There is no historical evidence that the Emperor Constantine had any decisive influence on the discussions, debates and decrees of the council, made any threats, or did anything other than preside over the proceedings.<ref>See articles:

*[http://mb-soft.com/believe/txc/nicaea.htm Council of Nicaea (mb-soft.com)]

*[http://mb-soft.com/believe/txc/nicaea.htm Council of Nicaea (mb-soft.com)]

*[http://www.debate.org.uk/debate-topics/theological/council_nicaea/ Council of Nicaea: Purposes and Themes, N. S. Lane].  

*[http://www.debate.org.uk/debate-topics/theological/council_nicaea/ Council of Nicaea: Purposes and Themes, N. S. Lane].