In the 4th century Africa became the scene of [[theology|theological]] controversies that shaped the history of Christianity. The teaching of [[Arius]] was rejected by St [[Athanasius the Great|Athanasius]], and the [[First Ecumenical Council]] was called to deal with it in AD 325, at [[Nicea]], though it was originally a local African doctrinal dispute. The result was the [[Nicene Creed]], which was eventually expanded to become the '''Symbol of Faith''' ratified by the [[Fourth Ecumenical council]] at [[Chalcedon]] in 451.

One of the consequences of the [[schism|split]] was divided missions being sent to Nubia, where the Northern and Southern kingdoms were evangelised by non-Chalcedonian missionaries sponsored by the Empress St [[Theodora (wife of Justinian)|Theodora]], and the central kingdom was evangelised by a Chalcedonian mission sponsored by the Emperor St [[Justinian the Great|Justinian I]]. The rivalry between the missions meant that they also used Greek and Coptic as liturgical languages, and did not follow the principle of translating into the vernacular. The result was that the Nubian Church eventually disappeared in about the 15th century, and the people (in what is today Sudan) became Muslims. The [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Church]] was more successful, but it was aligned to the Coptic group, and remained so aligned after the schism.