Those were the days

From Willard Oxtoby’s World Religions: Western Traditions, page 228:

Because of the political implications, the population was intensely interested in theological issues. In the new capital, Constantinople, the fourth-century climate was portrayed by one bishop as follows:

In this city you ask anyone for change, he will discuss with you whether God the Son is begotten or unbegotten. If you ask whether the bread is any good, you will receive the answer that ‘God the Father is greater, God the Son is less.’ If you say that you need a bath, you will be told that ‘there was nothing before God the Son was created’ (adapted from Frend 1965: 186-7).

That’s my kind of water cooler talk.