The Arian controversy was a series of Christian disputes about the nature of

Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...

that began with a dispute between

Arius Arius (; grc-koi, Ἄρειος, ; 250 or 256 – 336) was a Cyrenaic presbyter, ascetic, and priest best known for the doctrine of Arianism. His teachings about the nature of the Godhead in Christianity, which emphasized God the Father's un ...

and

Athanasius of Alexandria Athanasius I of Alexandria, ; cop, ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲥ or Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲁ̅; (c. 296–298 – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, ...

, two

Christian theologians Christian theology is the theology of Christian belief and practice. Such study concentrates primarily upon the texts of the Old Testament and of the New Testament, as well as on Christian tradition. Christian theologians use biblical exegesis ...

from

Alexandria, Egypt Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandria ...

. The most important of these controversies concerned the relationship between the substance of God the Father and the substance of His Son.

Emperor Constantine Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterran ...

, through the Council of Nicaea in 325, attempted to unite Christianity and establish a single, imperially approved version of the faith. Ironically, his efforts were the cause of the deep divisions created by the disputes after Nicaea. These disagreements divided the Church into various factions for over 55 years, from the time of the

First Council of Nicaea The First Council of Nicaea (; grc, Νίκαια ) was a council of Christian bishops convened in the Bithynian city of Nicaea (now İznik, Turkey) by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 325. This ecumenical council was the first effort ...

in 325 until the First Council of Constantinople in 381. There was no formal schism. Inside the Roman Empire, the Trinitarian faction ultimately gained the upper hand through the Edict of Thessalonica, issued on 27 February AD 380 by the then reigning three co-Emperors, which made Nicene Christology the state religion of the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...

, and through strict enforcement of that edict. However, outside the Roman Empire,

Arianism Arianism ( grc-x-koine, Ἀρειανισμός, ) is a Christological doctrine first attributed to Arius (), a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt. Arian theology holds that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who was begotten by God ...

and other forms of Unitarianism continued to be preached for some time. The modern Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as most other modern Christian sects, have generally followed the Trinitarian formulation, though each has its own specific theology on the matter.

History

Beginnings

The early history of the controversy must be pieced together from about 35 documents found in various sources. The Trinitarian historian Socrates of Constantinople reports that

first became controversial under the bishop Alexander of Alexandria, when Arius formulated the following syllogism:

"If the Father begat the Son, he that was begotten had a beginning of existence: hence it is that there was when the Son was not. It follows then of necessity that he had his existence from the non-existence".

Bishop Alexander of Alexandria was criticised for his slow reaction against Arius. Like his predecessor, Dionysius, he has been charged with vacillation. According to Eusebius's work, ''The Life of Constantine'', the controversy had spread from Alexandria into almost all the African regions, and was considered a disturbance of the public order by the Roman Empire. Constantine the Great (Constantine I) sent two letters to Arius and Bishop Alexander, asking the religious leaders to stop the controversy. The ongoing controversy led to Constantine's oversight of the First Council of Nicaea.

First Council of Nicaea (325)

Arianism would not be contained within the Alexandrian diocese. By the time Bishop Alexander finally acted against his presbyter, Arius's doctrine had spread far beyond his own see; it had become a topic of discussion—and disturbance—for the entire Church. The Church was now a powerful force in the Roman world, with Constantine I having legalized it in 313 through the

Edict of Milan The Edict of Milan ( la, Edictum Mediolanense; el, Διάταγμα τῶν Μεδιολάνων, ''Diatagma tōn Mediolanōn'') was the February 313 AD agreement to treat Christians benevolently within the Roman Empire. Frend, W. H. C. ( ...

. "Constantine desired that the church should contribute to the social and moral strength of the empire, religious dissension was a menace to the public welfare." Consequently, the emperor had taken a personal interest in several ecumenical issues, including the Donatist controversy in 316. He also wanted to bring an end to the Arian dispute. To this end, the emperor sent bishop

Hosius of Corduba Hosius of Corduba (c. 256–359), also known as Osius or Ossius, was a bishop of Corduba (now Córdoba, Spain) and an important and prominent advocate for Homoousion Christianity in the Arian controversy that divided the early Christianity. He ...

to investigate and, if possible, resolve the controversy. Hosius was armed with an open letter from the Emperor: ''"Wherefore let each one of you, showing consideration for the other, listen to the impartial exhortation of your fellow-servant."'' As the debate continued to rage despite Hosius' efforts, Constantine in AD 325 took an unprecedented step: he called an ecumenical council at Nicaea composed of church

prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pref ...

s from all parts of the empire to resolve this issue, possibly at Hosius' recommendation. It is traditionally said that 318 bishops came to Nicaea to attend the council, though others suggest figures from 250 to 300. The vast majority of those bishops were from the East. Italy, Spain, Gaul, North Africa, Persia, and Scythia each sent one bishop. The Bishop of Rome,

Sylvester I Pope Sylvester I (also Silvester, 285 – 31 December 335) was the bishop of Rome from 31 January 314 until his death. He filled the see of Rome at an important era in the history of the Western Church, yet very little is known of him. The acco ...

, himself too aged to attend, sent two priests as his delegates. Arius himself attended the council as well as the young deacon Athanasius, who attended as an assistant to Alexander of Alexandria and who would become the champion of the Nicene Creed and spend most of his life battling

and other form of Unitarianism. Also there were Eusebius of Caesarea and Eusebius of Nicomedia. Before the main conclave convened, Hosius initially met with Alexander and his supporters at Nicomedia. The council was presided over by the emperor himself, who participated in and even led some of its discussions. Those who upheld the notion that Christ was co-eternal and con-substantial with the Father were led by the young archdeacon Athanasius. Those who instead insisted that the Son of God came after God the Father in time and substance, were led by Arius the presbyter. For about two months, the two sides argued and debated, with each appealing to Scripture to justify their respective positions. Arius maintained that the Son of God was a Creature, made from nothing; and that he was God's First Production, before all ages. And he argued that everything else was created through the Son. Thus, said Arius, only the Son was directly created and begotten of God; furthermore, there was a time that He had no existence. He was capable of His own free will, said Arius, and thus "were He in the truest sense a son, He must have come after the Father, therefore the time obviously was when He was not, and hence He was a finite being." According to some accounts in the

hagiography A hagiography (; ) is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an adulatory and idealized biography of a founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religions. Early Christian hagiographies might ...

Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greeks, Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-da ...

, debate at the council became so heated that at one point, he slapped Arius in the face. The majority of the bishops at the council ultimately agreed upon a creed, known thereafter as the Nicene Creed formulated at the first council of Nicaea. It included the word ''homoousios'', meaning "consubstantial", or "same in essence", which was incompatible with Arius' beliefs. On June 19, 325, council and emperor issued a circular to the churches in and around Alexandria: Arius and two of his unyielding partisans (Theonas and Secundus) were deposed and exiled to Illyricum, while three other supporters—

Theognis of Nicaea Theognis of Nicaea ( grc-gre, Θέογνις) was a 4th-century Bishop of Nicaea, excommunicated after the First Council of Nicaea for not denouncing Arius and his nontrinitarianism strongly enough. He is best known to history as an attendee pr ...

, Eusebius of Nicomedia and Maris of Chalcedon—affixed their signatures solely out of deference to the emperor. However, Constantine soon found reason to suspect the sincerity of these three, for he later included them in the sentence pronounced on Arius.

Ariminum, Seleucia, and Constantinople (358–360)

In 358, the emperor Constantius II requested two councils, one of the western bishops at Ariminum (now Rimini in Northern Italy) and one of the eastern bishops at Nicomedia.Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 4, chapter 10.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 2, chapter 37. In 359, the western council met at Ariminum. Ursacius of Singidunum and

Valens of Mursa Valens of Mursa was bishop of Mursa (Osijek in modern Croatia) and a supporter of Homoian theology, which is often labelled as a form of Arianism, although semi-Arianism is probably more accurate. Life Valens and his fellows were seen by contempo ...

, following the new creed drafted at Sirmium (359), proposed that, "''according to the scriptures''," the Son was "''like the Father''." This is known as the Homoian view which held that the Bible does not reveal whether the Son is of the same substance as the Father and we, therefore, should not speculate about such things. This view is in opposition to the "''of the same substance''" (Homoousios) view of the Nicene Creed. The council, including some supporters of the older creed, accepted this proposal. After the council, Pope Liberius condemned the creed of Ariminum, while his rival, Pope Felix II, supported it.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 2, chapter 40. An earthquake struck Nicomedia, and in 359 the eastern council met at

Seleucia Isauria Silifke ( grc-gre, Σελεύκεια, ''Seleukeia'', la, Seleucia ad Calycadnum) is a town and district in south-central Mersin Province, Turkey, west of the city of Mersin, on the west end of Çukurova. Silifke is near the Mediterranean coast ...

instead. The council was bitterly divided and procedurally irregular, and the two parties met separately and reached opposing decisions. Following the Homoian view,

Acacius of Caesarea Acacius of Caesarea ( el, Ἀκάκιος; date of birth unknown, died in 366) was a Christian bishop probably originating from Syria; Acacius was the pupil and biographer of Eusebius and his successor on the see of Caesarea Palestina. Acacius is ...

declared that the Son was "''like the Father''".Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 4, chapter 11. But

Basil of Ancyra Basil of Ancyra (Βασίλειος), was a Christian priest in Ancyra, Galatia during the 4th century. Very meager information about his life is preserved in a metaphrastic work: “Life and Deeds of the Martyred Priest Basil.” He fought again ...

and his party, following a (Homoiousian) Creed of Antioch from 341, declared that the Son was of "''similar substance''" to the Father. The majority at Seleucia accepted the "''similar substance''" view and deposed the opposing party. Constantius did not accept this outcome and requested a third council, at Constantinople (359), of both the eastern and western bishops, to resolve the split at Seleucia. Acacius and Basil of Ancyra, respectively, again proposed the "''like the Father''" and "''similar substance''" views, as were explained at Seleucia. However, Maris of Chalcedon,

Eudoxius of Antioch Eudoxius (Ευδόξιος; died 370) was the eighth bishop of Constantinople from January 27, 360 to 370, previously bishop of Germanicia and of Antioch. Eudoxius was one of the most influential Arians. Biography Eudoxius was from Arabissos ...

, and the deacons

Aëtius of Antioch Aëtius of Antioch (; grc-gre, Ἀέτιος ὁ Ἀντιοχεύς; la, Aëtius Antiochenus; ), surnamed "the Atheist" by his trinitarian enemies, founder of Anomoeanism, was a native of Coele-Syria. Life and writings Aëtius grew up in pov ...

and Eunomius of Cyzicus proposed a third view which was similar to Arius' teachings, namely that the Son was of "''a dissimilar substance''" from the Father.Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 4, chapter 12 and book 5, chapter 1.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 2, chapter 41. The Heteroousians ("''dissimilar substance''") won the victory over the other two views in an initial debate. However, Constantius was not willing to accept this outcome either. He intervened and banished Aëtius; one of the leading proponents of the "''dissimilar substance''" view. After this, the council, including Maris and Eudoxius, agreed to a fourth view, namely the homoian ("''like the Father''") view that was already agreed to at Ariminum. They made only minor modifications to the Ariminum creed. After the Council of Constantinople, the homoian bishop Acacius deposed and banished several homoiousian bishops, including

Macedonius I of Constantinople Macedonius (Greek: Μακεδόνιος; died after 360) was a Greek bishop of Constantinople from 342 up to 346, and from 351 until 360. He inspired the establishment of the Pneumatomachi (also called Macedonians), a sect later declared heretical ...

, Basil, Eustathius, Eleusius of Cyzicus, Dracontius of Pergamum, Neonas of Seleucia,

Sophronius of Pompeiopolis Sophronius has been the name of several notable individuals: * Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem (560–638), Patriarch of Jerusalem who negotiated the surrender of Jerusalem to the Muslim caliph Umar I in 637 * Patriarch Sophronius I of Constantinop ...

Elpidius of Satala Elpidius is a Roman cognomen. It was the name of several bishops and saints: *Elpidius, bishop of Huesca (c.522-546) *Elpidius, bishop of Tarazona *Elpidius, bishop of Comana (Cappadocia) *Saint Elpidius, bishop of Lyon The Archdiocese of ...

and

Cyril of Jerusalem Cyril of Jerusalem ( el, Κύριλλος Α΄ Ἱεροσολύμων, ''Kýrillos A Ierosolýmon''; la, Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus; 313 386 AD) was a theologian of the early Church. About the end of 350 AD he succeeded Maximus as Bishop of ...

.Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 5, chapter 1.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 2, chapter 42. At the same time, Acacius also deposed and banished the Anomoean deacon Aëtius. In 360, Acacius appointed

to replace Macedonius and Athanasius of Ancyra to replace Basil, as well as Onesimus of Nicomedia to replace Cecropius, who had died in the earthquake at Nicomedia.

The controversy in the 360s

In 361, Constantius died and Julian became sole Roman emperor. Julian demanded the restoration of several pagan temples which Christians had seized or destroyed. According to

Philostorgius Philostorgius ( grc-gre, Φιλοστόργιος; 368 – c. 439 AD) was an Anomoean Church historian of the 4th and 5th centuries. Very little information about his life is available. He was born in Borissus, Cappadocia to Eulampia and Car ...

, pagans killed

George of Laodicea George (died 359) was the bishop of Laodicea in Syria from 335 until his deposition in 347. He took part in the Trinitarian controversies of the fourth century. At first an ardent admirer of the teaching of Arius and associated with Eusebius of Ni ...

, bishop of

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...

, allowing Athanasius to reclaim the 'see', or ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

Sides

As indicated by the names of the “sides,” listed below, the Arian controversy was not about the entire Nicene Creed, but specifically about the key word in the creed:

Homoousion Homoousion ( ; grc, ὁμοούσιον, lit=same in being, same in essence, from , , "same" and , , "being" or "essence") is a Christian theological term, most notably used in the Nicene Creed for describing Jesus (God the Son) as "same in bei ...

(same substance). The Homoousians supported this word. The Heteroousians were the extreme Arians, saying that Christ is of a “different substance” than the Father. The Homoiousians were somewhere midway between the Homoousians and Heteroousians. They also rejected the word Homoousian and maintained that Christ is of a “similar substance: rather than of the “same substance.” But perhaps the

Homoians The Acacians (), also known as the Homoians or Homoeans (), were an Arian sect which played a major role in the Christianization of the Goths in the Danubian provinces of the Roman Empire. They first emerged into distinctness as an ecclesiast ...

were the people that rebelled most against the word homoousion, because they claimed that it is utter arrogance to speculate about the substance of God because this is not revealed in the Bible:

The Arian Controversy controversy continued after the Creed of Nicaea of 325 because that creed “ultimately confounded the confusion because its use of the words ousia and hypostasis was so ambiguous as to suggest that the Fathers of Nicaea had fallen into Sabellianism, a view recognized as a heresy even at that period.”

It was mainly under the influence of the
Cappadocian Fathers The Cappadocian Fathers, also traditionally known as the Three Cappadocians, are Basil the Great (330–379), who was bishop of Caesarea; Basil's younger brother Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335 – c. 395), who was bishop of Nyssa; and a close friend, ...
that the terminology was clarified and standardized so that the formula "three hypostases in one ousia" came to be accepted as an epitome of the
orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pa ...
doctrine of the Trinity.

Homoousian

The Homoousians taught that the Son is of the same substance as the Father, i.e. both uncreated. The Sabellian form had been condemned as heresy in the 3rd century by Pope Calixtus. The

Athanasian Athanasius I of Alexandria, ; cop, ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲥ or Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲁ̅; (c. 296–298 – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, ...

form would be declared orthodox at the Council of Constantinople in 383, and has become the basis of most of modern trinitarianism. *

Alexander Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...

, bishop of

(313–326). * Hosius, bishop of Cordoba (?-359). * Eusebius, bishop of

Caesarea Caesarea () ( he, קֵיסָרְיָה, ), ''Keysariya'' or ''Qesarya'', often simplified to Keisarya, and Qaysaria, is an affluent town in north-central Israel, which inherits its name and much of its territory from the ancient city of Caesare ...

(c. 313–339). * Eustathius, (possibly Sabellian) bishop of

Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; grc-gre, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου, ''Antiókheia hē epì Oróntou'', Learned ; also Syrian Antioch) grc-koi, Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπὶ Ὀρόντου; or Ἀντιόχεια ἡ ἐπ� ...

(c. 325–330).Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 1, chapter 25. *

Cyrus Cyrus (Persian: کوروش) is a male given name. It is the given name of a number of Persian kings. Most notably it refers to Cyrus the Great ( BC). Cyrus is also the name of Cyrus I of Anshan ( BC), King of Persia and the grandfather of Cyrus ...

, (possibly Sabellian) bishop of Beroe. *

Athanasius Athanasius I of Alexandria, ; cop, ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲥ or Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲁ̅; (c. 296–298 – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, ...

(Athanasian) bishop of Alexandria (326–373, later rival of Gregory of Cappadocia and then George of Laodicea). *

Paul Paul may refer to: * Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) * Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chr ...

, bishop of Constantinople (336–351, later rival of Eusebius of Nicomedia and then Macedonius I of Constantinople). *

Julius The gens Julia (''gēns Iūlia'', ) was one of the most prominent patrician families in ancient Rome. Members of the gens attained the highest dignities of the state in the earliest times of the Republic. The first of the family to obtain the ...

, bishop of Rome (337–352).Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 2, chapter 15. * Asclepas, bishop of Gaza. *

Lucius Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from '' Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames ('' praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from ...

, bishop of

Adrianople Edirne (, ), formerly known as Adrianople or Hadrianopolis (Greek: Άδριανούπολις), is a city in Turkey, in the northwestern part of the province of Edirne in Eastern Thrace. Situated from the Greek and from the Bulgarian borders, ...

(?-351). *

Maximus Maximus (Hellenised as Maximos) is the Latin term for "greatest" or "largest". In this connection it may refer to: * Circus Maximus (disambiguation) * Pontifex maximus, the highest priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome People Roman ...

, bishop of Jerusalem (333–350). * Paulinus, bishop of

Treves Trier ( , ; lb, Tréier ), formerly known in English as Trèves ( ;) and Triers (see also names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle in Germany. It lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the w ...

, who supported Athanasius of Alexandria at Milan.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 2, chapter 36. *

Dionysius The name Dionysius (; el, Διονύσιος ''Dionysios'', "of Dionysus"; la, Dionysius) was common in classical and post-classical times. Etymologically it is a nominalized adjective formed with a -ios suffix from the stem Dionys- of the name ...

, bishop of Alba, who supported Athanasius of Alexandria at Milan. * Eusebius, bishop of Vercelli (340–371), who supported Athanasius of Alexandria at Milan. * Angelius, (Novatian) bishop of Constantinople.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 2, chapter 38. * Gregory of Nazianzus *

Gregory of Elvira Gregory Baeticus (died c. 392) was the bishop of Elvira, in the province of Baetica, Spain. Life Gregory is first met with as Bishop of Elvira (Illiberis) in 375; he is mentioned in the Luciferian " Libellus precum ad Imperatores" as the defender ...

* Lucifer, bishop of

Cagliari Cagliari (, also , , ; sc, Casteddu ; lat, Caralis) is an Italian municipality and the capital of the island of Sardinia, an autonomous region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name ''Casteddu'' means ''castle''. It has about 155,000 inhabitan ...

. * Hilary, bishop of

Poitiers Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomer ...

(c. 353–367). * Servatius, bishop of Tongeren.

Marcellus of Ancyra and Photinus of Sirmium

According to the historian Socrates of Constantinople, Marcellus of Ancyra and

Photinus Photinus (Greek Φωτεινός; died 376), was a Christian bishop of Sirmium in Pannonia Secunda (today the town Sremska Mitrovica in Serbia), best known for denying the incarnation of Christ, thus being considered a heresiarch by the Catholi ...

taught "that Christ was a mere man." Their opponents associated the teachings of Marcellus of Ancyra and Photinus of Sirmium with those of

Sabellius Sabellius (fl. ca. 215) was a third-century priest and theologian who most likely taught in Rome, but may have been a North African from Libya. Basil and others call him a Libyan from Pentapolis, but this seems to rest on the fact that Pentapolis ...

and

Paul of Samosata Paul of Samosata ( grc-gre, Παῦλος ὁ Σαμοσατεύς, lived from 200 to 275 AD) was Bishop of Antioch from 260 to 268 and the originator of the Paulianist heresy named after him. He was a believer in monarchianism, a nontrinitarian ...

, which had been widely rejected before the controversy. * Marcellus, bishop of

Ancyra Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, makin ...

(?-336 and c. 343-c. 374) and critic of Asterius. * Photinus, bishop of Sirmium (?-351) and in exile (351–376); according to Socrates of Constantinople and Sozomen, Photinus was a follower of Marcellus. * In 336, a church trial at Constantinople deposed Marcellus and condemned his doctrines. * Pope Julius I supported Marcellus and called for his restoration. * In 342 or 343, the mostly Western

Council of Sardica The Council of Serdica, or Synod of Serdica (also Sardica located in modern day Sofia, Bulgaria), was a synod convened in 343 at Serdica in the civil diocese of Dacia, by Emperors Constans I, augustus in the West, and Constantius II, augustus in th ...

restored Marcellus, while the mostly Eastern

Council of Philippopolis The Council of Philippopolis in 343, 344, or 347 was a result of Arian bishops from the Eastern Roman Empire leaving the Council of Sardica to form their own counter council. In Philippopolis, they anathemized the term ''homoousios'', in effect ex ...

sustained his removal. * Under pressure from his co-Emperor

Constans Flavius Julius Constans ( 323 – 350), sometimes called Constans I, was Roman emperor from 337 to 350. He held the imperial rank of '' caesar'' from 333, and was the youngest son of Constantine the Great. After his father's death, he was ma ...

, Constantius II initially backed the decision of Sardica, but after Constans' death, reversed course. * In 351, a church trial at the

Second Council of Sirmium The Councils of Sirmium were the five episcopal councils held in Sirmium in 347, 351, 357, 358 and finally in 375 or 378. The third—the most important of the councils—marked a temporary compromise between Arianism and the Western bishops of the ...

deposed Photinus and condemned his teachings. * The Macrostich condemned the teachings of Marcellus and Photinus.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 2, chapter 19.

Homoiousian

The Homoiousian school taught that the Son is of a similar substance to the Father but not the same.Peter Heather & John Matthews, ''Goths in the Fourth Century'', p. 128. This mainly discusses the later controversy. *

, bishop of

(336–360).Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 8, chapter 17. * Macedonius, (Macedonian) bishop of Constantinople (342–346 and 351–360). *

, bishop of Alexandria (356–361, rival of Athanasius of Alexandria). * Eudoxius, bishop of Germanicia (?-358),

(358–359), and Constantinople (360–370), who supported the Macrostich. * Martyrius, who supported the Macrostich. * Macedonius, bishop of

Mopsuestia Mopsuestia and Mopsuhestia ( grc, Μοψουεστία and Μόψου ἑστία, Mopsou(h)estia and Μόψου ''Mopsou'' and Μόψου πόλις and Μόψος; Byzantine Greek: ''Mamista'', ''Manistra'', ''Mampsista''; Arabic: ''al-Maṣṣ ...

, who supported the Macrostich. * Mark, bishop of Arethusa, who wrote the Creed of Sirmium of 351. *

Cyril Cyril (also Cyrillus or Cyryl) is a masculine given name. It is derived from the Greek name Κύριλλος (''Kýrillos''), meaning 'lordly, masterful', which in turn derives from Greek κυριος (''kýrios'') 'lord'. There are various varian ...

, (Macedonian) bishop of Jerusalem (350–386). *

Marathonius In Greek mythology, Marathonius or Marathonios may refer to two distinct characters: * Marathonius, the 13th king of Sicyon who reigned for 30 years. His predecessor was Orthopolis and himself was succeeded by Marathus. During his reign, Cecro ...

, (Macedonian) bishop of Nicomedia (c. 351-?). * Eleusius, (Macedonian) bishop of Cyzicus (c. 351–360). * Sophronius, (Macedonian) bishop of

Pompeiopolis Pompeiopolis ( el, Πομπηιούπολις, city of Pompeius) was a Roman city in ancient Paphlagonia, identified in the early 19th century with the ruins of Zımbıllı Tepe, located near Taşköprü, Kastamonu Province in the Black Sea Region ...

(?-360). *

Dracontius Blossius Aemilius Dracontius () of Carthage was a Christian poet who flourished in Roman Africa during the latter part of the 5th century. He belonged to a family of landowners, and practiced as a lawyer in his native place. After the conquest o ...

, bishop of

Pergamum Pergamon or Pergamum ( or ; grc-gre, Πέργαμον), also referred to by its modern Greek form Pergamos (), was a rich and powerful ancient Greek city in Mysia. It is located from the modern coastline of the Aegean Sea on a promontory on ...

(?-360). * Neonas, bishop of

(?-360). * Elpidius, bishop of

Satala Located in Turkey, the settlement of Satala ( xcl, Սատաղ ''Satał'', grc, Σάταλα), according to the ancient geographers, was situated in a valley surrounded by mountains, a little north of the Euphrates, where the road from Trapez ...

(?-360). * Eustathius, (Macedonian) bishop of Sebastia. * Annianus of Antioch. * Sabinus, Macedonian bishop of Heraclea.

Homoian

The Homoians taught that the Son is similar to the Father, either "in all things" or "according to the scriptures," without speaking of substance. Several members of the other schools, such as Hosius of Cordoba and Aëtius, also accepted certain Homoian formulae. * Ursacius, initially homoiousian, then homoousian, and later homoian bishop of Singidunum, who had opposed Athanasius.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 1, chapter 27 and book 2, chapters 12 & 37. * Valens, initially homoiousian, then homoousian, and later homoian bishop of

Mursa Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

, who had opposed Athanasius. * Germinius. * Auxentius (died 374), bishop of Milan. * Demophilus, bishop of Beraea (?-370) and Constantinople (370–380).Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 9, chapter 19. *

Gaius Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People * Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius * Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus * Gaius Asiniu ...

. * Acacius, bishop of

(340–366).

Heteroousian

The Heteroousians taught that the Son is of a different substance from the Father, i.e. created. Arius had taught this early in the controversy, and Aëtius would teach the later Anomoean form. *

, presbyter in Alexandria. * Theophilus the Indian, who later supported Aëtius. * Aëtius, who founded the Anomoean tradition, later bishop (361-?).Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 7, chapter 6.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 2, chapter 35. *

Theodulus Theodoulos ( el, Θεόδουλος) or Theodulus (amongst other variations) is a Greek masculine given name. The name is a theophoric name, meaning "servant of God" - in a similar construction to Christodoulos.Robert Parker ''et al.''Lexicon of ...

, (Anomoean) bishop of Chaeretapa (?-c. 363) and

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East J ...

(c. 363-c. 379). *

Eunomius Eunomius ( el, Εὐνόμιος Κυζίκου) (died c. 393), one of the leaders of the extreme or "anomoean" Arians, who are sometimes accordingly called Eunomians, was born at Dacora in Cappadocia or at Corniaspa in Pontus. early in ...

, (Anomoean) bishop of Cyzicus (360–361) and exiled bishop (361-c. 393). * Paemenius, (Anomoean) bishop of Constantinople, (c. 363, at the same time as

).Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 8, chapter 2. * Candidus, (Anomoean) bishop of Lydia, (c. 363-?). * Arrianus, (Anomoean) bishop of Ionia, (c. 363-?). * Florentius, (Anomoean) bishop of Constantinople, (c. 363-?, at the same time as

). * Thallus, (Anomoean) bishop of

Lesbos Lesbos or Lesvos ( el, Λέσβος, Lésvos ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece. It is separated from Asia Minor by the na ...

, (c. 363-?, at the same time as

). *

Euphronius Euphronios ( el, Εὐφρόνιος; c. 535 – after 470 BC) was an ancient Greek vase painter and potter, active in Athens in the late 6th and early 5th centuries BC. As part of the so-called " Pioneer Group," (a modern name given to a grou ...

, (Anomoean) bishop of Galatia, the Black Sea and Cappadocia, (c. 363-?). * Julian, (Anomoean) bishop of Cilicia, (c. 363-?). * Serras, Stephen, and Heliodorus, (Anomoean) bishops of Egypt, (c. 363-?). *

, (Anomoean) historian.

Other critics of the Creed of Nicaea

Many critics of the "Nicene" Creed cannot be clearly associated with one school, often due to lack of sources, or due to contradictions between sources. * Secundus, bishop of Ptolemais, who supported Arius at Nicaea.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 1, chapter 8.Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 1, chapter 9.Condemned by Alexander of Alexandria, see Socrates, ''Church History'', book 1, chapter 6. * Theonas, bishop of

Marmarica Marmarica (Greek Μαρμαρική) in ancient geography was a littoral area in Ancient Libya, located between ''Cyrenaica'' and ''Aegyptus''. It corresponds to what is now the Libya and Egypt frontier, including the towns of Bomba (ancient ' ...

, who supported Arius at Nicaea. * Eusebius, bishop of

Berytus ) or Laodicea in Canaan (2nd century to 64 BCE) , image = St. George's Cathedral, Beirut.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Roman ruins of Berytus, in front of Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in mode ...

, Nicomedia (?-325 and 328–338) and Constantinople (338–341, rival of Paul I of Constantinople), who supported Arius at Nicaea. *

Theognis Theognis of Megara ( grc-gre, Θέογνις ὁ Μεγαρεύς, ''Théognis ho Megareús'') was a Greek lyric poet active in approximately the sixth century BC. The work attributed to him consists of gnomic poetry quite typical of the time, ...

, bishop of

Nicaea Nicaea, also known as Nicea or Nikaia (; ; grc-gre, Νίκαια, ) was an ancient Greek city in Bithynia, where located in northwestern Anatolia and is primarily known as the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea (the first and s ...

, who supported Arius at Nicaea. * Maris, bishop of

Chalcedon Chalcedon ( or ; , sometimes transliterated as ''Chalkedon'') was an ancient maritime town of Bithynia, in Asia Minor. It was located almost directly opposite Byzantium, south of Scutari (modern Üsküdar) and it is now a district of the city ...

, who supported Arius at Nicaea. * Eusebius, (possibly Homoiousian, possibly Sabellian) bishop of Emesa (c. 339 or 341). * Gregory of Cappadocia, bishop of Alexandria (339–346, rival of Athanasius of Alexandria). *

Narcissus Narcissus may refer to: Biology * ''Narcissus'' (plant), a genus containing daffodils and others People * Narcissus (mythology), Greek mythological character * Narcissus (wrestler) (2nd century), assassin of the Roman emperor Commodus * Tiberiu ...

, bishop of Neronias.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 2, chapter 26. * Stephanus, bishop of Antioch (342–344). *

Leontius Leontius ( el, Λεόντιος, Leóntios; – 15 February 706), was Byzantine emperor from 695 to 698. Little is known of his early life, other than that he was born in Isauria in Asia Minor. He was given the title of ''patrikios'', and mad ...

, bishop of Antioch (344–358), who also taught Aetius. *

Patrophilus of Scythopolis Patrophilus was the Arian bishop of Scythopolis in the early-mid 4th century AD. He was an enemy of Athanasius who described him as a πνευματόμαχος or "fighter against the Holy Spirit". When Arius was exiled to Palestine in 323 AD, Pa ...

. * Asterius (d. c. 341), who, according to Socrates of Constantinople, considered Jesus as example of the power of God, and according to Philostorgius, defended the Homoiousian tradition.Socrates of Constantinople, ''Church History'', book 1, chapter 36. * Athanasius of Anazarbus, who taught Aetius. * Wulfila (died 383), first bishop of the Goths (341?-c.383), and Bible translator, who agreed to the Homoian formula at Constantinople. * Wereka and Batwin, ''papa'' and ''bilaifs'' respectively, and Gothic martyrs. *

Auxentius of Durostorum Auxentius of Durostorum also probably known as Mercurinus was a deacon in Alexandria and later bishop of Durostorum. An Arian, he was prominent in conflict with St Ambrose. Identity Auxentius was the foster-son of Wulfila, the "apostle to the ...

, later bishop of Milan, Wulfila's adopted son.Heather and Matthews, ''Goths in the Fourth Century'', pp. 135–136. * Palladius, bishop of

Ratiaria Ratiaria (or: Raetiaria, Retiaria, Reciaria, Razaria; bg, Рациария; el, Ραζαρία μητρόπολις;) was a city founded by the Moesians, a Daco- Thracian tribe, in the 4th century BC, along the river Danube. In Roman times it ...

. * Secundianus, bishop of Singidunum.

Unclassified

* Euzoius, deacon and supporter of Arius; later Homoian bishop of

(361–378, at the same time as three others). * Dorotheus or Theodorus, Homoiousian and later Homoian bishop of Heraclea (?-378) and

, (378–381, at the same time as three others). *

Uranius Uranius is the name of two possible Roman usurpers of the third century. The first Uranius is mentioned only by Zosimus, and was briefly active during the latter part of the reign of Alexander Severus. He was chosen by dissatisfied soldiers al ...

, bishop of Tyre. * Onesimus, bishop of Nicomedia (359-?). *

, bishop of

(359-?, at the same time as

). * Acacius, bishop of Tarsus (359-?, at the same time as

Silvanus of Tarsus Silvanus or Sylvanus may refer to: *Silas (Silvanus), disciple, mentioned in four New Testament epistles * Silvanus (monk), one of the Desert Fathers * Silvanus of the Seventy, a traditional figure in Eastern Orthodox tradition assumed to be one of ...

). * Silvanus, bishop of Tarsus. * Hypatius of Cyrus, bishop of

(?-380). *

, bishop of Tripolis. *

Theodosius Theodosius ( Latinized from the Greek "Θεοδόσιος", Theodosios, "given by god") is a given name. It may take the form Teodósio, Teodosie, Teodosije etc. Theodosia is a feminine version of the name. Emperors of ancient Rome and Byzantium ...

, a bishop of Philadelphia in Lydia. * John, Anomean bishop of

(c. 379-?).Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 9, chapter 18. *

Evagrius Evagrius or Euagrius may refer to: ;People: * Evagrius of Constantinople (fourth century), bishop of Constantinople (circa 370–380) * Evagrius of Antioch, bishop of Antioch (388-392) *Evagrius Ponticus (346–399), Christian mystic *Evagrius Sch ...

, bishop of Mytelene. * Asterius, presbyter in Antioch, possibly the same as an Asterius who supported Acacius at Seleucia.Philostorgius, in Photius, ''Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius'', book 10, chapter 1.

References

External links

# ''The Arians Of The Fourth Century'' by John Henry Cardinal Newman #
As provided by the Third Millennium Library
— this is the version originally referenced in this article. Its pages do not identify bibliographic data. As of December 2016 the third-millennium-library.com site was unavailable, and the domain was offered for sale. ##* ''Note: The links to the archived sub-documents of this archived page do not resolve correctly. Here are the correct archived links:'' ##* PART I. Doctrinal ##** Chapter I. Schools And Parties In And About The Ante-Nicene Church, In Their Relation To The Arian Heresy. ##**

##**

##**

##**

##**

##** Chapter II.—The Teaching Of The Ante-Nicene Church In Its Relation To The Arian Heresy. ##**

##*** ttps://web.archive.org/web/20100715111341/http://www.third-millennium-library.com/MedievalHistory/FOURTH_CENTURY_ARIANS/BOOK/ARIANS_2_2.html SECTION II.—The Scripture doctrine of the Trinity##**
SECTION III.—The Ecclesiastical doctrine of the Trinity
##**

##*** ttps://web.archive.org/web/20100715111351/http://www.third-millennium-library.com/MedievalHistory/FOURTH_CENTURY_ARIANS/BOOK/ARIANS_2_5.html SECTION V.— The Arian Heresy##* PART II. Historical ##** Chapter III.—The Ecumenical Council Of Nicea In The Reign Constantine. ##**
SECTION I.—History of the Nicene Council
##**

##** Chapter IV—Councils In The Reign Of Constantius. ##**

##**

''(Note: The top-level page of this document mis-labels this section as "The Athanasians.)'' ##**

##**

##** Chapter V.—Councils After The Reign Of Constantius. ##**

##**

##** CHAPTER VI.—The Councils Of Constantinple ##**

## ttp://www.newmanreader.org/works/arians/ As provided by The National Institute for Newman Studies– The author's notes for this 3rd edition identify the following differences, among others: ##* "Some additions have been made to the footnotes." ##* "A few longer Notes, for the most part extracted from other publications of

he author He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...

form an Appendix." ##* "The Table of Contents, and the Chronological Table have both been enlarged."
A Chronology of the Arian Controversy
#* ''Archive

'
Documents of the Early Arian Controversy
#* ''Archive
Documents of the early Arian controversy
' {{DEFAULTSORT:Arian Controversy Nature of Jesus Christ

History

Beginnings

First Council of Nicaea (325)

Ariminum, Seleucia, and Constantinople (358–360)

The controversy in the 360s

Sides

Homoousian

Marcellus of Ancyra and Photinus of Sirmium

Homoiousian

Homoian

Heteroousian

Other critics of the Creed of Nicaea

Unclassified

See also

References

External links