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Arianism
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Aheresywhicharoseinthefourthcentury,anddeniedtheDivinityofJesusChrist.

Doctrine
FirstamongthedoctrinaldisputeswhichtroubledChristiansafterConstantinehad
recognizedtheChurchinA.D.313,andtheparentofmanymoreduringsomethree
centuries,Arianismoccupiesalargeplaceinecclesiasticalhistory.Itisnotamodernform
ofunbelief,andthereforewillappearstrangeinmoderneyes.Butweshallbettergraspits
meaningifwetermitanEasternattempttorationalizethecreedbystrippingitofmystery
sofarastherelationofChristtoGodwasconcerned.IntheNewTestamentandin
ChurchteachingJesusofNazarethappearsastheSonofGod.ThisnameHetookto
Himself(Matthew11:27John10:36),whiletheFourthGospeldeclaresHimtobethe
Word(Logos),WhointhebeginningwaswithGodandwasGod,byWhomallthings
weremade.AsimilardoctrineislaiddownbySt.Paul,inhisundoubtedlygenuine
EpistlestotheEphesians,Colossians,andPhilippians.ItisreiteratedintheLettersof
Ignatius,andaccountsforPliny'sobservationthatChristiansintheirassemblieschanteda
hymntoChristasGod.ButthequestionhowtheSonwasrelatedtotheFather(Himself
acknowledgedonallhandstobetheoneSupremeDeity),gaverise,betweentheyears
A.D.60and200,toanumberofTheosophicsystems,calledgenerallyGnosticism,and
havingfortheirauthorsBasilides,Valentinus,Tatian,andotherGreekspeculators.
ThoughallofthesevisitedRome,theyhadnofollowingintheWest,whichremainedfree
fromcontroversiesofanabstractnature,andwasfaithfultothecreedofitsbaptism.
IntellectualcentreswerechieflyAlexandriaandAntioch,EgyptianorSyrian,and
speculationwascarriedoninGreek.TheRomanChurchheldsteadfastlybytradition.
Underthesecircumstances,whenGnosticschoolshadpassedawaywiththeir
"conjugations"ofDivinepowers,and"emanations"fromtheSupremeunknowableGod
(the"Deep"andthe"Silence")allspeculationwasthrownintotheformofaninquiry
touchingthe"likeness"oftheSontoHisFatherand"sameness"ofHisEssence.Catholics
hadalwaysmaintainedthatChristwastrulytheSon,andtrulyGod.Theyworshipped
HimwithdivinehonourstheywouldneverconsenttoseparateHim,inideaorreality,
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fromtheFather,WhoseWord,Reason,Mind,Hewas,andinWhoseHeartHeabode
frometernity.Butthetechnicaltermsofdoctrinewerenotfullydefinedandevenin
Greekwordslikeessence(ousia),substance(hypostasis),nature(physis),person
(hyposopon)boreavarietyofmeaningsdrawnfromthepreChristiansectsof
philosophers,whichcouldnotbutentailmisunderstandingsuntiltheywereclearedup.
TheadaptationofavocabularyemployedbyPlatoandAristotletoChristiantruthwasa
matteroftimeitcouldnotbedoneinadayandwhenaccomplishedfortheGreekithad
tobeundertakenfortheLatin,whichdidnotlenditselfreadilytonecessaryyetsubtle
distinctions.Thatdisputesshouldspringupevenamongtheorthodoxwhoallheldone
faith,wasinevitable.Andofthesewranglingstherationalistwouldtakeadvantagein
ordertosubstitutefortheancientcreedhisowninventions.Thedriftofallheadvanced
wasthis:todenythatinanytruesenseGodcouldhaveaSonasMohammedterselysaid
afterwards,"Godneitherbegets,norisHebegotten"(Koran,112).Wehavelearnedto
callthatdenialUnitarianism.ItwastheultimatescopeofArianoppositiontowhat
Christianshadalwaysbelieved.ButtheArian,thoughhedidnotcomestraightdownfrom
theGnostic,pursuedalineofargumentandtaughtaviewwhichthespeculationsofthe
Gnostichadmadefamiliar.HedescribedtheSonasasecond,orinferiorGod,standing
midwaybetweentheFirstCauseandcreaturesasHimselfmadeoutofnothing,yetas
makingallthingselseasexistingbeforetheworldsoftheagesandasarrayedinall
divineperfectionsexcepttheonewhichwastheirstayandfoundation.Godalonewas
withoutbeginning,unoriginatetheSonwasoriginated,andoncehadnotexisted.Forall
thathasoriginmustbegintobe.
SuchisthegenuinedoctrineofArius.UsingGreekterms,itdeniesthattheSonisofone
essence,nature,orsubstancewithGodHeisnotconsubstantial(homoousios)withthe
Father,andthereforenotlikeHim,orequalindignity,orcoeternal,orwithinthereal
sphereofDeity.TheLogoswhichSt.Johnexaltsisanattribute,Reason,belongingtothe
Divinenature,notapersondistinctfromanother,andthereforeisaSonmerelyinfigure
ofspeech.TheseconsequencesfollowupontheprinciplewhichAriusmaintainsinhis
lettertoEusebiusofNicomedia,thattheSon"isnopartoftheIngenerate."Hencethe
AriansectarieswhoreasonedlogicallywerestyledAnomoeans:theysaidthattheSonwas
"unlike"theFather.AndtheydefinedGodassimplytheUnoriginate.Theyarealso
termedtheExucontians(exoukonton),becausetheyheldthecreationoftheSontobeout
ofnothing.
Butaviewsounliketraditionfoundlittlefavouritrequiredsofteningorpalliation,even
atthecostoflogicandtheschoolwhichsupplantedArianismfromanearlydateaffirmed
thelikeness,eitherwithoutadjunct,orinallthings,orinsubstance,oftheSontothe
Father,whiledenyingHiscoequaldignityandcoeternalexistence.ThesemenoftheVia
MediawerenamedSemiArians.Theyapproached,instrictargument,totheheretical
extremebutmanyofthemheldtheorthodoxfaith,howeverinconsistentlytheir
difficultiesturneduponlanguageorlocalprejudice,andnosmallnumbersubmittedat
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lengthtoCatholicteaching.TheSemiAriansattemptedforyearstoinventacompromise
betweenirreconcilableviews,andtheirshiftingcreeds,tumultuouscouncils,andworldly
devicestellushowmixedandmotleyacrowdwascollectedundertheirbanner.Thepoint
tobekeptinremembranceisthat,whiletheyaffirmedtheWordofGodtobeeverlasting,
theyimaginedHimashavingbecometheSontocreatetheworldsandredeemmankind.
AmongtheanteNicenewriters,acertainambiguityofexpressionmaybedetected,
outsidetheschoolofAlexandria,touchingthislastheadofdoctrine.WhileCatholic
teachersheldtheMonarchia,viz.thattherewasonlyoneGodandtheTrinity,thatthis
AbsoluteOneexistedinthreedistinctsubsistencesandtheCircumincession,thatFather,
Word,andSpiritcouldnotbeseparated,infactorinthought,fromoneanotheryetan
openingwasleftfordiscussionasregardedtheterm"Son,"andtheperiodofHis
"generation"(gennesis).FiveanteNiceneFathersareespeciallyquoted:Athenagoras,
Tatian,TheophilusofAntioch,Hippolytus,andNovatian,whoselanguageappearsto
involveapeculiarnotionofSonship,asthoughItdidnotcomeintobeingorwerenot
perfectuntilthedawnofcreation.TothesemaybeaddedTertullianandMethodius.
CardinalNewmanheldthattheirview,whichisfoundclearlyinTertullian,oftheSon
existingaftertheWord,isconnectedasanantecedentwithArianism.Petaviusconstrued
thesameexpressionsinareprehensiblesensebuttheAnglicanBishopBulldefended
themasorthodox,notwithoutdifficulty.Evenifmetaphorical,suchlanguagemightgive
sheltertounfairdisputantsbutwearenotanswerablefortheslipsofteacherswhofailed
toperceivealltheconsequencesofdoctrinaltruthsreallyheldbythem.Fromthese
doubtfultheorizingsRomeandAlexandriakeptaloof.Origenhimself,whoseunadvised
speculationswerechargedwiththeguiltofArianism,andwhoemployedtermslike"the
secondGod,"concerningtheLogos,whichwereneveradoptedbytheChurchthisvery
OrigentaughttheeternalSonshipoftheWord,andwasnotaSemiArian.Tohimthe
Logos,theSon,andJesusofNazarethwereoneeversubsistingDivinePerson,begotten
oftheFather,and,inthisway,"subordinate"tothesourceofHisbeing.Hecomesforth
fromGodasthecreativeWord,andsoisaministeringAgent,or,fromadifferentpointof
view,istheFirstbornofcreation.DionysiusofAlexandria(260)wasevendenouncedat
RomeforcallingtheSonaworkorcreatureofGodbutheexplainedhimselftothepope
onorthodoxprinciples,andconfessedtheHomoousianCreed.

History
PaulofSamosata,whowascontemporarywithDionysius,andBishopofAntioch,maybe
judgedthetrueancestorofthoseheresieswhichrelegatedChristbeyondtheDivine
sphere,whateverepithetsofdeitytheyallowedHim.ThemanJesus,saidPaul,was
distinctfromtheLogos,and,inMilton'slaterlanguage,bymeritwasmadetheSonof
God.TheSupremeisoneinPersonasinEssence.ThreecouncilsheldatAntioch(264
268,or269)condemnedandexcommunicatedtheSamosatene.ButtheseFatherswould
notaccepttheHomoousianformula,dreadinglestitbetakentosignifyonematerialor
abstractsubstance,accordingtotheusageoftheheathenphilosophies.Associatedwith
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Paul,andforyearscutofffromtheCatholiccommunion,wefindthewellknownLucian,
whoeditedtheSeptuagintandbecameatlastamartyr.Fromthislearnedmantheschool
ofAntiochdrewitsinspiration.Eusebiusthehistorian,EusebiusofNicomedia,andArius
himself,allcameunderLucian'sinfluence.Not,therefore,toEgyptanditsmystical
teaching,buttoSyria,whereAristotleflourishedwithhislogicanditstendencyto
Rationalism,shouldwelookforthehomeofanaberrationwhichhaditfinallytriumphed,
wouldhaveanticipatedIslam,reducingtheEternalSontotherankofaprophet,andthus
undoingtheChristianrevelation.
Arius,aLibyanbydescent,broughtupatAntiochandaschoolfellowofEusebius,
afterwardsBishopofNicomedia,tookpart(306)intheobscureMeletianschism,was
madepresbyterofthechurchcalled"Baucalis,"atAlexandria,andopposedthe
Sabellians,themselvescommittedtoaviewoftheTrinitywhichdeniedallreal
distinctionsintheSupreme.Epiphaniusdescribestheheresiarchastall,grave,and
winningnoaspersiononhismoralcharacterhasbeensustainedbutthereissome
possibilityofpersonaldifferenceshavingledtohisquarrelwiththepatriarchAlexander
whom,inpublicsynod,heaccusedofteachingthattheSonwasidenticalwiththeFather
(319).TheactualcircumstancesofthisdisputeareobscurebutAlexandercondemned
Ariusinagreatassembly,andthelatterfoundarefugewithEusebius,theChurch
historian,atCaesarea.Politicalorpartymotivesembitteredthestrife.Manybishopsof
AsiaMinorandSyriatookupthedefenceoftheir"fellowLucianist,"asAriusdidnot
hesitatetocallhimself.SynodsinPalestineandBithyniawereopposedtosynodsin
Egypt.Duringseveralyearstheargumentragedbutwhen,byhisdefeatofLicinius(324),
ConstantinebecamemasteroftheRomanworld,hedeterminedonrestoringecclesiastical
orderintheEast,asalreadyintheWesthehadundertakentoputdowntheDonatistsat
theCouncilofArles.Arius,inalettertotheNicomedianprelate,hadboldlyrejectedthe
Catholicfaith.ButConstantine,tutoredbythisworldlymindedman,sentfrom
NicomediatoAlexanderafamousletter,inwhichhetreatedthecontroversyasanidle
disputeaboutwordsandenlargedontheblessingsofpeace.Theemperor,weshouldcall
tomind,wasonlyacatechumen,imperfectlyacquaintedwithGreek,muchmore
incompetentintheology,andyetambitioustoexerciseovertheCatholicChurcha
dominionresemblingthatwhich,asPontifexMaximus,hewieldedoverthepagan
worship.FromthisByzantineconception(labelledinmoderntermsErastianism)wemust
derivethecalamitieswhichduringmanyhundredsofyearssettheirmarkonthe
developmentofChristiandogma.Alexandercouldnotgivewayinamattersovitally
important.Ariusandhissupporterswouldnotyield.Acouncilwas,therefore,assembled
inNicaea,inBithynia,whichhaseverbeencountedthefirstecumenical,andwhichheld
itssittingsfromthemiddleofJune,325.(SeeFIRSTCOUNCILOFNICAEA).Itis
commonlysaidthatHosiusofCordovapresided.ThePope,St.Silvester,wasrepresented
byhislegates,and318Fathersattended,almostallfromtheEast.Unfortunately,theacts
oftheCouncilarenotpreserved.Theemperor,whowaspresent,paidreligiousdeference
toagatheringwhichdisplayedtheauthorityofChristianteachinginamannerso
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remarkable.FromthefirstitwasevidentthatAriuscouldnotreckonuponalargenumber
ofpatronsamongthebishops.Alexanderwasaccompaniedbyhisyouthfuldeacon,the
evermemorableAthanasiuswhoengagedindiscussionwiththeheresiarchhimself,and
fromthatmomentbecametheleaderoftheCatholicsduringwellnighfiftyyears.The
Fathersappealedtotraditionagainsttheinnovators,andwerepassionatelyorthodox
whilealetterwasreceivedfromEusebiusofNicomedia,declaringopenlythathewould
neverallowChristtobeofonesubstancewithGod.Thisavowalsuggestedameansof
discriminatingbetweentruebelieversandallthosewho,underthatpretext,didnothold
theFaithhandeddown.AcreedwasdrawnuponbehalfoftheArianpartybyEusebiusof
Caesareainwhicheverytermofhonouranddignity,excepttheonenessofsubstance,was
attributedtoOurLord.Clearly,then,noothertestsavetheHomoousionwouldprovea
matchforthesubtleambiguitiesoflanguagethat,thenasalways,wereeagerlyadoptedby
dissidentsfromthemindoftheChurch.Aformulahadbeendiscoveredwhichwould
serveasatest,thoughnotsimplytobefoundinScripture,yetsummingupthedoctrineof
St.John,St.Paul,andChristHimself,"IandtheFatherareone".Heresy,asSt.Ambrose
remarks,hadfurnishedfromitsownscabbardaweapontocutoffitshead.The
"consubstantial"wasaccepted,onlythirteenbishopsdissenting,andthesewerespeedily
reducedtoseven.Hosiusdrewouttheconciliarstatements,towhichanathemaswere
subjoinedagainstthosewhoshouldaffirmthattheSononcedidnotexist,orthatbefore
HewasbegottenHewasnot,orthatHewasmadeoutofnothing,orthatHewasofa
differentsubstanceoressencefromtheFather,orwascreatedorchangeable.Every
bishopmadethisdeclarationexceptsix,ofwhomfouratlengthgaveway.Eusebiusof
NicomediawithdrewhisoppositiontotheNiceneterm,butwouldnotsignthe
condemnationofArius.Bytheemperor,whoconsideredheresyasrebellion,the
alternativeproposedwassubscriptionorbanishmentand,onpoliticalgrounds,theBishop
ofNicomediawasexilednotlongafterthecouncil,involvingAriusinhisruin.The
heresiarchandhisfollowersunderwenttheirsentenceinIllyria.Buttheseincidents,which
mightseemtoclosethechapter,provedabeginningofstrife,andledontothemost
complicatedproceedingsofwhichwereadinthefourthcentury.WhiletheplainArian
creedwasdefendedbyfew,thosepoliticalprelateswhosidedwithEusebiuscarriedona
doublewarfareagainsttheterm"consubstantial",anditschampion,Athanasius.This
greatestoftheEasternFathershadsucceededAlexanderintheEgyptianpatriarchate
(326).Hewasnotmorethanthirtyyearsofagebuthispublishedwritings,antecedentto
theCouncil,display,inthoughtandprecision,amasteryoftheissuesinvolvedwhichno
Catholicteachercouldsurpass.Hisunblemishedlife,consideratetemper,andloyaltyto
hisfriendsmadehimbynomeanseasytoattack.ButthewilesofEusebius,whoin328
recoveredConstantine'sfavour,weresecondedbyAsiaticintrigues,andaperiodofArian
reactionsetin.EustathiusofAntiochwasdeposedonachargeofSabellianism(331),and
theEmperorsenthiscommandthatAthanasiusshouldreceiveAriusbackinto
communion.Thesaintfirmlydeclined.In325theheresiarchwasabsolvedbytwo
councils,atTyreandJerusalem,theformerofwhichdeposedAthanasiusonfalseand
shamefulgroundsofpersonalmisconduct.HewasbanishedtoTrier,andhissojournof
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eighteenmonthsinthosepartscementedAlexandriamorecloselytoRomeandthe
CatholicWest.Meanwhile,Constantia,theEmperor'ssister,hadrecommendedArius,
whomshethoughtaninjuredman,toConstantine'sleniency.Herdyingwordsaffected
him,andherecalledtheLybian,extractedfromhimasolemnadhesiontotheNicene
faith,andorderedAlexander,BishopoftheImperialCity,togivehimCommunioninhis
ownchurch(336).Ariusopenlytriumphedbutashewentaboutinparade,theevening
beforethiseventwastotakeplace,heexpiredfromasuddendisorder,whichCatholics
couldnothelpregardingasajudgmentofheaven,duetothebishop'sprayers.Hisdeath,
however,didnotstaytheplague.ConstantinenowfavourednonebutArianshewas
baptizedinhislastmomentsbytheshiftyprelateofNicomediaandhebequeathedtohis
threesons(337)anempiretornbydissensionswhichhisignoranceandweaknesshad
aggravated.
Constantius,whonominallygovernedtheEast,washimselfthepuppetofhisempressand
thepalaceministers.HeobeyedtheEusebianfactionhisspiritualdirector,Valens,
BishopofMursa,didwhatinhimlaytoinfectItalyandtheWestwithAriandogmas.The
term"likeinsubstance",Homoiousion,whichhadbeenemployedmerelytogetridofthe
Niceneformula,becameawatchword.Butasmanyasfourteencouncils,heldbetween
341and360,inwhicheveryshadeofhereticalsubterfugefoundexpression,boredecisive
witnesstotheneedandefficacyoftheCatholictouchstonewhichtheyallrejected.About
340,anAlexandriangatheringhaddefendeditsarchbishopinanepistletoPopeJulius.On
thedeathofConstantine,andbytheinfluenceofthatemperor'ssonandnamesake,hehad
beenrestoredtohispeople.Buttheyoungprincepassedaway,andin341thecelebrated
AntiocheneCounciloftheDedicationasecondtimedegradedAthanasius,whonowtook
refugeinRome.Therehespentthreeyears.Gibbonquotesandadopts"ajudicious
observation"ofWetsteinwhichdeservestobekeptalwaysinmind.Fromthefourth
centuryonwards,remarkstheGermanscholar,whentheEasternChurcheswerealmost
equallydividedineloquenceandabilitybetweencontendingsections,thatpartywhich
soughttoovercomemadeitsappearanceintheVatican,cultivatedthePapalmajesty,
conqueredandestablishedtheorthodoxcreedbythehelpoftheLatinbishops.Therefore
itwasthatAthanasiusrepairedtoRome.Astranger,Gregory,usurpedhisplace.The
RomanCouncilproclaimedhisinnocence.In343,Constans,whoruledovertheWest
fromIllyriatoBritain,summonedthebishopstomeetatSardicainPannonia.Ninetyfour
Latin,seventyGreekorEastern,prelatesbeganthedebatesbuttheycouldnotcometo
terms,andtheAsiaticswithdrew,holdingaseparateandhostilesessionatPhilippopolisin
Thrace.IthasbeenjustlysaidthattheCouncilofSardicarevealsthefirstsymptomsof
discordwhich,lateron,producedtheunhappyschismofEastandWest.ButtotheLatins
thismeeting,whichallowedofappealstoPopeJulius,ortheRomanChurch,seemedan
epiloguewhichcompletedtheNicenelegislation,andtothiseffectitwasquotedby
InnocentIinhiscorrespondencewiththebishopsofAfrica.
HavingwonoverConstans,whowarmlytookuphiscause,theinvincibleAthanasius
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receivedfromhisOrientalandSemiAriansovereignthreeletterscommanding,andat
lengthentreatinghisreturntoAlexandria(349).Thefactiousbishops,Ursaciusand
Valens,retractedtheirchargesagainsthiminthehandsofPopeJuliusandashetravelled
home,bywayofThrace,AsiaMinor,andSyria,thecrowdofcourtprelatesdidhim
abjecthomage.Thesemenveeredwitheverywind.Some,likeEusebiusofCaesarea,held
aPlatonizingdoctrinewhichtheywouldnotgiveup,thoughtheydeclinedtheArian
blasphemies.Butmanyweretimeservers,indifferenttodogma.Andanewpartyhad
arisen,thestrictandpiousHomoiousians,notfriendsofAthanasius,norwillingto
subscribetotheNiceneterms,yetslowlydrawingnearertothetruecreedandfinally
acceptingit.Inthecouncilswhichnowfollowthesegoodmenplaytheirpart.However,
whenConstansdied(350),andhisSemiArianbrotherwasleftsupreme,thepersecution
ofAthanasiusredoubledinviolence.ByaseriesofintriguestheWesternbishopswere
persuadedtocasthimoffatArles,Milan,Ariminum.Itwasconcerningthislastcouncil
(359)thatSt.Jeromewrote,"thewholeworldgroanedandmarvelledtofinditselfArian".
FortheLatinbishopsweredrivenbythreatsandchicanerytosignconcessionswhichat
notimerepresentedtheirgenuineviews.Councilsweresofrequentthattheirdatesarestill
matterofcontroversy.Personalissuesdisguisedthedogmaticimportanceofastruggle
whichhadgoneonforthirtyyears.ThePopeoftheday,Liberius,braveatfirst,
undoubtedlyorthodox,buttornfromhisseeandbanishedtothedrearysolitudeofThrace,
signedacreed,intoneSemiArian(compiledchieflyfromoneofSirmium),renounced
Athanasius,butmadeastandagainstthesocalled"Homoean"formulaeofAriminum.
ThisnewpartywasledbyAcaciusofCaesarea,anaspiringchurchmanwhomaintained
thathe,andnotSt.CyrilofJerusalem,wasmetropolitanoverPalestine.TheHomoeans,a
sortofProtestants,wouldhavenotermsemployedwhichwerenotfoundinScripture,and
thusevadedsigningthe"Consubstantial".Amoreextremeset,the"Anomoeans",
followedAtius,weredirectedbyEunomius,heldmeetingsatAntiochandSirmium,
declaredtheSontobe"unlike"theFather,andmadethemselvespowerfulinthelastyears
ofConstantiuswithinthepalace.GeorgeofCappadociapersecutedtheAlexandrian
Catholics.Athanasiusretiredintothedesertamongthesolitaries.Hosiushadbeen
compelledbytorturetosubscribeafashionablecreed.WhenthevacillatingEmperordied
(361),Julian,knownastheApostate,sufferedallaliketoreturnhomewhohadbeen
exiledonaccountofreligion.Amomentousgathering,overwhichAthanasiuspresided,in
362,atAlexandria,unitedtheorthodoxSemiArianswithhimselfandtheWest.Four
yearsafterwardsfiftynineMacedonian,i.e.,hithertoantiNicene,prelatesgaveintheir
submissiontoPopeLiberius.ButtheEmperorValens,afierceheretic,stilllaidthe
Churchwaste.
However,thelongbattlewasnowturningdecidedlyinfavourofCatholictradition.
Westernbishops,likeHilaryofPoitiersandEusebiusofVercellaebanishedtoAsiafor
holdingtheNicenefaith,wereactinginunisonwithSt.Basil,thetwoSt.Gregoriesof
NyssaandNazianzusEd.,andthereconciledSemiArians.Asanintellectualmovement
theheresyhadspentitsforce.Theodosius,aSpaniardsandaCatholic,governedthewhole
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Empire.Athanasiusdiedin373buthiscausetriumphedatConstantinople,longanArian
city,firstbythepreachingofSt.GregoryNazianzen,thenintheSecondGeneralCouncil
(381),attheopeningofwhichMeletiusofAntiochpresided.Thissaintlymanhadbeen
estrangedfromtheNicenechampionsduringalongschismbuthemadepeacewith
Athanasius,andnow,incompanyofSt.CyrilofJerusalem,representedamoderate
influencewhichwontheday.NodeputiesappearedfromtheWest.Meletiusdiedalmost
immediately.St.GregoryNazianzen,whotookhisplace,verysoonresigned.Acreed
embodyingtheNicenewasdrawnupbySt.GregoryofNyssa,butitisnottheonethatis
chantedatMass,thelatterbeingdue,itissaid,toSt.EpiphaniusandtheChurchof
Jerusalem.TheCouncilbecameecumenicalbyacceptanceofthePopeandtheever
orthodoxWesterns.FromthismomentArianisminallitsformslostitsplacewithinthe
Empire.Itsdevelopmentsamongthebarbarianswerepoliticalratherthandoctrinal.
Ulphilas(311388),whotranslatedtheScripturesintoMaesoGothic,taughttheGoths
acrosstheDanubeanHomoeantheologyAriankingdomsaroseinSpain,Africa,Italy.
TheGepidae,Heruli,Vandals,Alans,andLombardsreceivedasystemwhichtheywere
aslittlecapableofunderstandingastheywereofdefending,andtheCatholicbishops,the
monks,theswordofClovis,theactionofthePapacy,madeanendofitbeforetheeighth
century.IntheformwhichittookunderArius,EusebiusofCaesarea,andEunomius,it
hasneverbeenrevived.Individuals,amongthemareMiltonandSirIsascNewton,were
perhapstaintedwithit.ButtheSociniantendencyoutofwhichUnitariandoctrineshave
grownowesnothingtotheschoolofAntiochorthecouncilswhichopposedNicaea.
NeitherhasanyArianleaderstoodforthinhistorywithacharacterofheroicproportions.
InthewholestorythereisbutonesingleherotheundauntedAthanasiuswhose
mindwasequaltotheproblems,ashisgreatspirittothevicissitudes,aquestiononwhich
thefutureofChristianitydepended.

Aboutthispage
APAcitation.Barry,W.(1907).Arianism.InTheCatholicEncyclopedia.NewYork:
RobertAppletonCompany.RetrievedJune6,2015fromNewAdvent:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01707c.htm
MLAcitation.Barry,William."Arianism."TheCatholicEncyclopedia.Vol.1.New
York:RobertAppletonCompany,1907.6Jun.2015
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01707c.htm>.
Transcription.ThisarticlewastranscribedforNewAdventbyAnthonyA.Killeen.
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A.M.D.G.
Ecclesiasticalapprobation.NihilObstat.March1,1907.RemyLafort,S.T.D.,Censor.
Imprimatur.+JohnCardinalFarley,ArchbishopofNewYork.
Contactinformation.TheeditorofNewAdventisKevinKnight.Myemailaddressis
webmasteratnewadvent.org.Regrettably,Ican'treplytoeveryletter,butIgreatly
appreciateyourfeedbackespeciallynotificationsabouttypographicalerrorsand
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