The Arian-Nicene Controversy
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Interactive Transcript
But as in North Africa, there were considerable debates over what to do with those who had lapsed during times of persecution. The result in Egypt was a schism between those who took a more rigorous line and those who were more moderate.
One member of the rigorous party, a person who ultimately changed sides to the Catholics, was a man named Arius, who lived from 260 to 336. He was ordained a presbyter in the church in Alexandria.
origin, a father of the Church in Alexandria, who had held that the son was of the same essence as the father.
The question was, who was Jesus? The Jesus whom Christians worshiped. There were, as we've already suggested, multiple responses concerning the relationship between the first two persons of the Trinity. Arius' controversial position was that the logos was not eternal, he was the first born of creation. But what this meant was that not only God the Father is eternal and that there was a time when the Son was not.
and he was banished after a synod. Arius went to Nicomedia, where under the Emperor Licinius he resided and there became connected to the person of Eusebius.
And within a short period of time Much of the Eastern Church became embroiled in a controversy and was badly divided.
The churches in Asia Minor and in Palestine largely supported Arius' views, while others rejected him as a heretic who diminished the stages of Christ.
Constantine, who wanted no replication of the divide that was tearing apart the North African church, sought as we said a path to unity.
And his plan was for a council of the church, which was held in Nicea in the year 325. Here we see a modern representation of Constantine at the council, here below the figure of Arius.
Well, over here from a 9th century Italian book of canon law, we have Constantine burning the books of Arius, listed as heredici ariani and damnati.
And the council of Nicaea was the first Ecumenical council, over 300 bishops attended. But Arius, who was a presbyter, also was there.
The creed proposed for the council, rejected Arianism by affirming that the Son is a one substance with the Father.
And here we have, from the sixth century, one of the oldest extent copies of the grid, on a papyrus.
The council, which brought together all of the bishops, signed this creed, which pleased constant time, greatly.
Other issues were also resolved such as how the Easter should be calculated. And there were legislation for the discipline of the church.
The council also enhanced the position of the great cities of Rome Alexandria and Antioch as the major centers of the church. They would soon be joined by Constantinople. Yet, as the institutional structures of the church were being worked out in the fourth century the Aron controversy became ever more inflamed. Nicaea did not bring it to an end and it would dominate the 4th century church. The Nicene creed became the standard of orthodoxy in the church.
was that the formulation on the nature of the relationship between the Father and the Son was still variously interpreted.
Events took a sharp turn when Athanasius became Bishop of Alexandria and dedicated himself to the removal or extirpation of heresy. He refused to be reconciled with Arias, even though he was told that Arias had signed the Nicene creed and was commanded to be reconciled by the Emperor.
But under Constantine successes, his sons who divided the empire, controversy only grew, becoming ever more bitter
It exposed a fundamental division between Rome and the eastern churches. Rome claiming its precedence assumed that the Greek churches represented the Aryan heresy.
Church politics surrounding this whole debate about the relationship of the Father and the Son, the nature of the Trinity, was deeply intertwined with imperial politics and schism loomed. In 346, Athanasius returned to Alexandria and would spend the next ten years dedicated to the struggle against the heresy.
His major opponent had been no one less than the figure of Emperor Constantius and his Aryan advisors.
as with Athanasius, as the leading proponent of Nicene theology. The theology of Homoousios, of one substance.
The story is extraordinarily complex and involves a whole range of characters with endless twists and turns.
Gregory of Nazianzus, who was a supporter of the Nicene formula, was appointed bishop of Constantinople, although he was forced to resign in a storm of controversy to be replaced by another.
Nevertheless the Council of 381 affirmed the Nicaean formulation of 325, that father and son were identical in essence.
The Council also enhanced the state as a constant noble itself, declaring it to be the second Rome. The Council of Nicaea put an end to Arian attempts to establish a hold on the church.
Arianism, however, would survive, for example among the goth who had been converted to Christianity by Aryan missionaries.
Have a question? Discuss this lecture in the week forums.
Interactive Transcript
But as in North Africa, there were considerable debates over what to do with those who had lapsed during times of persecution. The result in Egypt was a schism between those who took a more rigorous line and those who were more moderate.
One member of the rigorous party, a person who ultimately changed sides to the Catholics, was a man named Arius, who lived from 260 to 336. He was ordained a presbyter in the church in Alexandria.
origin, a father of the Church in Alexandria, who had held that the son was of the same essence as the father.
The question was, who was Jesus? The Jesus whom Christians worshiped. There were, as we've already suggested, multiple responses concerning the relationship between the first two persons of the Trinity. Arius' controversial position was that the logos was not eternal, he was the first born of creation. But what this meant was that not only God the Father is eternal and that there was a time when the Son was not.
and he was banished after a synod. Arius went to Nicomedia, where under the Emperor Licinius he resided and there became connected to the person of Eusebius.
And within a short period of time Much of the Eastern Church became embroiled in a controversy and was badly divided.
The churches in Asia Minor and in Palestine largely supported Arius' views, while others rejected him as a heretic who diminished the stages of Christ.
Constantine, who wanted no replication of the divide that was tearing apart the North African church, sought as we said a path to unity.
And his plan was for a council of the church, which was held in Nicea in the year 325. Here we see a modern representation of Constantine at the council, here below the figure of Arius.
Well, over here from a 9th century Italian book of canon law, we have Constantine burning the books of Arius, listed as heredici ariani and damnati.
And the council of Nicaea was the first Ecumenical council, over 300 bishops attended. But Arius, who was a presbyter, also was there.
The creed proposed for the council, rejected Arianism by affirming that the Son is a one substance with the Father.
And here we have, from the sixth century, one of the oldest extent copies of the grid, on a papyrus.
The council, which brought together all of the bishops, signed this creed, which pleased constant time, greatly.
Other issues were also resolved such as how the Easter should be calculated. And there were legislation for the discipline of the church.
The council also enhanced the position of the great cities of Rome Alexandria and Antioch as the major centers of the church. They would soon be joined by Constantinople. Yet, as the institutional structures of the church were being worked out in the fourth century the Aron controversy became ever more inflamed. Nicaea did not bring it to an end and it would dominate the 4th century church. The Nicene creed became the standard of orthodoxy in the church.
was that the formulation on the nature of the relationship between the Father and the Son was still variously interpreted.
Events took a sharp turn when Athanasius became Bishop of Alexandria and dedicated himself to the removal or extirpation of heresy. He refused to be reconciled with Arias, even though he was told that Arias had signed the Nicene creed and was commanded to be reconciled by the Emperor.
But under Constantine successes, his sons who divided the empire, controversy only grew, becoming ever more bitter
It exposed a fundamental division between Rome and the eastern churches. Rome claiming its precedence assumed that the Greek churches represented the Aryan heresy.
Church politics surrounding this whole debate about the relationship of the Father and the Son, the nature of the Trinity, was deeply intertwined with imperial politics and schism loomed. In 346, Athanasius returned to Alexandria and would spend the next ten years dedicated to the struggle against the heresy.
His major opponent had been no one less than the figure of Emperor Constantius and his Aryan advisors.
as with Athanasius, as the leading proponent of Nicene theology. The theology of Homoousios, of one substance.
The story is extraordinarily complex and involves a whole range of characters with endless twists and turns.
Gregory of Nazianzus, who was a supporter of the Nicene formula, was appointed bishop of Constantinople, although he was forced to resign in a storm of controversy to be replaced by another.
Nevertheless the Council of 381 affirmed the Nicaean formulation of 325, that father and son were identical in essence.
The Council also enhanced the state as a constant noble itself, declaring it to be the second Rome. The Council of Nicaea put an end to Arian attempts to establish a hold on the church.
Arianism, however, would survive, for example among the goth who had been converted to Christianity by Aryan missionaries.
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