Analysis and History of Arianism First among the doctrinal disputes which troubled Christians after Constantine had recognized the Church in A.D. 313, and the parent of many more during some three centuries, Arianism occupies a large place in ecclesiastical history. It is not a modern form of unbelief, and therefore will appear strange in modern eyes. But we shall better grasp its meaning if we term it an Eastern attempt to rationalize the creed by stripping it of mystery so far as the relation
Four movements, now heresies, of the past each adopted one of these four views mentioned previously. They are: Nestorianism, Eutychianism, Apollinarianism, and Arianism. Nestorianism and Eutychianism fall under the controversy of the relationship between the two natures. The controversy of Nestorianism arose over the propriety of the term theotokos (“God-bearing”) as a description of Mary. At the Council of Chalcedon in 428 Nestorius gave his view of theotokos to which he held and overly dividing
how, when and why Arianism arose, you must first be able to understand the man who created such a branch of Christianity. His name was Arius and he was a churchman and noble scholar who was the founder of Arianism. It is believed that he came from Libya and it is estimated that he was born in 256. He also liked to refer to himself as a student of Lucian of Antioch. This aged man contended that Christ the Son, although the highest of all creatures, was still a creature (Arianism). His teachings where
Through an examination of the implications of the decisions of the Nicaean Council in regards to Arianism, I will argue that the Arian Controversy and Arius’ heretical claims of Jesus’ created nature were necessary and catalytic elements of early Christianity that consequently resulted in the ability of the Church to reformulate and restructure its orthodoxy
The Christology has been debated by theologians since the resurrection of Christ. Christology is a doctrine that concerns the nature and significance of Jesus Christ, the study of His nature and work. It has been questioned whether the Son is the Savior and whether the Son in God. For centuries there were councils that attempted to answer those questions and came up with their own explanations. Around 300 CE, Arius, a priest from Libya decided to share his view of the nature of Christ with other
The Arian Controversy and the Council of Nicaea. The foundations of the Arian contention might be found in the improvement that occurred much sooner than Constantine. Surely, the contention was an immediate consequence of the way in which Christians came to think about the way of God, because of the works of Justin, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and others. Tending to such regarded powers, Christians contended that they had faith in the ideal being of savants, and what they implied when they spoke
The Nicene and Arian approaches to the Trinity are rooted in the same base concept, but differ when it comes down to how they fleshed out some of the doctrines established by the Nicene council. Athanasius argued that Christ was born, not created. He is not manufactured in the same class as all other beings in the universe. The basic premise of Arius’s teachings, however, was the uniqueness of God, who is the only self-existent (independent of his existence in nothing else) and immutable; A child
Monarchians, some opponents, such as Dionysius of Alexandra and Methodius of Olympus, laid the foundation of Arianism. In its hostility toward Sabellius, Paul, and their kindred, “the doctrine of the self-subsisting personality of the Logos, or Son, was more strenuously insisted on than ever” (p. 257). This emphasis on the self-subsisting personality of the Son contributed to the rise of Arianism, which strongly contrasted with the Monarchian doctrine of Sabellius and Paul. Dionysius of Alexandria
Athanasius: On the Incarnation - Book Report Book Summary: In the book, Athanasius of Alexandria explores the topic and the reasons why the incarnation of God had to occur. Athanasius starts the paper by introducing people to the tremendous power God has over the World. Athanasius writes that the only reason for God to manifest in a human body is for the salvation of all humanity. Athanasius relates salvation and creation by stating that God has employed the same agent for both. Another important
The Arians and Augustine shared two common beliefs about the nature of God, however Augustine did not agree with what the Arian's said was implied by these beliefs. The first belief that Augustine and the Arians agreed upon is that God is divinely simple, meaning that God is; not complex, eternal and unchangeable. Drawing upon this belief, the Arians and Augustine also agreed that no accidents (changes in substance) can be attributed to God. In books five through seven of De Trinitate, Augustine
Throughout the history of Christianity, theologians have been investigating the nature of sin and paths for atonement, delving into the foundational beliefs of their religion. Modern thinkers grapple with many of the same questions, but the roots of their arguments lie deep in the texts of medieval writers who stood at the forefront of religious thought, such as Julian of Norwich and Anselm of Canterbury. In Julian’s Showings and Anselm’s Cur Deus Homo, both writers present interpretations of sin
Hippolytus (170 – 235) was a Roman presbyter and Bishop of Pontus and an apologist for what was the considered orthodoxy. About 220, he wrote A Refutation of All Heresies. About the Trinity, Hippolytus believed in strict subordination. “He asserted that ‘God caused the Logos to proceed from him when he would and as he would’” (p. 238). He believed in “the superiority of the Father, and the dependent and derived nature of the Son” (p. 212). Like other ante-Nicene Fathers, he believed that God used
Chalcedon provided a consensus concerned the recognition that Christ was both divine and human, but not how the divine and human natures related to each other. (McGrath, 284) Dr. Vidu said in the lecture that the consensus did not affirm its position on the issue, but just rejected all the points from the heresies’ views on the issue of the substance of Christ. (Vidu, L4) As a result, it did not succeed in establishing a consensus throughout the entire Christian world. (McGrath, 285) There was still
Philo stands strong with his orthodox ways and refutes Cleanthes statements on the universe and how earth is like a machine he states that the argument is weak at best because it’s an analogy and a machine is universe it’s own thing while a machine belongs in the universe. Also stating that their is only one true perfect god. while Cleanthes opinion on God is less than pure saying god is like a human who makes mistakes and God is a dropout of creator school. Anyways this back and forth goes on
The Great Hymn to the Aten and Early Monotheism The Great Hymn of the Aten is the earliest view of monotheism. The King praises Aten as the one single god. He calls him the sun god, but he is really the god of everything. King Akhenaten praises him for every good thing that is happening in his kingdom. In the story, he refers to Aten as the “giver of breath” (Norton 50) and even “sole god” (Norton 65). Throughout the hymn, the King never speaks of another god. The King is so devoted to Aten that
Christianity in Antiquity ~ Smith, Fall 2015 ~ Final Exam ~ Question 1 Imagine that you are in a position of authority, because of your degree from Iliff, at a church, in a teaching setting, at a nonprofit, or (if none of those work for you) within your circle of friends. Someone comes to you (knowing about your excellent Iliff education) and demands to know why you—and the church—have been hiding the truth from them. They show you a passage from the 2004 novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, which
This essay will examine the effect of the early Christian heresies, Gnosticism and Arianism, on the construction of the orthodox Christian position on the nature of Jesus. Firstly, it will discuss the merits of each heresy, why they were popular in their respective time periods, and their weaknesses. Secondly, it will examine the similarities and differences between each heresy and the orthodox position. Lastly, it will evaluate how each heresy contributed to the development of the orthodox Christian
its final form as we see it today. With the addition of many choice words and phrases, the specificity of the creed was increased to encompass all complex and disputable areas of the creed. The major heresies such as Sebellianism, Marcionism, and Arianism were reduced to nothing, as word of the changes of the creed spread throughout the ancient world.
traditions, Arianism sought to abate Jesus of His divinity, rendering the Arian controversy a pivotal moment in the history of the Christian church. For this reason, Arianism often receives designation as the archetypal Christian deviation, a heresy that erodes the very foundation of historic Christianity. Unfortunately, the Arian philosophy remains prevalent in modern times, providing the basis for Christian cults in America. This paper will outline the fundamental doctrines of Arianism while demonstrating
Throughout the early church, many Individuals help develop the Orthodox Church through their actions and writings. Even today, The writings of the early church are the molds of the modern church today. An example of this is the Catholic Church. Many of their traditions date back over 700 years ago .Without the constant dedication and support of early theologians, Modern Christianity would not be where it is today. With the writings of St Basil, the early church began to take shape. Without Basil