Questions tagged [arianism]
Nontrinitarian theological teaching attributed to Arius, in which Christ was created by and is distinct from God the Father.
36 questions
1
vote
3
answers
460
views
Question on "The State of Theology", Arian heresy, and salvation
The Ligonier Ministries' 2022 "State of Theology" contains some interesting things. One such thing is that over half of those surveyed agreed (some strongly) with the following statement:
...
-3
votes
1
answer
116
views
Why are the Nicene and Dedication Creeds so different?
The Nicene and Dedication Councils were attended by more or less the same people and were only 16 years apart (325 vs 341) but resulted in opposing creeds. The Nicene Creed is pro-Sabellian but the ...
2
votes
0
answers
46
views
In what respect did Gregory Nazianzen think the pure Nicene faith was adulterated at Constantinople in 381?
In contrast to the previous pro-Homoian emperor Valens, “it was soon clear that Theodosius would pursue a pro-Nicene line.” (LA, 251) In February 380 - only one year after he was declared Augustus and ...
3
votes
1
answer
118
views
Is there evidence that Arius "reformulated" his Christology post-exile?
I realize that it may not be completely possible to answer this question given that so much of what Arius wrote has been lost and/or misrepresented by his opponents. However, I have read his few ...
1
vote
3
answers
425
views
Why is the controversy of the fourth century called the 'Arian' Controversy?
Apparently, the terms “Arian,” “Arianism,” and “Arian Controversy” were derived from the name of Arius, who was in charge of one of the churches in Alexandria, and whose dispute with his bishop ...
0
votes
3
answers
132
views
Did Arius say that the Son is mutable?
Arius himself wrote that “the Son of God … is, like the Father, 'unchangeable’” (Rowan Williams, page 96) but Athanasius wrote that Arius taught that the Son is “like all others … subject to change … ...
3
votes
2
answers
137
views
Did Arius teach that time existed before the Son existed?
Arius wrote that the Son was “begotten timelessly by the Father … before aeons … begotten timelessly before everything” (Letter to Alexander – See RPC Hanson, The Search, page 8). But Alexander of ...
5
votes
3
answers
831
views
From whom or what did Arius learn his theology?
Where did Arius learn his theology? Did he rely on specific theologians that wrote before him? Origen? Clement of Alexandria? Lucian of Antioch? Were his ideas based on the Bible or on Greek ...
1
vote
0
answers
81
views
Why is it significant that Arius taught two Wisdoms? Was this a deviation of some kind?
Both Athanasius noted that Arius taught two Wisdoms. Athanasius wrote that in Arius’ theology,
“There are … two Wisdoms, one God's own who has existed eternally with
God, the other the Son who was ...
2
votes
3
answers
587
views
Should a Protestant accept the Nicene Creed? [closed]
In chapter 24.1 of his authoritative book on the fourth century Arian Controversy - The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God - Bishop RPC Hanson discusses how the various parties in that ...
3
votes
0
answers
58
views
How did Arians explain the anti-revolutionary spirit of their religion?
In his book No Apologies, Anthony Esolen writes:
Had the fathers at Nicea not insisted upon the co-eternity of the Son with the Father the faith would long have degenerated into a kindly social club. ...
3
votes
0
answers
106
views
Was there any controversy over the validity of sacraments during the Arian Controversy?
During the Arian controversy, were sacraments (especially baptisms and/or ordinations) performed by one side or the other considered invalid by their opponents? Were there any "official" ...
3
votes
4
answers
741
views
What was the real issue between Arius and Bishop Alexander at Nicaea in 325?
What was the core issue in the Arian Controversy?
Whether the Son was God?
It is often stated that it was about whether Jesus is God. But Lewis Ayres says that is not true. The so-called Arians also ...
3
votes
4
answers
470
views
What was the 'orthodox' view of God and Christ when the Arian Controversy began?
In response to my question why Theodosius was successful in bringing the Arian Controversy to a close, @Anne gave me references to some articles. I have read one by Steven Wedgeworth. It is a very ...
7
votes
4
answers
541
views
Why was Theodosius successful in ending the Arian Controversy?
In the conventional account of the Arian controversy, the council of Constantinople in the year 381 made an end of that controversy. In reality, the controversy was brought to an end by Emperor ...
5
votes
2
answers
304
views
Is there a link between Socinianism and Sir Isaac Newton's conclusion to his Principia Mathematica (1687) where he attacks the Trinity doctrine?
This linked question What was Isaac Newton's view of the Trinity? was useful with the answer giving one quote from John Byl's article 'Newton and the Trinity' where Newton said that the great ...
0
votes
0
answers
40
views
Did arians have any kind of scriptural basis? [duplicate]
Did arians have any kind of scriptural basis for their teachings? If yes, what is it? What I am interested in here is the christology. Christ as created being.
7
votes
1
answer
317
views
Did Thomas Pearne do anything other than contradict Granville Sharp?
Granville Sharp (1735 - 1813) see Wikipedia is famous for his stoical labours in eradicating slavery and for his energetic achievement in re-patriating former slaves to Sierra Leone. Although he has a ...
4
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What do we know about Arian liturgy?
I've done a lot of googling but can't turn up any information about what Arian liturgy was like. Apparently the "Mozarabic rite" in Spain is connected somehow to traditional Arian liturgy.
I'm ...
10
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Was Constantine The Great a Nicene Christian?
Lately I've been trying to figure out whether or not Constantine is a Nicene Christian. He was baptised by Eusebius who was of course an Arian. And since he was very close to Eusebius, he was ...
5
votes
1
answer
218
views
How did Arius interpret Colossians 2:9?
Colossians 2:9
HCSB For the entire fullness of God’s
nature dwells bodily in Christ,
NASB: For in Him all the fullness of Deity
dwells in bodily form,
How did Arius interpret Colossians ...
5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What was the stance of Arius on John 1:1?
Introduction
Arius believed that Jesus was a creature, a created god. What did he write about John 1:1? Or if there is no such extant manuscript, how would he interpreted ''the Word was God'' in John ...
4
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Are any of Arius' writings extant?
In 325 CE, following the defeat of Arius at the Council of Nicea, Emperor Constantine the Great went on a campaign of book burning to eradicate all memory of Arius and his beliefs:
After the First ...
4
votes
6
answers
1k
views
According to Jehovah’s Witnesses, in what way is Jesus human?
From what I understand, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in a form of Arianism that claims Jesus is “the son of God”, but he is inferior to “God the Father”, as he is usually understood as “God’s first ...
9
votes
4
answers
8k
views
Did Arianism survive as Islam?
St. John of Damascus (676 - 749) writes on his Critique of Islam:
From that time to the present a false prophet named Mohammed has appeared in their midst. This man, after having chanced upon the ...
4
votes
3
answers
1k
views
On what grounds was Arius refuted at the First Council of Nicaea?
What proof does anyone have that Christ was the same and identical as the one He called "Father" even when Christ himself said in John 14:10...
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that ...
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Was Arianism spread using musical jingles?
I found an interesting claim in Bruce Shelley's Church History in Plain Language, regarding Arius's methods of promoting his theology, Arianism:
[Arius] put ideas into jingles, which set to simple ...
1
vote
4
answers
2k
views
What is the Christological difference between the early Church fathers and the Arians?
Arius wrote to Eusebius of Nicomedia referring to the eternal Word that, '[B]efore He was begotten ... He was not, for He was not without beginning.'1 Where he qualified his argument on the fact that ...
15
votes
6
answers
13k
views
What Scriptures did Arius use to support teaching that Jesus was created?
Arius probably quoted the following:
Revelation 3:14: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.
Psalm 8:5–6: thou madest Him
Proverbs 8:22–25: ...
18
votes
2
answers
20k
views
What are the biblical arguments against Arianism?
In the same spirit of the question: What are the Biblical arguments against modalism?
Arianism, the idea that the Son is inferior to the Father, is considered a heresy by most Christian denominations....
11
votes
6
answers
2k
views
What is Christ's role in salvation according to Arian theology?
This is related, but intended to be a more specific version of this question.
The answer provides a pretty concise, Sunday-school refutation to Arianism, but it assumes a Trinitarian view.
From ...
10
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What is the theology of the Semi-Arians?
What I know from history books is that Semi-Arians held to the neutral theological position of homoiousians against both strict homoousians and anomoeans.
However, I found a very scant knowledge ...
10
votes
1
answer
708
views
What is the current relevance of Arianism?
Is there an active sect by this name? Are there any particular Christian denominations which might be described as 'Arian'?
8
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What are the soteriological implications of Arianism?
A friend recently made the following statement regarding the heresy of Arianism:
The conflict was about the nature of Christ before the Creation of the Universe. It was a Philosophical/Metaphysical ...
8
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Does the theology of Arians and Jehovah's Witnesses admit that God was at one point ἄλογος?
According to the article on “The Word” in the Watchtower publication Insight on the Scriptures,
This Word, or Lo′gos, was God’s only direct creation, the only-begotten son of God, and evidently the ...
9
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Did Jesus have Free Will? (Arianism) [closed]
This is NOT this question
I've been reading a lot about Arianism and this is an interesting point that they have:
Arius believed the Son Jesus was capable of His own free will of right
and ...