One of the early Christian heresies, which denied the full divinity of Jesus Christ.
Religion: Christianity
Denomination: Early Church
Founder: Arius
Founded: 3rd century CE
Ended: Declined in influence after the First Council of Nicaea in 325 CE
Location: Roman Empire (primarily in the Eastern provinces)
Arianism was a significant Christian heresy, rooted in the teachings of Arius, a presbyter in Alexandria, Egypt, in the early 4th century. According to Arianism, Jesus, the Son of God, was not co-eternal with the Father but was created by God. This perspective starkly contrasts with the Trinitarian concept in established Christian theology, which views the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead, sharing the same essence or substance.
The core of Arian belief was encapsulated in the assertion that God was uniquely supreme and immutable, qualities that the Son, being created, could not possess. Thus, Arius argued that the Son was of a different substance from the Father, introducing a hierarchy within the Godhead that implied the Son’s inferiority. In his writings, he also asserted that “there was [a time] when [the Son] was not,” indicating the Son’s temporal beginning and created nature.
Arianism’s spread, particularly in the Eastern Roman Empire, sparked widespread theological debate and ecclesiastical discord, prompting the first Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325. The council was convened by Emperor Constantine to address the growing controversy and restore unity within the Christian Church. The Nicene Creed, formulated at the council, explicitly countered Arianism by affirming the Son’s consubstantiality with the Father, stating that the Son is “of one substance with the Father” (homoousios). This creedal declaration helped cement the orthodox Christian stance on the divine nature of Christ, marking a significant moment in Christian doctrinal history.
Despite the council’s condemnation of Arius and his teachings, Arianism persisted as a theological force for several centuries, influencing various regions and sparking further councils and doctrinal clarifications within the Church. The controversy underscored the challenges of articulating the complex relationship within the Godhead and played a pivotal role in shaping early Christian orthodoxy.
image via ARC Humanities
