The Arian Controversy

1
The Arian Controversy

• The teaching of Arius.
• The response of Alexander of Alexandria
  (seminar).
• The response of Athanasius of Alexandria
  (lecture, if time allows).
• The council of Nicaea.

2
Who do you say that I am?

• What is Jesus relationship to God the Father?
• What is Jesus relationship to human beings?

3
Is Jesus divine?
4
Arius (250-336) and his teaching

• Ordained a priest in Alexandria in 313
• Emphasized the transcendence of the High God
• Stressed Jesus human characteristics and applied
  them directly to the Logos
• Concluded that Jesus was the Fathers very
  special creature, or a subordinate God
• Relied upon Neoplatonic philosophy
• Popularized his ideas

Arian baptistery.
5
A public dimension of the Arian controversy

• The whole city is full of it controversy, the
  squares, the market places, the cross-roads, the
  alleyways men in old-clothes, money changers,
  food sellers they are all busy arguing. If you
  ask someone to give you change, he philosophizes
  about the Begotten Son and the Unbegotten
  Father if you inquire about the price of a
  loaf, you are told by way of reply that the
  Father is greater and the Son inferior if you
  ask Is my bath ready? the attendant answers
  that the Son was made out of nothing.
• Gregory of Nyssa, On the Deity of the Son (PG
  46557B).

6
The response of Athanasius of Alexandria (298-373)

• The intent of the Scriptures is to affirm that
  Jesus is the fullest revelation of God
• Human characteristics apply to the flesh assumed
  by the Logos
• The Son is of one essence with the Father
  homoousios
• God became man in order that we could become
  divine

7
First Ecumenical Council

• Summoned by the Emperor Constantine
• Met in Nicaea, 325
• Dealt with the Arian crisis
• Excommunicated and exiled Arius
• Promulgated the Nicene creed
• Fixed the date of Easter

8
Discussion questions

•   With what theological topic does Athanasius
  begin his treatise (par. 2)? What reason does he
  give for such a beginning (par. 1)? Why is the
  subject of creation relevant for the subject of
  incarnation (par. 4)?
• What non-Christian views of the origin of the
  world does he consider and on what grounds does
  he reject them (par. 2-3)?
• What does Christianity teach about the creation
  of the world (par. 3)?
• How does he describe the state in which human
  beings were created by God (par. 3-5)?
• What are the features of the fallen human
  condition (par. 4-6, 11-12)?

9
Discussion questions (contd)

• According to Athanasius, mere repentance of
  human beings was not able to restore right
  relationship between God and humankind. Why is
  this so (par 7)?
• What four means of knowing God were available to
  humans apart from the incarnation (par. 11-12)?
•  Did human beings use these ways of knowing God
  properly? What did humans turn to instead (par.
  11-12)? Consider also what Athanasius says at the
  end of paragraph 14.
•  Why was the Words coming in the flesh necessary
  (par. 7, 14)?
• What were the Words motives and goals in the
  incarnation (par. 8)?
• Why did the Word need to assume human body (par.
  9-10)?
• What did the Word accomplish in the incarnation
  (par. 9, 10, 13, 14, 16)?