ARI'US (c.256-336). The father of Arianism, the doctrine that Christ was not of the same essence as God the Father, but was a creature, though the first and highest of creation. He was born in Libya, the North African province to the west of Egypt, about 256. He went to Alex andria and there was made deacon and presbyter, and was the highly esteemed pastor of a church called. from its shape, the Baucalis (the Greek name of a kind of vase). In 318 lie denied the statement which Alexander of Alexandria made upon the Trinity: viz.. that there was only a single essence. This he declared was Sabellian. Defining his own position, he affirmed that if the Son were truly a son, there must have been time when he was not. For this state ment he was applauded by many, but Alexander celled a council of a hundred Egyptian and Lib yan bishops, which condemned Arius and his allies and deposed them (321). The fight had now begun. Arius had numerous supporters, chief of whom was Eusebius, Bishopof Nipmedia. Alexander also rallied a large continent. He wrote numerous letters (two of which are still extant), exhorting the bishops not to receive the heretic. Notwithstanding this active canvass by Alexander, Eusebius of Nieomedia absolved Arius, who had retired to Palestine and then to Nicomedia, from the Alexan drian's condemnation, and had Arius's position approved by a synod held in 323, probably in Nicomedia. Arius wrote The Banquet, a work in prose and verse, of which fragments remain. It sets forth his view of the person of Christ and put it in a form so that it could be sung to popular tunes. This is said to have aided his cause greatly. The strife attracted the attention of the Emperor Constantine, as it was troubling the peace of the Church and disuniting it. Con stantine did not appreciate the importance of the doctrine involved, and so thought the controversy could be healed by mutual concessions. He em powered Rosins, Bishop of Cordova, who was his ecclesiastical adviser, to represent. him in an effort at Alexandria to smooth matters over; but when Hosius reported failure, he took more active measures, and called a general Church council at :Mecca, in Bithynia (325), the first (Eeumenical Council, at which the point raised by Arius was settled against him. This result was effected by the champion of Christ's di vinity who then appeared—Athanasius, young deacon of Alexandria, and spokesman for his bishop, Alexander. Three hundred and eighteen bishops, besides numerous other clergy of all grades, were present. Four parties were formed—the strict Arians, led by Arius him self (who was present) , who contended that Christ was of different essence (hetcroousios) from the Father; the strict Athanasians, who contended that he was of the same essence (honwousios); the party of Eusehius of Nicomedia: and that of Eusebuis of Cusarea. The creed of the
Nicomedian Eusebians was essentially Arian, and was rejected by the Council without de bate; in fact, the document containing it was torn to shreds. The creed of the Caesarean Euse bians, which was designed to be a compromise, was respectfully received, as it was an old Church one; but the steady persistence of the Athanasian party forced the Council to reject it and make a new deliverance, in which Arian ism was unequivocally condemned. The upshot was that Arius and his episcopal supporters were banished to 111yria, and his writings pub licly burned and interdicted. This action did not, however, end Arianism; and as for Arius, the great influence of Eusebius of Nicomedia and of Constantia, the sister of Constantine, secured his recall in 331, and in a personal interview with the Emperor, Arius convinced him that his views were in substantial agreement with those of Athanasius.
In the confession of faith which he presented, he declared his belief that the Son was born of the Father before all ages, and that, as the "Word," he had made all things both in heaven and earth. The Emperor was satisfied, and sent orders to Athanasius, now Bishop of Alexandria, to receive Arius into the communion of the Church. This Athanasius refused to do, and a series of tumults was the consequence. Eusebius of Nicomedia was greatly incensed. He called a synod of bishops at Tyre, in 335, which pro ceeded to depose Athanasius. The Emperor was even prevailed on to remove the latter to Gaul, though he alleged as his reason that he wished to deliver him from the machinations of his enemies. In the same year another synod met at Jerusalem, which revoked the sentence of ex communication uttered against Arius and his friends. Still, the majority of the Christians of Alexandria clung to the doctrines of Atha nasius, and resolutely resisted every effort to es tablish the new opinions among them. Dis appointed in his expectations, Arius, in 336, proceeded to Constantinople, where he presented the Emperor with another apparently orthodox confession of faith; whereupon orders were is sr.ed to Alexander, Bishop of Constantinople, to administer to Arius the holy communion on the Sunday following. This was nnfitralir eon.