Arius (Christian ascetic )
Arius was a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, born around 250 CE, whose teachings significantly impacted early Christian theology. Renowned for his ascetic lifestyle and persuasive eloquence, Arius is best known for promoting the belief that Jesus Christ was a created being and not equal to God the Father. This view, known as Arianism, sparked intense theological disputes within the Christian community, ultimately leading to his excommunication by Bishop Alexander of Alexandria around 320 CE.
Arius sought support from other bishops and continued to spread his ideas, which were later formalized in his work "Thalia." The controversy culminated in the First Council of Nicaea in 325 CE, where Arianism was condemned as heresy, and the Nicene Creed was established, outlining orthodox Christian beliefs. Despite the council's ruling, Arianism continued to flourish for centuries, influencing various sects and movements, including some modern groups.
Arius's life ended abruptly in 336 CE shortly before a planned reconciliation with the church, leading to speculation about his death. His legacy endures as a pivotal figure in the history of Christian thought, representing one of the earliest and most significant theological conflicts in the church.
Arius (Christian ascetic )
Christian priest and proponent of the heretical doctrine called Arianism
- Born: c. 250
- Place of Birth: Place of birth: Libya
- Died: 336?
- Place of Death: Place of death: Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey)
Significance: Arius taught that Jesus Christ was not equal to God since he was a created being. This school of thought, called Arianism, was ruled heresy and almost split the Christian church.
Background
Arius was born around 250 CE, probably in Libya, though some say he was born in Alexandria, Egypt. Little is known of Arius’s early life. His father’s name may have been Ammonius. It is believed that Arius studied theology under the scholar and priest, Lucian of Antioch. Lucian believed in a literal interpretation of the Bible. His ideas and teachings were the foundation for the doctrine that later became known as Arianism. Lucian eventually became a martyr and saint.
Arius was ordained as a deacon by Peter of Alexandria in 306 and as a priest in Alexandria by Achillas in 312. He became the presbyter, or priest, of the Baucalis church. It was an important church in Alexandria.
Arius was said to be a popular priest and an ascetic. An ascetic is someone who gives up pleasures and leads a strict and simple life. This self-discipline is meant to be a means of spiritual improvement. Arius was also said to be a skilled and persuasive speaker.
Life’s Work
Theologians of Arius’s time argued about Jesus Christ and his divine nature. Around 318, Arius began teaching that Jesus was not equal to God the Father, because God had created Jesus. He said Jesus was neither divine nor human. Some scholars say he propounded these views to oppose his bishop, Alexander of Alexandria, because Alexander had been chosen as bishop over Arius. Alexander was greatly angered by Arius’s teachings, and around 320, called a synod, or council, of bishops. About one hundred bishops attended and condemned Arius and his teachings. Arius was excommunicated from the church in Alexandria. Alexander then sent letters to all the bishops of the church, spelling out Arius’s errors.
Arius went to Palestine, where he was accepted by Eusebius of Caesarea, a bishop of Palestine. The bishop of Nicomedia, a city near Constantinople, was another of his supporters. This bishop was also called Eusebius. Eusebius of Nicomedia was also a pupil of Lucian and it is thought that he held the same views of Christ that Arius did. He was influential at the court of the Roman Emperor Constantine and was distantly related to the royal family.
Around 323, Arius wrote a book of poetry and prose called Thalia, which means the banquet. In the book he set down his teachings and beliefs, which became known as Arianism. The poems were then made into songs using popular melodies, so that the common people could become familiar with Arius’s teachings.
Arius’s teachings spread and so did the controversy and debates about Arianism. Athanasius was the leader of the bishops who stood against Arianism. The Christian church began to split as people took sides. In 323, Emperor Constantine asked Bishop Ossius (Hosius) of Cordova to deliver letters to Bishop Alexander and to Arius urging reconciliation. He wanted an end to civil strife and a return to religious peace. When no reconciliation was forthcoming, Constantine asked Ossius to look further into the controversy. Early in 325, Ossius convened a council at Antioch with fifty-nine church leaders in attendance. The council condemned Arianism. The three bishops who did not agree were provisionally excommunicated until a larger council could be held.
In May 325 at Nicaea, the Emperor held an ecumenical, or worldwide, council with at least 220 bishops in attendance. Other religious issues were dealt with, but the primary issue was that of Arianism. The sessions did not end until August 325. The result was that Arianism was ruled to be heresy because its teachings were against the accepted beliefs of the church, and Arius and his followers were condemned as heretics and excommunicated. The council produced the Nicene Creed, outlining the accepted beliefs of the church. The Nicene Creed is still the basic article of faith of the Catholic Church and most other Christian churches.
Despite the council’s ruling, Arianism continued to spread and became popular throughout the Roman Empire. Arius was sent into exile and the council ordered all of Arius’s books to be burned. Little of Arius’s writing remains and knowledge of Arius comes from the writings of his opponents.
In 330, Arius was allowed return from exile if he agreed to reconcile his doctrine with accepted church belief. In 336 Emperor Constantine decided that Arius now believed in acceptable doctrine and he persuaded the bishop of Constantinople to admit Arius to communion. The bishop was reluctant but finally agreed to the Emperor’s order. The day before Arius’s communion, as he triumphantly marched through the streets with his supporters, he collapsed and died. He was eighty years old. Many believed him to have been poisoned. His opponents believed his death was an act of Providence.
Impact
Arius and his beliefs led to an enormous rift in the Christian church. Arianism was one of the first, and most divisive, theological questions the church faced. Some scholars call it the worst crisis in the history of Christianity. The controversy over Arianism led to the development of a statement of faith that is still used.
Arianism persisted for at least two more centuries after Arius died. It disappeared in the Middle Ages but was revived in the 1500s. By the eighteenth century, the Unitarians had adopted a form of Arianism, as had the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Personal Life
There is no evidence that Arius ever married or had children.
Bibliography
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Hindson, Edward E., and Dan Mitchell. The Popular Encyclopedia of Church History. Eugene: Harvest, 2013. Print.
Jones, Barry. Dictionary of World Biography. 2nd ed. Canberra: ANU, 2015. Print.
Markham, Ian S. The Student’s Companion to the Theologians. Oxford: Wiley, 2013. Print.
Melton, J. Gordon, and Martin Baumann. Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices. Vol. 1. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2002. Print.
Muehlberger, Ellen. "The Legend of Arius' Death: Imagination, Space and Filth in Late Ancient Historiography." Oxford Academic, May 2015, doi.org/10.1093/pastj/gtu042. Accessed 29 Sept. 2024.
Wright, Jonathan. Heretics: The Creation of Christianity from the Gnostics to the Modern Church. Boston: Houghton, 2011. Print.