Arianism: Robb Moser
Genesis to Revelation Bible Blogs
Arianism is an early Christian Christological doctrine that teaches that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was a created being rather than being co-eternal and of the same substance as God the Father. Named after its primary proponent, Arius (c. 250–336 AD), a priest from Alexandria, Egypt, it was condemned as a major heresy by the early Christian church.
Core Beliefs
The central tenets of Arianism include:
Created Nature: Arius famously stated, “There was [a time] when he (the Son) was not,” meaning the Son had a beginning and was the first and highest of all God’s creations.
Subordination: The Son is distinct from and subordinate to the Father, lacking the same eternal and divine essence (ousia).
Logos as Instrument: The Son (the Logos) acted as God’s instrument for creation and salvation but was himself a finite creature.
Historical Context and Controversy
Arianism was a dominant theological force in the 4th century, leading to significant division within the Roman Empire.
Council of Nicaea (325 AD): To resolve the crisis, Emperor Constantine convened the First Council of Nicaea. The council officially rejected Arianism and formulated the Nicene Creed, declaring the Son to be homoousios (of one substance) with the Father.
Opposition: The primary opponent of Arianism was St. Athanasius of Alexandria, who argued that if Christ were not fully God, he could not truly redeem humanity.
Decline: While it persisted among Germanic tribes (like the Goths and Vandals) until the 7th century, it was largely suppressed within the Roman Empire following the Council of Constantinople in 381 AD.
Modern Relevance
While Arianism as a formal movement vanished by the middle ages, similar non-Trinitarian views exist today in certain denominations:
Jehovah’s Witnesses: Their Christology is often described as a form of Arianism, as they view Jesus as a created being distinct from the Almighty God.
Unitarianism: Some Unitarian groups hold views that align with Arius’ emphasis on the strict unity of God and the subordination of Christ.
Latter-day Saints (Mormons): Some scholars compare their view of a distinct Godhead to Arian concepts, though their specific theology differs from historical Arianism.