Our Collective Faith 14

Interesting post.

Yes, many of us are tired of excessive line drawing and subtle and not so subtle exclusion of other Christians. We had just better be careful, though, that we draw the same lines Scripture does. Scripture does say that if any spirit (or spiritual utterance) denies Jesus came in the flesh, the same is an anti-christ. We'd better do the same.

The Trinity has become so important to me in the past few years.

Ted, raises a good point about drawing the same lines that Scripture does." As a former English and Literary Criticism teacher, I wonder if this is really possible. Although there are not infinite right answers when analyzing a text, there are multiple right answers sometimes.

How do we balance the fluidity of meaning in a text with our desire (and need) for orthodoxy?

"The chief vocation of the orthodox is not to exclude the heterodox, so Ward argues. Excommunication was not always the result; death was very rare. Even Arius -- and I didn't know this -- was welcomed back and Athanasius was ordered to reinstate him."

Now that's a pattern I can live with. I would love to know more about how Arius was restored to fellowship. . .and what interchanges may have happened there. Not because I wish for a milquetoast universalism, but because this side of the story could enlighten us all about how doctrinal disputes--even serious ones--can/should be handled.

Thanks again for this series, Scot!

I had mentioned elsewhere that the first council hardly settled the matter of the Arian controversy. However, it's overstating the historical case to imply there was some sort of reconciliation. Among the supporters of Arius was Eusebius of Caesarea and others among the Asiatic churches. Eusebius had influence with Constantine and after Nicea, the Eusebian party continued pressing Arius' case. A few years after the council Constantine (possibly also pressured by his sister) recalled Arius from banishment. The Eusebian party was prepared to receive him back, but he died before he was reinstated. Socrates of Constantinople provides a pretty graphic description of his death in his church history. Those who supported Nicea attributed it to a judgment of God similar to that which struck down Herod in his arrogance. Arius' supporters attributed his death to poison. Not long afterward, Constantine died, his son recalled the banished Arian bishops and Athanasius was banished for the first time.

The controversy raged through the empire for decades and Athanasius himself never saw its resolution while living. After his death, the great Cappadocian fathers continued the battle for the Nicene faith and the church's traditional understanding of Jesus. When St. Gregory of Naziansus was called to Constantinople, only one small congregation was not Arian. It was his eloquent and persuasive sermons and teachings leading to his role in the second council that earned him the title Theologian. It was a long-reigning and thoroughly Nicene emperor, Theodosius the Great, who saw the heresy finally put to rest.

It was a messy and difficult period, but one that preserved a very important feature of our faith and knowledge and communion with God. But I don't think it's accurate to imply there was any sort of reconciliation between the Nicene Church and Arius. There wasn't.