{"id":36290,"date":"2025-05-09T11:35:10","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T11:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/?p=36290"},"modified":"2025-05-26T19:18:05","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T19:18:05","slug":"what-is-arianism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianpure.com\/nl\/learn\/what-is-arianism\/","title":{"rendered":"Christelijke Geschiedenis: Wat is Arianisme?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Unveiling God\u2019s Unchanging Truth: A Journey Through Arianism<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Isn\u2019t it amazing how looking back at history can show us God\u2019s loving hand guiding His people through every season? There was a time, long, long ago, when the early followers of Jesus were wrestling with some really big questions about our incredible Savior, Jesus Christ. One of the most important of these discussions was about something called Arianism. That word might sound a little complicated don\u2019t you worry! We\u2019re going to walk through it together, step by step. And you\u2019ll see how God\u2019s truth, like a brilliant sunrise, always, always shines the brightest, bringing clearness and making our faith stronger, even today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Arianism, and who was Arius?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To truly grasp what Arianism is all about, let\u2019s first get to know the person whose ideas sparked this major chapter in history. His name was Arius, and he was a real person, a well-known and respected pastor\u2014kind of like a minister or priest\u2014in the lively city of Alexandria in Egypt. He lived way back in the early part of the fourth century, from around 250 or 256 AD to 336 AD.\u00b9 Arius was known for being a smart and convincing teacher, and because of this, his ideas began to catch on and spread among the people.\u00b3 He had learned from another teacher, Lucian of Antioch, whose views also shaped his thinking.\u00e2\u0081\u00b4 You can just imagine a highly regarded spiritual leader in a major city, someone whose words carried a lot of weight; that was Arius. And even though he lived so many centuries ago, his particular way of understanding Jesus caused a big stir, creating ripples of discussion throughout the entire Christian world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what exactly is Arianism? Well, in simple terms, Arianism was a teaching that said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, wasn\u2019t God in the very same, powerful way that God the Father is God. Instead, those who followed Arius\u2019s teachings, who we call Arians, believed that Jesus was geschapen<\/em> by God.\u00b9 A key idea, and a famous saying that came from Arius, was, \u201cThere was a time when the Son was not.\u201d This meant they believed Jesus actually had a beginning, that He hadn\u2019t always existed with the Father from eternity.\u00b2 This teaching went right against the long-held understanding of God as a Trinity\u2014the wonderful belief that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three distinct Persons who are all equally and fully God, a perfect, loving unity.\u00b9 It seems Arius loved God and was truly trying to make sense of Jesus\u2019s relationship to God the Father. He thought that to really protect the idea of God being absolutely One, unique, and all-powerful, Jesus must have been God\u2019s first and most amazing creation a creation just the same. It\u2019s a bit like looking at a stunning masterpiece of art; the painting is incredible, a true wonder it\u2019s not the same as the artist who dreamed it up and brought it into being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be wondering why Arius taught these things. His main thought was to protect what he saw as a very strict belief in only One God, which we call monotheism.\u00b2 He felt that if Jesus was also God in the exact same, eternal way as God the Father, it might confuse people into thinking there were two Gods. It was like a spiritual puzzle he was trying to solve based on his understanding. This attempt to make the nature of God seem simpler and more straightforward to our human minds was one reason his ideas initially found people who would especially in a culture that was influenced by Greek ways of thinking, which often emphasized God\u2019s complete separateness and unchanging nature.\u00b3 To some, a created Son acting as a go-between seemed like a logical way to connect a perfect, distant God with the world He created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arius wasn\u2019t just a thinker; he was, as we said, a \u201cpopular priest\u201d.\u00b3 He even wrote songs with catchy tunes to help spread his theological ideas among everyday people! This just shows how the way we communicate and how leaders connect with people can play a big role in how teachings\u2014whether they line up with established faith or take a different path\u2014can take root.\u00b3 It was this very teaching that led directly to a major disagreement with his own bishop, Alexander of Alexandria. You see, Bishop Alexander firmly believed in the full, complete divinity of Jesus Christ and that He existed with the Father from all eternity.\u2075 This difference of understanding between a pastor and his bishop soon grew far beyond Alexandria, becoming a challenge for the entire Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What did Arians believe about Jesus Christ that was so different?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Arian way of seeing Jesus Christ had several key points that made it quite different from what most Christians believed back then, and what we, by God\u2019s grace, continue to believe today. These differences touched the very heart of who Jesus is, our wonderful Savior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most central Arian belief, the one that really stood out, was that Jesus was a created being<\/strong>. They taught that He was the very first and the most magnificent of all things God made, brought into existence by God the Father out of nothing.\u00b2 So, in their view, Jesus was like God\u2019s most amazing creation, maybe like the very brightest star God formed, more glorious than all the others still, a star that was gemaakt<\/em>. This meant that Jesus was not co-eternal with the Father; there was a point in time, before anything else was created, when He began to exist. This is captured in that famous Arian phrase we mentioned, \u201cThere was a time when the Son was not\u201d.\u00b2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because Arians believed Jesus was created, they also taught the subordination of the Son<\/strong>. That\u2019s a way of saying they saw Jesus as lesser in His very nature and essence than God the Father.\u00b2 You could think of it like a king and his most trusted and honored prince. The prince is incredibly powerful and respected, a true leader the king remains the ultimate authority, the one in charge. Arians viewed God the Father as the supreme King, and Jesus, while extraordinarily special and divine in so many wonderful ways, as serving the Father and not being His equal in divine substance, in His very being.\u00b2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a very important word in this whole discussion, a Greek word: homoousios<\/em>. This word means \u201cof the same substance\u201d or \u201cof the same essence.\u201d The belief that the Church held dear, which was later stated so clearly at the Council of Nicaea, was that Jesus is homoousios<\/em> with God the Father\u2014meaning they are made of the exact same divine \u201cstuff,\u201d both fully and equally God, a perfect unity. Arians rejected this powerful idea of homoousios<\/em><\/strong>.\u00b2 Depending on the specific Arian viewpoint, they might say Jesus was of a andere<\/em> substance (another Greek word, heteroousios<\/em>) or perhaps a gelijkaardige<\/em> substance (homoiousios<\/em>), but the key thing is, they believed it was not the same<\/em> divine substance as the Father.\u00b2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arians did believe that Jesus, as the Logos or Word of God, played a super important role in creation. They taught that God the Father created the world door<\/em> Jesus. But they held onto the idea that Jesus Himself was created before He acted as this wonderful channel for creation.\u00b2 So, while Jesus was seen as incredibly important in the making of everything else, He Himself still had a starting point in their view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of these beliefs had a huge impact on how they understood the Trinity<\/strong>. While Arians didn\u2019t always completely reject using the word \u201cTrinity,\u201d their teachings really changed the picture. By denying that the Son was co-equal and co-eternal with the Father (and often, by extension, suggesting a lesser status for the Holy Spirit too), the Arian view presented a different kind of relationship within the Godhead.\u00b2 The beautiful, perfect balance of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all equally God and existing together from eternity, was altered in the Arian system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The core problem with these Arian beliefs, from the perspective of amazing church leaders like Athanasius, wasn\u2019t just about getting a definition right on paper. It had powerful implications for how we understand our salvation! If Jesus wasn\u2019t fully God, how could He truly save us? The teaching that has blessed generations is that only One who is fully God and fully man could be the perfect bridge between God and humanity and accomplish the mighty work of redemption.\u00b2 Athanasius famously taught that God had to become human so that humans could become divine\u2014meaning, share in God\u2019s eternal life, what a gift!7 If Jesus were merely a creature, no matter how special, His ability to save would be limited. This deep concern for our salvation was truly at the heart of this whole debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also good to know that \u201cArianism\u201d wasn\u2019t just one single, unchanging set of beliefs. Over time, different shades of Arian thought came about. Some were \u201cSemi-Arians\u201d who believed the Son was of \u201csimilar substance\u201d (homoiousios<\/em>) to the Father, trying to find a middle way. Others were more radical, like the Anomoeans, who insisted the Son was of a \u201cdifferent substance\u201d (heteroousios<\/em>) or even \u201cunlike\u201d (anomoios<\/em>) the Father in His very essence.\u00b2 This variety of views within the broader Arian movement made the whole situation even more complex and it lasted for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make these differences really clear, here\u2019s a simple comparison for you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Table 1: Arianism vs. Orthodox Belief on Jesus Christ<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aspect of Belief<\/th>Arian View<\/th>Orthodox (Nicene) View<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Natuur van de Zoon<\/strong><\/td>A created being, the highest of all creatures<\/td>Eternally Begotten from the Father, Uncreated, always existing<\/td><\/tr>
Relationship to Father<\/strong><\/td>Lower in nature and essence<\/td>Equal with the Father in nature and essence, a perfect partnership<\/td><\/tr>
Substance\/Essence<\/strong><\/td>Van een andere<\/em> of gelijkaardige<\/em> substance (but not the same)<\/td>van het precies dezelfde<\/em> substance (homoousios<\/em>) as the Father, perfectly one<\/td><\/tr>
Eternality<\/strong><\/td>Had a beginning (\u201cThere was a time when He was not\u201d)<\/td>Eternal, existing with the Father from everlasting (no beginning to His being)<\/td><\/tr>
Role in Creation<\/strong><\/td>Helped create (God created through Him), but He Himself was created first<\/td>Divine Agent in creation (all things made through Him as God)<\/td><\/tr>
Implication for Trinity<\/strong><\/td>Weakens the idea of equal and eternal Persons in the Godhead<\/td>Affirms the co-equality and co-eternity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This table helps us see just how different the Arian understanding of Jesus was from the faith the Church had cherished. It touched everything from who God is, to how our salvation is even possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did the early Church, especially at the Council of Nicaea, respond to Arianism?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When these new ideas about Jesus, promoted by Arius, began to spread, it was like a spiritual storm shaking the very foundations of the Church. Church leaders and everyday Christians alike became deeply concerned because these teachings touched the very heart of who Jesus is and what He came to do for us.\u00b3 This wasn\u2019t just a small disagreement over minor details; it was a major issue that threatened to divide believers and weaken the core message of the Gospel, the good news of Jesus!3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Roman Emperor at that time was a man named Constantine. He had played a historic role in making Christianity a legal religion in the Empire, and he was very keen on peace and unity, not just in society also within the Church.\u00b3 He saw this growing disagreement over Arianism as a serious problem that needed to be solved, because he worried that a divided Church could lead to a divided Empire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, Emperor Constantine did something truly remarkable: he called for a great \u201cfamily meeting\u201d of the Church. This was the Council of Nicaea<\/strong>, held in the year 325 AD in a city called Nicaea, which is in modern-day Turkey.\u00b9\u00b2 This was the very first \u201cecumenical council,\u201d which means a council that aimed to bring together representatives from the whole Christian world. Hundreds of bishops\u2014church leaders from all over\u2014traveled to Nicaea. People often say around 318 bishops were there, though some records suggest between 250 to over 300 attendees.\u00b9\u00b9 A respected bishop named Hosius of Corduba likely led the council\u2019s meetings, perhaps as Constantine\u2019s representative.\u00b9\u2077 The main and urgent goal of this historic gathering was to discuss the teachings of Arianism and to prayerfully seek God\u2019s wisdom to declare what the true, apostolic Christian teaching was about the nature of Jesus Christ.\u00b9\u2077<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this council, there was a lot of heartfelt discussion and debate. Arius himself was there to explain and defend his ideas. Standing firmly against him were champions of the traditional faith, most notably a courageous young deacon named Athanasius. Even though he wasn\u2019t a bishop yet, Athanasius was a powerful voice, passionately arguing for the full and complete divinity of Jesus Christ.\u00b9\u00b2 After much careful thought and prayer, the Council of Nicaea overwhelmingly rejected Arianism, declaring it a heresy\u2014a teaching that goes fundamentally against the core beliefs of the Christian faith.\u00b2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of this momentous meeting came something truly wonderful and lasting: the Geloofsbelijdenis van Nicea<\/strong>. This creed was a beautiful and carefully crafted statement of faith. It declared with incredible clarity what Christians believed about Jesus. It proclaimed Him to be \u201cGod from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one substance (homoousios) with the Father\u201d.\u00b2 These powerful words directly went against the core ideas of Arianism. The creed specifically said Jesus was \u201cbegotten, not made,\u201d to counter the Arian idea that He was a created being. And that special term homoousios<\/em> (\u201cof one substance\u201d) was a clear statement that Jesus shares the very same divine nature as God the Father. The Creed also included specific condemnations, called anathemas, against key Arian ideas, such as the notion that \u201cthere was when He was not\u201d or that the Son was created or could change.\u00b9\u2077 It was a powerful and definite stand for the truth about Jesus Christ. Only a very small number of bishops, including Arius himself, refused to agree to this creed, and they were then sent into exile by the Emperor.\u00b9\u2076<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might think that such a clear decision from a major council would have settled everything right then and there. But a powerful disagreement like this doesn\u2019t just disappear overnight. Even though the Council of Nicaea made a strong and clear stand, the Arian controversy continued for many, many decades.\u2077 Arianism still found supporters, and some later Roman emperors even favored Arian or semi-Arian views. The fight to uphold and explain the Nicene truth was a long and challenging one. But God\u2019s truth is patient and persistent, and the clarity of Nicaea provided a vital anchor, a strong foundation for the Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The calling of the Council of Nicaea wasn\u2019t just a theological event; it was deeply connected with the politics of the Roman Empire. Emperor Constantine\u2019s strong desire for unity across his empire was a big reason he called the council.\u00b3 This involvement of the emperor in church affairs would continue to shape the Arian controversy for many years. At times, emperors supported Arian or semi-Arian groups, leading to faithful bishops like Athanasius being exiled, only to be brought back when the political winds shifted.\u00b9\u00e2\u0081\u00b0 This shows that the theological debate was also, at times, a struggle influenced by the Roman state, and the truth often had to stand strong against imperial preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The language of the Nicene Creed, especially phrases like \u201cbegotten, not made\u201d and the term homoousios<\/em>, was chosen with great care and precision. These weren\u2019t just general statements of faith; they were specifically put together to directly refute the central claims of Arianism.\u00b2 The leaders at Nicaea wanted to craft a creed that left no doubt about the Son\u2019s full divinity. Ironically, while Nicaea aimed for unity, its strong condemnation of Arianism and the introduction of a term like homoousios<\/em>\u2014which, though it expressed a biblical truth, wasn\u2019t a word found directly in Scripture\u2014led to a period where many more creeds were produced. Arians and various semi-Arian groups tried to create alternative statements of faith, leading to what some historians call a \u201cbattle of the creeds\u201d.\u2075 This highlights the immense challenge the early Church faced in putting powerful divine truths into human language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What did the great Church Fathers like Athanasius, Hilary, and the Cappadocians teach about Arianism?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

God always raises up mighty men and women to stand for His truth, especially in times of great challenge. During the Arian controversy, several incredible spiritual leaders, known as the Church Fathers, stepped forward. These were wise and holy theologians, bishops, and writers in the early centuries who dedicated their lives to explaining, defending, and nurturing the Christian faith. They were like the spiritual superheroes of their day, filled with powerful wisdom, unwavering courage, and a deep love for God and His Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

St. Athanasius of Alexandria (often called the \u201cFather of Orthodoxy\u201d or \u201cAthanasius Contra Mundum\u201d \u2013 Athanasius Against the World):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Athanasius was a true giant in the fight against Arianism! He was there as a young deacon at the Council of Nicaea and became a lifelong, tireless defender of the Son\u2019s full divinity.\u2077 He later became the Bishop of Alexandria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His main arguments against Arianism were powerful and deeply rooted in Scripture 20:<\/p>\n\n\n\n