Arius

Cyrenaic presbyter whose teachings initiated the Arian controversy regarding the nature of Christ.

Chronology: 250 – 336

Origins & Early Life

Arius (; Koine Greek: Ἄρειος, romanized: Áreios; 250 or 256 – 336) was a Cyrenaic presbyter and ascetic. He was not the founder of Arianism. The opposing sides in the controversy between Arianism and Trinitarianism were already well established before the dispute between Arius and Alexander. Arius's dispute with his bishop initiated the controversy, but the conflict between the two sides were inevitable.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Arianism holds that Jesus Christ was not coeternal with God the Father, but was rather created directly by God the Father before anything else as the true Firstborn. Arian theology and its doctrine regarding the nature of the Godhead showed a belief in radical subordinationism, a view notably disputed by 4th century figures such as Athanasius of Alexandria. Constantine the Great's formal decriminalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire entailed the convention of ecumenical councils to remove theological divisions between opposing sects within the Church. Arius's theology was a prominent topic at the First Council of Nicaea, where Arianism was condemned in favor of Homoousian conceptions of God and Jesus. Opposition to Arianism remains embodied in the Nicene Creed, described as...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Source: Wikipedia