Arian controversy

E396296

The Arian controversy was a major 4th-century Christian theological dispute over the nature of Christ’s divinity and his relationship to God the Father, which led to deep divisions in the early Church and the formulation of key doctrines at councils such as Nicaea.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (64)

Predicate Object
instanceOf 4th-century religious conflict
Christian doctrinal dispute
theological controversy
associatedDoctrine Arianism
homoiousios
homoousios
subordinationism
centralQuestion relationship of God the Son to God the Father
whether the Son is co-eternal with the Father
whether the Son is of the same substance as the Father
doctrinalOutcome Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed
linked to: Nicene Creed

definition of orthodox Christology in mainstream Christianity
followedBy Christological controversies of the 5th century
Pneumatomachian controversy
historicalContext Christianization of the Roman Empire
Constantinian shift
influenced church-state relations in the Roman Empire
development of Trinitarian doctrine
later Christological debates
involvesBeliefAbout creation of the Son
divinity of Christ
eternity of the Son
keyTerm anomoios (unlike)
homoiousios (similar substance)
homoousios (same substance)
ousia
location Alexandria
Eastern Roman Empire
linked to: Byzantine Empire

Nicaea
mainTopic Arianism
Christology
Trinitarian doctrine
opposedDoctrine Nicene orthodoxy
linked to: Nicene Christianity

Trinitarianism
positionAffirmedByOpponents the Son is begotten not made
the Son is consubstantial with the Father
positionRejected the Son is a created being
the Son is not co-eternal with the Father
principalFigure Alexander of Alexandria
Arius of Alexandria
linked to: Arius

Athanasius of Alexandria
Basil of Caesarea
Emperor Constantine I
linked to: Constantine I

Emperor Constantius II
linked to: Constantius II

Eusebius of Caesarea
Eusebius of Nicomedia
Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory of Nyssa
religiousTradition Christianity
result affirmation of the consubstantiality of the Son with the Father
condemnation of Arianism at Nicaea
deep divisions within the early Church
formulation of the Nicene Creed
imperial involvement in doctrinal decisions
significantEvent Council of Constantinople (381)
Council of Rimini
Council of Seleucia (359)
linked to: Council of Seleucia

Council of Sirmium
Council of Tyre (335)
First Council of Nicaea
Synod of Alexandria (321)
startPoint early 4th century
timePeriod 4th century
late antiquity

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (25)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Orations historicalContext Arian controversy
Bishop of Sasima establishedInPeriod Arian controversy
Festal Letters theologicalContext Arian controversy
Against Eunomius mainSubject Arian controversy
Eunomianism controversy Nicene–Arian controversy
linked to: Arian controversy
Son of God debatedIn Arian controversy
Pope Liberius conflict Arian controversy
Church of the Roman Empire experiencedEvent Arian controversy
Bishop of Sirmium associatedWith Arian controversy
Bishop of Sirmium associatedWith Nicene–Arian theological debates
linked to: Arian controversy
Serdica councilConcernedWith Arian controversy
Eusebius of Nicomedia influenced Arian party in the Eastern Roman Empire
linked to: Arian controversy
Council of Sirmium partOf Arian controversy
Council of Seleucia partOf Arian controversy
Council of Rimini partOf Arian controversy
Council of Rimini hasCause Arian controversy
Meletian schism hasCause Arian controversy
Nestorian controversy precededBy Arian controversy
Council of Antioch (341) mainTopic Arian controversy
subject linked to: Council of Antioch
Eudoxius of Antioch participatedIn Arian controversy
St. Cyril of Jerusalem participatedIn Arian controversy
late Roman Christianity associatedWith Arian controversy
Christianization of the Visigoths relatedTo Arian–Nicene theological controversy
linked to: Arian controversy
Homoousian theology developedInResponseTo Arian controversy
Homoiousian theology developedInContextOf Arian controversy