ArianismChristian heresyWritten by:The Editors of Encyclopdia Britannica 8 READ VIEW HISTORY EDIT FEEDBACKArianism, a Christian heresy first proposed early in the 4th century by the AlexandrianpresbyterArius. It affirmed thatChristis not truly divine but a created being. Arius basic premise was the uniqueness of God, who is alone self-existent and immutable; the Son, who is not self-existent, cannot be God. Because theGodheadis unique, it cannot be shared or communicated, so the Son cannot be God. Because the Godhead is immutable, the Son, who is mutable, being represented in the Gospels as subject to growth and change, cannot be God. The Son must, therefore, be deemed a creature who has been called into existence out of nothing and has had a beginning. Moreover, the Son can have no direct knowledge of the Father since the Son is finite and of a different order of existence.

According to its opponents, especially the bishopAthanasius, Arius teaching reduced the Son to a demigod, reintroduced polytheism (since worship of the Son was not abandoned), and undermined the Christian concept of redemption since only he who was truly God could be deemed to have reconciled man to the Godhead.

The controversy seemed to have been brought to an end by theCouncil of Nicaea(ad325), which condemned Arius and his teaching and issued a creed to safeguard orthodox Christian belief. This creed states that the Son ishomoousion t Patri(of one substance with the Father), thus declaring him to be all that the Father is: he is completely divine. In fact, however, this was only the beginning of a long-protracted dispute.

From 325 to 337, when the emperor Constantine died, the Arian leaders, exiled after theCouncil of Nicaea, tried by intrigue to return to their churches and sees and to banish their enemies. They were partly successful.

From 337 to 350Constans, sympathetic to the orthodox Christians, was emperor in the West, andConstantius II, sympathetic to the Arians, was emperor in the East. At a church council held atAntioch(341), an affirmation of faith that omitted thehomoousionclause was issued. Another church council was held at Sardica (modern Sofia) in 342, but little was achieved by either council.

In 350 Constantius became sole ruler of the empire, and under his leadership the Nicene party (orthodox Christians) was largely crushed. The extreme Arians then declared that the Son was unlike (anomoios) the Father. Theseanomoeanssucceeded in having their views endorsed at Sirmium in 357, but their extremism stimulated the moderates, who asserted that the Son was of similar substance (homoiousios) with the Father. Constantius at first supported thesehomoiousiansbut soon transferred his support to thehomoeans, led by Acacius, who affirmed that the Son was like (homoios) the Father. Their views were approved in 360 atConstantinople, where all previous creeds were rejected, the termousia(substance, or stuff) was repudiated, and a statement of faith was issued stating that the Son was like the Father who begot him.

After Constantius death (361), the orthodox Christian majority in the West consolidated its position. The persecution of orthodox Christians conducted by the (Arian) emperorValens(364378) in the East and the success of the teaching of Basil the Great of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus led the homoiousian majority in the East to realize its fundamental agreement with the Nicene party. When the emperorsGratian(367383) andTheodosius I(379395) took up the defense of orthodoxy, Arianism collapsed. In 381 the second ecumenical council met at Constantinople. Arianism was proscribed, and a statement of faith, theNicene Creed, was approved.

Although this ended the heresy in the empire, Arianism continued among some of the Germanic tribes to the end of the 7th century. In modern times someUnitariansare virtually Arians in that they are unwilling either to reduce Christ to a mere human being or to attribute to him a divine nature identical with that of the Father. TheChristologyofJehovahs Witnesses, also, is a form of Arianism; they regard Arius as a forerunner of Charles Taze Russell, the founder of their movement.Question: "What is Arianism?"

Answer:Arianism is named for Arius, a teacher in the early 4th century A.D. One of the earliest and probably the most important item of debate among early Christians was the subject of Christs deity. Was Jesus truly God in the flesh or was Jesus a created being? Was Jesus God or just like God? Arius held that Jesus was created by God as the first act of creation, that Jesus was the crowning glory of all creation. Arianism, then, is the view that Jesus was a created being with divine attributes, but was not divine in and of Himself.

Arianism misunderstands references to Jesus being tired (John 4:6) and not knowing the date of His return (Matthew 24:36). Yes, it is difficult to understand how God could be tired and/or not know something, but relegating Jesus to a created being is not the answer. Jesus was fully God, but He was also fully human. Jesus did not become a human being until the incarnation. Therefore, Jesus limitations as a human being have no impact on His divine nature or eternality.

A second major misinterpretation in Arianism is the meaning of firstborn (Romans 8:29;Colossians 1:15-20). Arians understand firstborn in these verses to mean that Jesus was born or created as the first act of creation. This is not the case. Jesus Himself proclaimed His self-existence and eternality (John 8:58;10:30).John 1:1-2tells us that Jesus was in the beginning with God. In Bible times, the firstborn son of a family was held in great honor (Genesis 49:3;Exodus 11:5;34:19;Numbers 3:40;Psalm 89:27;Jeremiah 31:9). It is in this sense that Jesus is Gods firstborn. Jesus is the preeminent member of Gods family. Jesus is the anointed one, the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

After nearly a century of debate at various early church councils, the Christian church officially denounced Arianism as a false doctrine. Since that time, Arianism has never been accepted as a viable doctrine of the Christian faith. Arianism has not died, however. Arianism has continued throughout the centuries in varying forms. The Jehovahs Witnesses and Mormons of today hold a very Arian-like position on Christs nature. Just as the early church did, we must denounce any and all attacks on the deity of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/arianism.html#ixzz3fP4i8gggQuestion: "What is Marcionism?"

Answer:Marcionism was a religious movement based on the teachings of the 2nd-century heretic Marcion of Sinope. While none of Marcions writings have survived to the present, we know of his teachings through several early Christian writers including Justin Martyr (AD 100165), Irenaeus of Lyons (AD 130200) and Hippolytus (AD 170235). These men combatted Marcion in defense of the truth.

Marcion held to many errant views, but he is primarily known for his belief that the Old Testament Scriptures were not authoritative for a Christian. He denied that the God of the Old Testament was the same God presented in the New Testament. For Marcion, Jesus was the Son of the God of the New Testament but not the Son of the deity described in the Hebrew Scriptures. The deities of the Old and New Testaments were, from Marcions perspective, literally two different gods. Marcion did not deny the existence of the god of the Old Testament (what he referred to as a Demiurge). He simply classified this god as a secondary deity, one that was inferior to the supreme God revealed in Jesus.

Marcion held that Jesus was the only revelation of the Supreme God but that Jesus should not be seen as having fulfilled Old Testament messianic prophecies. Rather, Marcion saw the prophecies as predicting a yet-to-come earthly savior of the Jewish nation. What Marcion was endorsing was a radical discontinuity between Old Testament Judaism and the message of Jesus and the apostle Paul. Marcion also affirmed a form of Docetism, a view that Jesus was not truly a man but only appeared to be human. This in spite of the clarity of verses such as John 1:14 and 1 John 4:13, which speak plainly of Jesus true humanity.

After being expelled from the church in Rome in AD 144 for his unorthodox teachings, Marcion formed several of his own churches, many of which retained a church government similar to the orthodox Christian churches of the time. From there, Marcions views began to spread. Given Marcions complete separation of the God of the Hebrew Bible from the God revealed in Jesus, it should be no surprise that he also rejected the authenticity of many New Testament documents. Any apostolic writing that did not comport with his theories was eliminated until all that remained of his collection of authoritative books were ten of Pauls letters (minus 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) and a highly edited version of the Gospel of Luke. Marcion saw Paul as the only legitimate apostle, but even Pauls writings suffered under Marcions scalpel. Any passage that identified the God of the Old Testament with the Father of Jesus was removed. While it is true that most New Testament books were recognized as Scripture from a very early date, it is likely that Marcions truncated canon forced the church to more precisely list which books carried apostolic authority.

Marcionism was one of the earliest rivals to the Christian church. The lesson to be learned from Marcionism is that we have no right to act as editor of the Gods Word, but we must accept and believe the whole council of God (Acts 20:27) and contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to Gods holy people (Jude 1:3).

Copyright 2002-2015 Got Questions Ministries

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/Printer/marcionism-PF.html#ixzz3fP4HAoImQuestion: "What are Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism?"

Answer:Pelagius was a monk who lived in the late 300s and early 400s A.D. Pelagius taught that human beings were born innocent, without the stain of original or inherited sin. He believed that God created every human soul directly and therefore every human soul was originally free from sin. Pelagius believed that Adam's sin did not affect future generations of humanity. This view became known as Pelagianism.

Pelagianism contradicts many Scriptures and scriptural principles. First, the Bible tells us that we are sinful from the moment of conception (Psalm 51:5). Further, the Bible teaches that all human beings die as a result of sin (Ezekiel 18:20;Romans 6:23). While Pelagianism says that human beings are not born with a natural inclination towards sin, the Bible says the opposite (Romans 3:10-18).Romans 5:12clearly states that Adam's sin is the reason sin infects the rest of humanity. Anyone who has raised children can attest to the fact that infants must be taught to behave; they do not have to be taught how to sin. Pelagianism, therefore, is clearly unscriptural and should be rejected.

Semi-Pelagianism essentially teaches that humanity is tainted by sin, but not to the extent that we cannot cooperate with God's grace on our own. Semi-Pelagianism is, in essence, partial depravity as opposed to total depravity. The same Scripture passages that refute Pelagianism will also refute Semi-Pelagianism.Romans 3:10-18definitely does not describe humanity as only being partially tainted by sin. The Bible clearly teaches that without God drawing us, we are incapable of cooperating with God's grace. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him (John 6:44). Like Pelagianism, Semi-Pelagianism is unbiblical and should be rejected.

Recommended Resources:The Moody Handbook of Theology by Paul EnnsandLogos Bible Software.

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/Pelagianism.html#ixzz3fP5B1AsMQuestion: "What is the hypostatic union? How can Jesus be both God and man at the same time?"

Answer:The hypostatic union is the term used to describe how God the Son, Jesus Christ, took on a human nature, yet remained fully God at the same time. Jesus always had been God (John 8:58,10:30), but at the incarnation Jesus became a human being (John 1:14). The addition of the human nature to the divine nature is Jesus, the God-man. This is the hypostatic union, Jesus Christ, one Person, fully God and fully man.

Jesus' two natures, human and divine, are inseparable. Jesus will forever be the God-man, fully God and fully human, two distinct natures in one Person. Jesus' humanity and divinity are not mixed, but are united without loss of separate identity. Jesus sometimes operated with the limitations of humanity (John 4:6,19:28) and other times in the power of His deity (John 11:43;Matthew 14:18-21). In both, Jesus' actions were from His one Person. Jesus had two natures, but only one personality.

The doctrine of the hypostatic union is an attempt to explain how Jesus could be both God and man at the same time. It is ultimately, though, a doctrine we are incapable of fully understanding. It is impossible for us to fully understand how God works. We, as human beings with finite minds, should not expect to totally comprehend an infinite God. Jesus is Gods Son in that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35). But that does not mean Jesus did not exist before He was conceived. Jesus has always existed (John 8:58,10:30). When Jesus was conceived, He became a human being in addition to being God (John 1:1,14).

Jesus is both God and man. Jesus has always been God, but He did not become a human being until He was conceived in Mary. Jesus became a human being in order to identify with us in our struggles (Hebrews 2:17) and, more importantly, so that He could die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins (Philippians 2:5-11). In summary, the hypostatic union teaches that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine, that there is no mixture or dilution of either nature, and that He is one united Person, forever.

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/hypostatic-union.html#ixzz3fP6WrvweQuestion: "What does the Bible teach about the Trinity?"

Answer:The most difficult thing about the Christian concept of the Trinity is that there is no way to perfectly and completely understand it. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible also teaches that there is only one God. Though we can understand some facts about the relationship of the different Persons of the Trinity to one another, ultimately, it is incomprehensible to the human mind. However, this does not mean the Trinity is not true or that it is not based on the teachings of the Bible.

The Trinity is one God existing in three Persons. Understand that this is not in any way suggesting three Gods. Keep in mind when studying this subject that the word Trinity is not found in Scripture. This is a term that is used to attempt to describe the triune Godthree coexistent, co-eternal Persons who make up God. Of real importance is that the concept represented by the word Trinity does exist in Scripture. The following is what Gods Word says about the Trinity:

1) There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4;1 Corinthians 8:4;Galatians 3:20;1 Timothy 2:5).

2) The Trinity consists of three Persons (Genesis 1:1,26;3:22;11:7;Isaiah 6:8,48:16,61:1;Matthew 3:16-17,28:19;2 Corinthians 13:14). InGenesis 1:1, the Hebrew plural noun "Elohim" is used. InGenesis 1:26,3:22,11:7andIsaiah 6:8, the plural pronoun for us is used. The word "Elohim" and the pronoun us are plural forms, definitely referring in the Hebrew language to more than two. While this is not an explicit argument for the Trinity, it does denote the aspect of plurality in God. The Hebrew word for "God," "Elohim," definitely allows for the Trinity.

InIsaiah 48:16and61:1, the Son is speaking while making reference to the Father and the Holy Spirit. CompareIsaiah 61:1toLuke 4:14-19to see that it is the Son speaking.Matthew 3:16-17describes the event of Jesus' baptism. Seen in this passage is God the Holy Spirit descending on God the Son while God the Father proclaims His pleasure in the Son.Matthew 28:19and2 Corinthians 13:14are examples of three distinct Persons in the Trinity.

3) The members of the Trinity are distinguished one from another in various passages. In the Old Testament, LORD is distinguished from Lord (Genesis 19:24;Hosea 1:4). The LORD has a Son (Psalm 2:7,12;Proverbs 30:2-4). The Spirit is distinguished from the LORD (Numbers 27:18) and from God (Psalm 51:10-12). God the Son is distinguished from God the Father (Psalm 45:6-7;Hebrews 1:8-9). In the New Testament, Jesus speaks to the Father about sending a Helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). This shows that Jesus did not consider Himself to be the Father or the Holy Spirit. Consider also all the other times in the Gospels where Jesus speaks to the Father. Was He speaking to Himself? No. He spoke to another Person in the Trinitythe Father.

4) Each member of the Trinity is God. The Father is God (John 6:27;Romans 1:7;1 Peter 1:2). The Son is God (John 1:1,14;Romans 9:5;Colossians 2:9;Hebrews 1:8;1 John 5:20). The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4;1 Corinthians 3:16).

5) There is subordination within the Trinity. Scripture shows that the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Father and the Son, and the Son is subordinate to the Father. This is an internal relationship and does not deny the deity of any Person of the Trinity. This is simply an area which our finite minds cannot understand concerning the infinite God. Concerning the Son seeLuke 22:42,John 5:36,John 20:21, and1 John 4:14. Concerning the Holy Spirit seeJohn 14:16,14:26,15:26,16:7, and especiallyJohn 16:13-14.

6) The individual members of the Trinity have different tasks. The Father is the ultimate source or cause of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6;Revelation 4:11); divine revelation (Revelation 1:1); salvation (John 3:16-17); and Jesus' human works (John 5:17;14:10). The Father initiates all of these things.

The Son is the agent through whom the Father does the following works: the creation and maintenance of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6;John 1:3;Colossians 1:16-17); divine revelation (John 1:1,16:12-15;Matthew 11:27;Revelation 1:1); and salvation (2 Corinthians 5:19;Matthew 1:21;John 4:42). The Father does all these things through the Son, who functions as His agent.

The Holy Spirit is the means by whom the Father does the following works: creation and maintenance of the universe (Genesis 1:2;Job 26:13;Psalm 104:30); divine revelation (John 16:12-15;Ephesians 3:5;2 Peter 1:21); salvation (John 3:6;Titus 3:5;1 Peter 1:2); and Jesus' works (Isaiah 61:1;Acts 10:38). Thus, the Father does all these things by the power of the Holy Spirit.

There have been many attempts to developillustrations of the Trinity. However, none of the popular illustrations are completely accurate. The egg (or apple) fails in that the shell, white, and yolk are parts of the egg, not the egg in themselves, just as the skin, flesh, and seeds of the apple are parts of it, not the apple itself. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not parts of God; each of them is God. The water illustration is somewhat better, but it still fails to adequately describe the Trinity. Liquid, vapor, and ice are forms of water. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not forms of God, each of them is God. So, while these illustrations may give us a picture of the Trinity, the picture is not entirely accurate. An infinite God cannot be fully described by a finite illustration.

The doctrine of the Trinity has been a divisive issue throughout the entire history of the Christian church. While the core aspects of the Trinity are clearly presented in Gods Word, some of the side issues are not as explicitly clear. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is Godbut there is only one God. That is the biblical doctrine of the Trinity. Beyond that, the issues are, to a certain extent, debatable and non-essential. Rather than attempting to fully define the Trinity with our finite human minds, we would be better served by focusing on the fact of God's greatness and His infinitely higher nature. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? (Romans 11:33-34).

Recommended Resources:Making Sense of the Trinity: Three Crucial Questions by Millard EricksonandThe Forgotten Trinity by James White.

Below is the best symbol for the Trinity we are aware of (click to expand):

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