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==Origins==
Although Arianism carries Arius's name, its doctrines did not entirely originate with him. Lucian of Antioch, Arius's teacher and mentor, was accused by Bishop [[Alexander of Alexandria]] of being the source for Arius's heretical teachings—not so much that Lucian had taught Arianism ''per se'', but rather that he possessed held certain heretical tendencies which he passed on to his pupil, Arius.<ref>Vasiliev, A. [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/vasilief/arianism-council-nicaea.asp Arianism and the Council of Nicaea], from ''History of the Byzantine Empire'', Chapter One. Retrieved on 2010-02-02.</ref> Indeed, the noted Russian historian Alexander Vasiliev refers to Lucian as ''"the Arius before Arius"''.<ref>Vasiliev, A. [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/vasilief/arianism-council-nicaea.asp Arianism and the Council of Nicaea], from ''History of the Byzantine Empire'', Chapter One. Retrieved on 2010-02-02.</ref>
According to Church historian Socrates Scholasticus, Arius entered in 318 into a dispute with Bishop [[Alexander of Alexandria]] in 318 over his teachings about God's divine Sonship and substance. Alexander had attempted endeavored to instruct his clergy on the unity of the [[Holy Trinity]], but Arius—whether through misunderstanding, or from a "love of controversy", as alleged by Socrates—opposed his bishop's teaching as smacking of [[Sabellianism]].<ref>[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf202.ii.iv.v.html Socrates Ecclesiastical History], Vol. 1, Ch. 5.</ref> Arius proffered his own syllogism: ''If the Father begat the Son, he that was begotten had a beginning of existence. From this it is evident that there was a time when the Son was not. It therefore necessarily follows that he had his substance from nothing''. This, of course, denied the essential unity and consubstantiality of the Holy Trinity, and caused an uproar among Arius's listeners that quickly spread throughout the Church, as Arius insisted upon disseminating his ideasviews.
==The heresy==
As stated above, Arius denied the full deity of the preexistent Son of God, the ''Logos'' who became [[incarnation|incarnate]] as our Lord Jesus Christ ("''the Word ([[Jesus Christ]]) became flesh''" John 1:14 - NKJV). He held that the Son, while divine and like unto God, was created by God as the agent through whom He created the universe; thus that there was a time when the Son ''"was not"''.
In explaining his actions against Arius, Alexander of Alexandria wrote a letter to Alexander of Constantinople and [[Eusebius of Nicomedia ]] (where the emperor was then residing), detailing the errors into which he believed Arius had fallen. According to Alexander, Arius taught:
<blockquote>That God was not always the Father, but that there was a period when he was not the Father; that the Word of God was not from eternity, but was made out of nothing; for that the ever-existing God (‘the I AM’—the eternal One) made him who did not previously exist, out of nothing; wherefore there was a time when he did not exist, inasmuch as the Son is a creature and a work. That he is neither like the Father as it regards his essence, nor is by nature either the Father’s true Word, or true Wisdom, but indeed one of his works and creatures, being erroneously called Word and Wisdom, since he was himself made of God’s own Word and the Wisdom which is in God, whereby God both made all things and him also. Wherefore he is as to his nature mutable and susceptible of change, as all other rational creatures are: hence the Word is alien to and other than the essence of God; and the Father is inexplicable by the Son, and invisible to him, for neither does the Word perfectly and accurately know the Father, neither can he distinctly see him. The Son knows not the nature of his own essence: for he was made on our account, in order that God might create us by him, as by an instrument; nor would he ever have existed, unless God had wished to create us.<ref>[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf202.ii.iv.vi.html Socrates and Sozomenus Ecclesiastical Histories], Chapter VI. Retrieved on 2010-02-02.</ref></blockquote>
Although the ecumenical council had spoken, Arianism continued to exert itself in the Church long afterwards, almost to the end of the fourth century. This was often the fault of the Roman emperors, including Constantine (who vaciliated between Arius and his opponents to the end of his life), and most notably Constantius, who succeeded him. During this period Arianism fragmented into a number of sects:
:the The '''[[Anomoeanism|Anomoeans]]''' continued Arius' heresy, led first by [[Aetius of Antioch|Aëtius]] then later by Eunomius. This heresy continued to preach Arius's ''animoios'' (unlike) doctrine and maintained the strict position that Christ was not of the same essence as the Father.
:The '''[[Semi-Arianism|semi-Arians]]''', led by Eusabian, took a middle ground that challenged the Nicean Creed's ''homoousios'' with a middle position of ''homoiousios'', that is, "of similar essence".
==Arianism today==
Today, a so-called "Holy Arian Catholic and Apostolic Church" in England claims to proclaim Arius's teachings, even "canonizing" him in 2006. However, this body differs with its namesake on several crucial points, including its rejection of the [[Nativity|Virgin Birth]] and [[Resurrection]] of Christ, which Arius himself never questioned. The Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormon sects are often accused (especially the former) of being Arian; while both certainly exhibit doctrines which tend toward Arianism—which are rejected by the Orthodox Church as being heretical, along with many other teachings—each sect's [[Christology ]] differs somewhat from classic Arian doctrine.
No remnant of any of the Arian sects established in Western Europe or elsewhere is known to exist today.
==External links==
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianism Arianism - From Wikipedia]
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01707c.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Arianism]
* [http://mb-soft.com/believe/txo/arianism.htm Fuller RH, Walter VL and Shelley BL: Arianism and Semi-Arianism (General and Advanced Information) - BELIEVE Website]
* [http://www.newadventfourthcentury.orgcom/cathenindex.php/01707carius-chart The Complete Extant Works of Arius] From the "Fourth Century Christianity" webpage sponsored by Wisconsin Lutheran College.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Arianism]* [http://www.newadventfourthcentury.orgcom/cathen/01718a.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Arius]
* [http://www.zeitun-eg.org/ecf1.htm St. Athanasius of Alexandria] (page also has link to download 'Select Works and Letters' by St. Athanasius, including his treatise "''On the Incarnation of the Word''" and "''Four Discourses Against the Arians''" among others)
* [http://www.zeitun-eg.org/encyclop.htm Encyclopedia of the First Millennium of Christianity 1998 - Second Edition]
* [http://enwww.wikipedianewmanreader.org/wikiworks/Arianism Arianism arians/chapter4- From Wikipedia4.html The Anomœans]
[[Category:Heresies]]
[[ar:آريوسية]]
[[el:Αρειανισμός]]
[[mk:Аријанство]]
[[ro:Arianism]]
