In Gonzalez’s book Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Reformation, chapter 17 discusses The Arian Controversy. This issue sparked the so-called Arian conflict, named after the Alexandrian priest Arius. He promoted strict monotheism and believed that Christ was God but was subject to God the Father for about 1600 years. This disagreement also concerned Constantine and his successors and lasted for approximately 300 years. The link between God the Father’s and His Son’s substances was at the center of the most significant of these debates. Athanasius knew that for redemption to be realized, Jesus had to be entirely God and fully human, made of the same substance as God, and always being, not created. The Arians held that Jesus was not God but rather a created being. The significance of this position cannot be understated because it will impact every part of Christian society and belief.
The church would do well to reflect on Athanasius’ life and take note of the spiritual truths he exemplifies. Although Athanasius’ writings have a significant historical significance for Christianity, his life and position primarily inspired Christians down the ages. Athanasius was given the title “Champion of Nicene orthodoxy” because of his tenacious and unflinching fight against Arianism. Athanasius rejected heretical change despite overwhelming odds, going up against the church and the government. The determination and foresight of one individual, who would not change his theological position on Christ’s deity and the function of the church, set the stage for and had a lasting influence on the course of the church. With a primary focus on the gospel of Christ providing salvation through his deity and the ensuing efficacy of his substitutionary sacrifice, the protestant church is typically free from the influence of the state.
The Orthodox believers who believed that Jesus was consubstantial with God the Father were opposed by the Arians, who held the belief that Jesus was the highest of God’s creatures. Constantius, whom Julian believed to be his father’s killer, was ostentatiously devout in his Christianity, which Julian found offensive. Chapter 18 discusses the final emperor of Rome to be a pagan, Julian the Apostate. After many years of Christian dominance, he came to power and tried to destroy the Christian faith. The official story is that the Roman emperor Constantine saw the Christian cross at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in AD 312. Julian issued an edict ensuring religious freedom. The Roman Empire had to return to its original religious eclecticism, following which the Roman state did not impose any religion on its provinces. This edict declared that all religions were equal before the law.
Chapter 19 is about Athanasius of Alexandria, regarded by the Catholic Church as one of the four most outstanding Eastern Church Doctors. Athanasius was the first to enumerate the 27 books of the New Testament canon that are still used today in his Easter letter from 367. As the primary opponent of Arianism, the heresy that the Son of God was a creature of like but not identical essence to God the Father, he stood up for Christian truth in the fourth century. The Life of St. Antony, On the Incarnation, and Four Orations Against the Arians are a few of his notable writings. According to Athanasius, God is the source of all goodness and cannot be implacably cruel to something of which he is the father and possessor. Athanasius had a turbulent but committed life in the Church’s service. Against the pervasive heresy of Arianism, which held that Jesus was not divine, he was the primary defender of the religion. He was given the title of doctor of the Church for the energy of his writings.
Work Cited
Gonzalez, J. L. (2014). Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Reformation. Library Genesis. HarperCollins. Web.