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Development of Doctrine in the Christian Church
The very first example of the development of doctrine in the Christian Church was planted in late
antiquity. In Alexandria, a minister named Arius gained notoriety around the mid–fourth century due
to public criticism of his bishop, Alexander of Alexandria, and sparked what is now called the Arian
Controversy . Lasting almost sixty years, this doctrinal conflict pervaded the early Christian Church
and necessitated many ecumenical councils, including the Council of Nicaea in 325 which dealt
primarily with Christology. In the legacy of this era, orthodoxy claims Arius as a heretic. Much
work from this side of the argument lasts, a major one being Athanasius' On the Incarnation. In his
apologetic treatise, St. Athanasius, a student under the aforementioned Alexander of Alexandria,
responds to Arian claims that the Son [Jesus], a created being, is demoted equal to man. However,
not much more than three unquestionable letters of Arius remain arguably, completely untainted by
his opponents providing a sense of Arius' real thoughts. These are Arius' letters to Eusebius of
Nicomedia (318), to Alexander of Alexandria (320), and to Emperor Constantine (327) .
In light of these letters as the primary expositions of Arius' doctrine, one sees that Arius' sincere
attempts to unite traditional biblical language with radical philosophical ideas and techniques are
understandably overlooked by his opponents. The Arian doctrine of denial of the divine status of
Christ needs to be
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What Is The Christian Pentecost? What Happened?
Diego Chavez TH–120–11 Theology Prof. James Crosson February 22nd 2016 For Part One: 1)
1)What is the CHRISTIAN PENTECOST? What happened? To whom? And where? Pentecost is
when the Holy Spirit came on the early followers of Jesus. It happened a few weeks after Jesus'
death and resurrection, there were followers of Jesus, but no movement that could be meaningfully
called "the church." Thus, from an historical point of view, Pentecost is the day on which the church
was started. This is also true from a spiritual perspective, since the Spirit brings the church into
existence and enlivens it. It became with Three thousand new believers in Pentecost. 2) Who led the
new religion in Jerusalem? Who led the new religion outside of ... Show more content on
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How did he become a Christian? What did he do after he converted? What was the name he took
after he converted? Saul of Tarsus known as Apostle Paul was not one of the Twelve Apostles but he
is considered one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age. He founded several churches
in Asia Minor and Europe. Paul took advantage of his status as both a Jew and a Roman citizen to
minister to both Jewish and Roman audiences. According to The Bible he was called Saul and he
was dedicated to the persecution of the early disciples of Jesus in the area of Jerusalem. While, Paul
was traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus on a mission to "bring them which were
there bound unto Jerusalem", the resurrected Jesus appeared to him in a great light. He was struck
blind, but after three days his sight was restored by Ananias of Damascus, and Paul began to preach
that Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God. 4) Give four distinct facts about
SAUL OF TARSUS (not repeating any of the information in #3). Paul was not physically
impressive, nor was he a very good speaker. Paul was educated in Jerusalem under the famous
Jewish teacher Gamaliel. Paul participated in the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Paul
was the most prominent apostle in the early Church because he was so effective at forming Christian
communities. 5) Who were the GOD FEARERS? Be sure to give the complete answer. A God fearer
was a member of a
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Constantine The Great : The Reign Of Constantine The Great
The reign of Constantine the Great marks the transition of the Christian religion from under
persecution by the secular government to union with the same, beginning the state–church system
(Schaff, pg., 4). However, following Jesus's death, resurrection, and ascension, many questions
arose about Christ, his nature, and in answer to those, different hypocritical positions arose. In the
fourth and fifth centuries, the early Church Fathers gathered to discuss and agree to a common,
Biblical view of Christ in response to some erroneous views. These were the Councils of Nicaea
(325 A.D.), Constantinople (381 A.D.), and Chalcedon (451 A.D.). 2. The Outcome The first
Ecumenical Council, (meaning that it involved and bound all Church traditions), was the Council of
Nicaea. This council met as a response to Arianism (named after Arius of Alexandria) which denied
that Jesus the Son is eternal, but rather made by God and therefore, inferior to God. He proposed,
"before [the Son] was begotten or created or defined or established, he was not for he was not
unbegotten" (Bingham, pg., 46) as well as "the Son has a beginning, but God is without beginning"
(Bingham, pg., 46). Constantine, the Emperor of both the East and the West felt compelled to
intervene, thus calling the Council of Nicene in June of 325. This resulted in the Creed of Nicea,
which "condemned Arianism resulting in an anti–Arian creed" (Lane, pg., 29). The Nicea Creed
concluded, "Jesus shared the Father' divine
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Arian Controversy Analysis
In the 4th and 5th centuries, the early church was going through change. After a period of
persecution against Christians, the Edict of Milan established a policy for the toleration of
Christianity under Constantine. Constantine was the first Roman emperor to embrace Christianity
and he himself became a Christian. The Ecumenical Councils were encouraged by Constantine. The
gatherings included church leaders and others who met to affirm the teachings of the church and to
tackle heresy. The topic of controversy was over the relationship between the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit.
The Arian controversy caused Constantine to call for the Council of Nicaea, which was the first of
the Ecumenical Councils. Arias denied the deity of Jesus. He believed that Jesus was subordinate to
God the Father and that the Holy Spirit was subordinate to Jesus. Arias believed that the Father was
God, but Jesus and the Holy Spirit were not. Instead, he believed that Jesus was a creature who had
a beginning, while God was eternal and had no beginning. He did not believe that Jesus was "of the
same substance [homoousios]" of the Father. Athanasius stood up at the Council of Nicaea and
opposed the beliefs of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I believe that the Nicene Creed is supported by Scripture. John 1:14 says, "The Word [Logos]
became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and
only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." And 1 John 5:7–8 says, "For there are
three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement." I find it
encouraging that leaders of the 4th and 5th century church helped define and defended the Trinity
doctrine from heresy. It is important that contemporary Christians learn about the Nicene Creed
because it is part of the history that brought us [the invisible church] to where we are,
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The Council Of Nicae The Authority Of The Roman Empire Essay
THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA
In 325 AD, Constantine the leader of the Roman Empire convened a council of three hundred
Bishops to unite the Christian sects under his church, the Universal Church of Rome. Constantine
himself was a leader of the cult of Sol Invictus (Invisible Sun). The council formed came to be
known as the Council of Nicaea.
The Council of Nicaea, is the first ecumenical council of the Christian church, in ancient Nicaea
which was located in Asia Minor, east of Constantinople now İznik, Turkey. Constantine hoped the
council would help solve the problem of Arianism, a "heresy" and schism first promulgated by Arius
of Alexandria.
POLITICAL IMPACT OF THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA
The Arian "heresy" had penetrated parts of the Church all the way from Alexandria to Palestine,
Syria, Asia Minor and Greece. "Heresy" was the term used to describe what former bishops had
been teaching: "God is One, without partners" which happens to be the theme throughout the Old
Testament.
When the pagan Romans wanted Christianity to be the official church of the Holy Empire, they
needed to rethink the concept of God; this concept not only vitiated the core of the Christian
doctrine from within, but also endangered the Roman Empire itself. Constantine as the leader of the
Empire decided to take action and remedy the situation.
The falling Roman Empire, under Constantine's rule, could not withstand the division caused by
doctrinal differences. The emperor saw the differences within the
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The, The Roman Empire, And Councils Of The Early Church
Arius, the Roman Empire, and Councils of the Early Church Christianity came to a crossroads
during the fourth century. Previously, there had been gaps in Church teaching, and so some people
began to fill those gaps. One of those people was Arius. Arius was born in 256 A.D. in Libya, but
moved to Alexandria, Egypt and became a presbyter there. He began to teach about Jesus as a
creature created by God the Father, and so therefore not God. This was seen by many early
Christians as a possibility, as there had not previously been any official teaching set, and many of
them started to follow Arius. Though the Church experienced some struggle with this heresy, in the
end it was made stronger because it was forced to set theological beliefs. The Christian Church was
advanced in the fourth century through struggles with the Arian heresy, a drastic change in the
Roman Empire, and the combination of the Empire and Church to combat heresy. Arius' teaching
called to question multiple beliefs of Christians that had not yet been established. First, Arius taught
that God the Father is one, singular God.1 He derived this principle from the beliefs of Judaism,
from which Christianity was born. According to Arius, God has some qualities that only he can
possess2, making him uniquely alone and unequal to any other thing. One of those qualities
possessed by God is that he is "ingenerate." This means that he had no beginning in time: he always
was. He is also perfect, which brings
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The Church Went Through A Period Of Cruel Persecution
INTRODUCTION
The Church went through a period of cruel persecution under various Roman Empire emperors prior
to the 4th century. The church also had to go through the issue with heretics inside the church.
During this crucial period in church history, one of the important theological and ecclesiastical
question concerned Christology. Christology deals with the life of Jesus Christ. One bishop, Arius,
taught that Jesus was not God the Son. God providentially sent a man, St. Athanasius, to defend the
Lord's church. St. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, became an important figure in church history.
The cconflict with Arius and the successive Roman emperors shaped Athanasius 's ministry career.
Why is Athanasius important for the life ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
His work affects issues in the church today. For example, "The Jehovah's Witnesses, in their
rejection of the deity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity, not only follow in the footsteps of
Arius, but hold him up as one of the great defenders of the "true" faith".
"Alexandria was a leading commercial and cultural center in the Mediterranean world, second only
to Rome itself". "...Alexandria became a great Christian learning center, the home of the great
catechetical school of Christian instruction..." this is the place where Athanasius would get his
education. More importantly, "The background to the conflict lay in the church of Alexandria".
St. Athanasius was born around the year AD 297 to a Christian family in the city of Alexandria. His
parents were wealthy enough to afford giving him a fine secular education. At the young age of 10
years old, in A.D. 306, there was a baptism ritual with other children. Playing the part of a church
official, he baptized one of the children during this sacrament of baptism. He impressed the bishop
of Alexandria, Alexander, which he became one of his disciples.
He writes his treaties to Macarius, true lover of Christ. "In 318 Athanasius wrote his most famous
work, De Incarnatione Verbi (On the Incarnation of the Word"), which shows the influence of
Irenaeus and Origen; the incarnate Logos was divine and restored
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Christianity And Christianity Of Christianity
Being some of the biggest religions in the world today, Christianity and Catholicism are considered
to be symbols of stability, comfort, and security because of its strong faith. This, however, has not
always been true. Over the course of hundreds of thousands of years, Christianity and Catholicism
have gone through tremendous changes through different major events in history. Ranging from the
Council of Nicaea–the early church community prior to 1054–to the Spanish Colonization of the
New World–prior to 1900–to the Second Vatican Council–after 1900–all of these events created
waves of change in these religions and helped form them into what they are today. At the dawn of
Christianity, many differing beliefs existed. Small factions, without leadership, practiced their own
interpretations of their faith. Due to its nature as a persecuted religion, it was difficult for the early
church to establish a semblance of leadership. After Constantine's legalization and implementation
of Christianity in 313 A.D., it became clear that Catholics needed to consolidate their beliefs. This
wasn't accomplished until 325 A.D. when the Council of Nicaea was convened. There were many
motivations for holding the council, including: the deliberation on the nature of God and Jesus
Christ and what it meant to be Christian among others. The Council of Nicaea was a very important
meeting where 300 bishops from across the Roman Empire met to discuss different administrative
and theological
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Reaffirming Jesus : How Convictions Challenged By...
Daniel Barabino
Jesus through the Centuries
Dr. Millicent Feske
5 April 2017
Reaffirming Jesus:
How Convictions Challenged by Conflicting Evidence Yield Stronger Beliefs Jesus has been
presented to me in a consistent way from my youth beginning in kindergarten through my high
school experience. My initial understanding of Jesus is that he is a fully human, fully divine savior
that serves as a teacher for his historical peers through contemporary times. The conceptions and
understanding I have of Jesus had not been contested, challenged or questioned until I came to St.
Joseph's. While my original ideas of Jesus have largely remained unchanged throughout the course,
they have been significantly strengthened through exploring and ... Show more content on
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This division is knowledge is largely attributed to the scientific revolution. For example, in early
India, God was said to be present where priests were left silent. This ancient understanding of
divinity was rooted solely in mythos. As science developed and rose to a paramount discipline with
the likes of Copernicus and Newton, religion was tested against a logos way of thinking. Because of
this, people demanded that science yield proof of biblical accuracies and so were born atheism and
fundamentalism. People were reading the Bible far too literally (which was not nearly as pervasive a
thought prior to the scientific revolution), and concurrently the certainty that began being expected
of the Bible was too demanding. Interpreters of the Bible began holding up something to the laws of
logos, that is intrinsically grounded in mythos Theres a misconception that a scientist cannot be
involved in organized religion, that these two systems are diametrically opposed. Scientists are only
"supposed" to be believe in the observable and quantifiable things that we can physically have proof
of, and religion is seen as fundamentally against everything being a scientist is about. This thinking
really helped me to better understand Jesus, and perhaps more generally God an organized religion.
I am a skeptical and rational person (perhaps because my father is scientist), but that does not
preclude me from believing or participating in religion. I do
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Nestorius And Apollinarianism
During the 3d and 4th centuries controversy among the leaders and population due to the rising
questioning of the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ. At the beginning of the fourth century, the
First Council of Nicaea was convened to come against the heretical teachings of Arius. Arius, a
presbyter from Alexandria, who along with his followers believed that "before [the Son] was
begotten or created or defined or established, he was not for he was not unbegotten and that the Son
had a beginning but God has no beginning." (Bingham, D. Jeffrey. Pocket History of the Church.
Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2002. Print.) Therefore according to Arius, Jesus Christ was not
eternal nor divine but only possessed divine attributes. As time went on Arianism still was a
problem in the church. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
At the Council of Constantinople, Apollinarianism, taught by Apollinaris the Younger, Bishop of
Laodicea, which stated that while Christ, the Logos, had been made flesh then He had to have both a
sensitive soul and a rational soul as well as free will. According to Apollinarianism, where there is
free will, there is the presence of sin. This coincided with the Council of Chalcedon with contended
against the heresy of Nestorius and Nestorianism, which "sacrificed the unity of Christ's person for
the fullness of deity and humanity." (Bingham, D. Jeffrey. Pocket History of the Church. Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2002. Print.). as well as Eutychianism, which supported the idea that Jesus
Christ was of one nature only and. This heresy was also known as monophysitism, which held that
Jesus Christ had only one nature, a mixture of both divine and human
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The Nicene Creed: The Arian Controversy
Introduction In the fourth century, the Arian controversy caused considerable theological discussion
and upheaval over the definition of faith. In an effort to bring unity, Emperor Constantine
summoned a council to rule on Arius's position, that "affirmed a kind of Trinity made up of three
"divine" beings (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), only one of whom is truly God." Through the
guidance of Alexander of Alexandria and Athanasius, orthodox doctrine would prevail, and the
emperor would decree that Arius's teaching was heresy and banished him. Subsequently, the council
recognized the necessity of writing an indisputable definition of faith, which affirmed orthodoxy
against Arian heterodoxy. Alexander and Athanasius would be directly involved in this aspect of the
proceedings. Although Alexander had prominence, Athanasius significantly affected the
development of Trinitarian theology through his uncompromising opposition to Arianism.
Additionally, his rhetoric as well as assistance to Alexander directly influenced the words chosen for
the Nicene Creed. Therefore, this paper identifies the impact that Athanasius had in establishing the
Nicene Creed as the unifying creed among the church at the First Council of Nicaea (AD 325).
Arian Background Without the Arian controversy, the proceedings of the First Council of Nicaea
(AD 325) ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While scholars still debate on the motives for Eusebius of Caesarea's proposal to use the creed of his
own church, the fact remains that the council used a Syrian or Palestinian baptismal creed as the
basis for its formation. However, in its presented form by Eusebius, the creed could have been
compromised by unorthodox principles. Therefore, the use of non–biblical terms was formulated to
create a unifying and compulsory creed. The creed's word homoousios can be attributed to
Athanasius's involvement in discussions concerning its technical language.
Identical
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Peter And The Council Of Nicaea Essay
Explain the Significance of Peter, Paul, Constantine and the Council of Nicaea, and the Schism of
1054
Peter: Initially Peter was known as Saul. He was the first disciple of Jesus who lived as a fisherman
on the Sea of Galilee until he was called, along with his brother Andrew, by Jesus. The important
even of being called by Jesus is recorded in early Matthew, "And Jesus, walking by the sea of
Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for
they were fishers.And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they
straightway left their nets, and followed him." (Matthew 4:18–20 KJV) While he is credited for
writing only two books found in the new testament, and being an attendee of the Last Supper, he
still fulfilled the augury found in Matthew, "Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this
night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." (Matthew 26:34) After Peter did this, he
proved Jesus to be correct. When Peter did this he verified Jesus's insight and is another example of
the truth of the Bible. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
His full time occupation was to find and persecute Christians. In the new testament book of Acts
says, "As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and
women committed them to prison." (Acts 8:3 KJV) He was later miraculously converted to
Christianity deeper into the book of Acts, "Then Saul, filled with the Holy Ghost set eyes on him."
(Acts 13:9 KJV) After converting he became a leading missionary of early Christianity. He wrote
thirteen books of what is now known as the new testament. Many churches in Asia and Greece were
founded by Paul, he even kept correspondence with them throughout his life. In conclusion, Paul
was exceptionally influential on helping build
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Saint Athanasius of Alexandria and the Council of Nicaea
Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, also referred to as Athanasius the Great, led Alexandria as the
twentieth bishop for forty–five years during the fourth century. Although Athanasius is regarded as
serving as bishop for almost fifty years, the saint spent over seventeen of those years in exile for
various reasons. A renowned Christian theologian, Athanasius was known for his defense of the
Trinity, and his deep–rooted hatred for Arius and his followers, the Arians. Around 356, after
Athanasius was almost arrested during a vigil service, he decided to flee to Upper Egypt. During his
time spent there, he completed his most notable work Four Orations Against the Arians. The text
brings up a variety of claims that the Arians make, and Athanasius's responses to their so–called
heretical nature. Although Athanasius uses Scriptural evidence to argue against the Arians, his
writing style is cruel and belittling: an inappropriate way for a leader to address the people of the
Empire. After reading a great deal of Athanasius's own works, as well as texts concerning the role of
Athanasius throughout the fourth century, it has become evident that St. Athanasius of Alexandria
impacted the Trinitarian Controversy most significantly through his noteworthy orations, his role at
the Council of Nicaea, and most importantly, his commitment to the betterment of the Catholic
Church.
Athanasius is known as a Church Father, a renowned Christian theologian, and a defender of
Trinitarianism.
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The Holy Of The Roman Empire
The Libyan born Presbyter and theologian, Arius (d. 336), believed that Jesus was created by god
and therefore not eternal. He taught many things in his church in Alexandria and he attempted to
address complexities such as the divinity of Christ in relation to God according to monotheism.
Perhaps God had a reason for the work of Arius in the Empire. Until now the church hadn't resolved
an issue of this magnitude and Arius brought it to the main stage. Perhaps Arius was meant to argue
for the sake of change within the church according to God's ultimate design, saving the dissolution
of the Roman Empire. In this paper I will describe the beliefs held by Arius on eternity and the
divinity of Jesus, as well as the issue of Monotheism in both points of view and the controversy that
enveloped. I will then talk about the views and response of the church to Arius' teachings and the
reasoning behind the formation of the Council of Nicaea, as well as attempt to prove that Arius was
wrong in his belief. Lastly I will discuss the influence of Emperor Constantine in the formation of
the council and the politics within the church in regards to the growing issue that Arius started, as
well as explain the role of argumentation that Arius had (knowingly or unknowingly) in the
preservation of the church according to God's ultimate plan for Christianity. Politics aside Arius is
an interesting man. A presbyter from the north Egyptian city of Alexandria, "he was described as a
learned and
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The Iconoclast Controversy
The iconoclast controversy, initiated by Leo III and solidified by decree by Emperor Constantine V
and his allies through the Council of Hiereia, was a violent and theologically divisive struggle which
transcended dispute over the material with a Christological partition. The controversy between
iconoclast and iconophile lasted for some time, and was a matter that consisted both of physical
violence and persecution of the iconophiles and physical destruction of icons, the immediate and
primary source of the issue. The veneration of icons, to the iconoclasts, signified worshipping an
idol; therefore, the idolatry of venerating icons was a violation of past ecumenical dogma, a
violation of Biblical decrees, and a denial of the hypostatic union of Jesus, as a material object ...
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Iconoclasts went so far as to incite violence at the first attempt at a council, which led to a more
careful placement of the second, which became the Second Council of Nicaea. The iconoclasts used
theological arguments through established doctrine and Scripture to establish valid grounds upon
which they justified their stance on the subject of icons. By doing this, they made it a necessity for
an ecumenical council to respond, as do all matters of faith when they are contested by heretical
thinking. The only way to safely put an end to the matter was to do what had been done at the
Council of Hiereia, thus making it an official Church stance. If previous councils had been cited in
the iconoclast attempt to justify the destruction of icons, the established decree of a new council
would put an end to the claim that the Church had not ever validated the veneration of icons. The
matter could only be settled in the same way it had become a problem, and that was through
inclusion into the dogma of the
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Athanasius On The Incarnation
Athanasius' On the Incarnation In the year 325 A.D., the Council of Nicaea met and addressed the
question of who Christ is. The council revolved around a belief known as Arianism, which was
started by a priest named Arius. Arius denied that Jesus is divine. He claimed that Jesus Christ and
the Holy Spirit are nothing more than God's creatures. The Council of Nicaea, however, rejected
Arianism and affirmed that Jesus was not created like all other things were. They said that Jesus and
God share the same divine substance, which means that Jesus is one with God the Father.
Essentially, Jesus is God. Saint Athanasius, who was a bishop of Alexandria at the time of the
Nicene council, shared a similar theology to that set out in the council. Athanasius ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
He made it his mission to conquer death and bring back all those who had been led astray.
Athanasius refers to a verse from the gospel of Luke to show that scripture tells the story of God's
plan. "I came to seek and to save which was lost." (Luke 19:10) An interesting thing that Athanasius
does in his writings is that he explains things by raising questions that one might ask and providing
his answers for them. He answers the questions through logic of the faith. When discussing what
God did to save the world, he raises the question: "Since, then, human beings had become so
irrational and demonic deceit was thus overshadowing every place and hiding the knowledge of the
true God, what was God to do?" (62). God knew what he had to do to undo all the corruption that
existed among humans and that was to become human himself. Athanasius tells us that God
"sojourned as a human being, taking to himself a body like theirs," (64). Jesus is the Word that God
sent and the Word was God becoming man, which means that the Word of God is God himself. God
worked through his son Jesus to make himself present to the people. Athanasius again turns to
scripture to show that Jesus' works were all part of God's plan to save humanity. "If I do not do the
works of my Father, do not believe me; but if I do, even if you don't believe me, believe my works,
that you might know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in
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Aaeus Influence On Christianity
On June 325, at least 220 bishops were present at the council of Nicaea condemning Arius
interpretation of Jesus Christ and the divine trinity. As a result, it "produced an anti–Arian creed, the
Creed of Nicea." Arius was a presbyter teaching a radical view of Jesus Christ and the trinity. Arius
believed that the Son was a creature with a beginning, therefore, it was not "possible to have a
hierarchy of divine beings." His viewpoints, believes, faith, and passion is "found today in the
Jehovah's Witnesses." This council divided the church in "two half–truths confronting one another –
the full deity of Jesus Christ (Nicea) and his eternal distinctness from the Father (Origen)." In fact,
the identity of Christ and the trinity completely changes the way that we live as Christians. Without
a clear view, one cannot have a clear understanding of Christianity. This is a unique time in
Christian history. However, it continues to compromise the absolute truth of Jesus Christ. In fact,
due to this misunderstanding as early as the second century there were monks "who lived an
especially ascetic life" Trying to earn God's favor of salvation by keeping certain rituals and
ceremonies. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In fact, three heresies were condemned at the council of Constantinople (381); then, the council of
Ephesus (431) which meet to resolve the controversy between Cyril and Nestorius; then, the council
of Chalcedon (451), which condemned four ancient heresies: "In Jesus Christ, true deity (against
Arius) and full humanity (against Apollinaris) are indivisibly united in the one person (against
Nesorius), without being confused (against Eutyches)." This led to the creation of the basic creed for
Christianity. True Christianity is knowing who Jesus Christ is in relationship to God, the Holy Spirit
and
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Life of Constantine
History
May 6, 2013
Dr. Kletter
Eusebius : Life of Constantine The Life of Constantine, written by Eusebius of Caesarea (260–339
C.E) is a story written in the memory of Constantine the Great. The tone somewhat seems to be
giving high praise to Constantine commenting on the deeds of Constantine. Kevin Reilly states,
"The emperor's historian Eusebius recognized both the importance of the emperor and the role of the
empire in the success of Christianity in the winning the Roman Empire"(246). Eusebius who is also
called Eusebius of Caesarea and Eusebius Pamphili was a Roman Historian and Christian
Polemicist. He later became the Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine. He wrote other things besides the
Life of Constantine. He wrote other ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Constantine researched on emperors before him and saw reasons for their demise with a
dishonorable end. Worshipping multiple gods had led to the downfall of the ones who led before
him. Reilly states, "While engaged in enquiry, the thought occurred to him that of the many
emperors who had preceded him, those who had rested their hopes in a multitude of gods, and
served them with sacrifices... had met with an unhappy end" (248). However, the one whom he had
realized to his provider and Shelter and the successful one among most was his father who served
one supreme being. Reilly says, "While one alone, Constantine's father who had pursued an entirely
opposite course, who had condemned their error and honored the Supreme God during his whole
life had found him to be Saviour and Protector of his Empire. and the giver of everything good"
(248). Proceeding this decision to honor his Father's god alone, he prayed for this god to show him a
sign of who this God was. With this prayer, came from the skies, the trophy of a cross which was
used as a safeguard when going into war with his enemies as well their sign that was made of gold
and precious stones (249). Later on he had enquired about what this sign was. He was eager to know
what the vision was that God has gave him. He was informed that this vision meant he was God and
this sign was one of immortality. He was also
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A. D. Constantine's Defender Of The Persecuted Church
Defender of the Faith INTRODUCTION It was 312 A.D. the period of the Persecuted Church was
coming to an end. Constantine dream in which "he claimed to have seen in the sky a shining cross
bearing the motto, "Hoc Signo Vinces – " By this sign thou shalt conquer," (Hurlbut 58, 59) proved
true. At the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Constantine defeated his archenemy Maxentius, "In 313
A.D. Constantine's Edict of Toleration officially put an end to the persecutions" (Hurlbut 59). The
edict brought much positive and negative change both to the church and the state. At that time, new
doctrines and heresies threatened to divide the church. When these controversies surfaced, great
men such as Athanasius defended the Faith, even if it meant putting ... Show more content on
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Even the very creation broke silence at His behest and, marvelous to relate, confessed with one
voice before the cross, that monument of victory, that He Who suffered thereon in the body was not
man only, but Son of God and Savior of all. The sun veiled his face, the earth quaked, the mountains
were rent asunder, all men were stricken with awe. These things showed that Christ on the cross was
God, and that all creation was His slave and was bearing witness by its fear to the presence of its
Master (Athanasius
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The Controversy Of The Council Of Nicaea
The council of Nicaea occurred in the year 325 AD, by order of the Roman Emperor Caesar Flavius
Constantine. Constantine wanted to convert to Christianity,and felt that a meeting of bishops should
be held in order to resolve the controversy of the nature of God;and confusion as to whether God
and Jesus are "two separate substance" or "of one substance." At this time the failing Roman Empire
was under his rule, and could not undergo division due to doctrinal differences. Too Constantine this
was a threat to Christianity, he urged church officials to put their differences aside and to be
"Christlike" agents. The main theological differences that arose were "Who is the Christ? Is He
more divine than human or more human than divine? Was Jesus created or begotten? Being the Son
of God, is He co–equal and co–eternal with the Father, or is He lower in status than the Father? Is
the Father the one true God, or are the Father, Son, and Spirit the one true God?" ... Show more
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Therefore the Council of Nicaea was born. The Arian group was the most controversial within the
groups, mostly because of the heresy. Arius believed that "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." Of course the
other bishop's where offended by his heresy. Arius's conclusion goes completely against the
essential unity and "consubstantiality" of the Holy
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Athanasius Father
Introduction
Of all the early church fathers, only a few would stand up to the story, importance and work of
Athanasius. Not only did he take over as Bishop in one of the most prominent cities of ancient
Rome, he had a very tumultuous life and spent many years in exile for his defense of doctrine and
he steadfast approach to understanding the Trinity, specifically the relationship of Jesus Christ to the
father, and remains controversial to this day. This paper will take an overall look at the life of
Athanasius, his upbringing, the stage that was set for him in Alexandria, and the controversies and
work that surrounded his life, and most of all, showcasing, in their time, some of his most important
works that are still used almost 2000 years ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This writing makes no mention of Arius, but is heavily indoctrinated with the person of Christ, and
the need for Christ to be eternal, and the need for Christ to share fully in the reality of the father.
Athanasius argument is that no creature would have the power to save us as humans. This was both
an attack against Pagan philosophy and Arianism. Written somewhere in the time of 328–335,
Athanasius had enemies on all fronts. The Melitians and the growing Arians, who now had powerful
members outside of Eqypt, both wanted Athanasius removed for different reasons, and set the stage
for his first exile from the
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Arian Controversy Analysis
The Arian Controversy started around the fourth century, with its main "father" being Arius who
"was a popular Presbyter in the Church of Alexandria"(262). The Arian view was seen as against the
church to most people out of the movement, this is because the Arian's seemed to have a very
different view point of Jesus. "Arianism is an absolute monotheism, so that the Son cannot be an
emanation of the Father, or a part of his substance or another being similar to the Father, for any of
these possibilities would deny either the unity or the immaterial nature of God"(262). To put it in
lament terms Jesus is not of the same substance as God. Arian's seem to use the argument that "the
son cannot be without a beginning, for then he would be a 'brother' of the Father and not a Son"
(262). The Arian's also seemed to believe that Jesus was a "creature"(263) created by God. It seems
that a lot of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As well as the planning of the Arians themselves, instead of "attacking the decisions of the great
Council, which was still Constantine's pride, they rather organized attacks upon those individuals
who were the main supporters of the Nicene formula"(274). With these they still fall under the
goodness of Constantine but still were able to cause strives for their movement. After Constantine
passed away the empire was divided between his three sons Constantine II, Constantius, and
Constans. Constantius "was a decided defender of Arianism and of its leader Eusebius of
Nicomedia, who was now bishop of Constantinople"(277). This was a big move for the Arians, this
was the first time that they were favored by an emperor but also the first time they were truly in
power. After this the Arian's "attempted to weaken the Nicene position, not only by attacking its
defenders, but also by producing a series of other creeds that hopefully would be used as
alternatives to that of
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The Creed : The Meaning Of The Nicene Creed
The word creed comes from the Latin credo, the very first word of the Nicene Creed, meaning "I
believe." For generations innumerable since this text was first contrived, Christians have heartily
expressed their beliefs in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but through time these beliefs
have taken different, even opposing views. The heretical teaching of Arius in the AD 4th Century
and Athanasius' counterarguments to it illustrate perfectly the need for a clear and definitive Creed
by which to profess God on earth, for not only is such a creed a summary of one's belief in salvation
through Christ, but also the interpretive framework by which such a belief may flourish and be
maintained. Therefore, it is ever of great importance that the Creed be understood in its fullest
meaning as its author's intended to be, that it delineates who the Son is in the Trinity and how He
died for the sake of mankind so that we might share in His divinity in Heaven.
The early Christians developed several Creeds quickly after the composition of the Canonical
Gospels; indeed, most of the content of the Nicene Creed comes directly from the gospel. Thus, it is
no surprise that the Gospels and the Pauline epistles offer an insightful account of the person of
Christ and the meaning of His Incarnation through time. One such instance is in Paul's letter to the
Philippians, wherein he writes:
[Christ] humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God
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St. Athanasius: On The Incarnation Of The Word
St. Athanasius is of the Patristic period. He was conceived in 296 AD and kicked the bucket in 373
AD. He was the twentieth Bishop of Alexandria. Athanasius is the creator of the work titled, "On the
Incarnation of the Word". In this book St. Athanasius safeguards the incarnation of Christ against the
general population who don't concur with his perspectives on it. He talks about why God
approaches his kin in human shape. This book has affected numerous individuals of the
accompanying religions; Christian Orthodox, Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, and Coptic
Christians.
Holy person Athanasius of Alexandria composes that the Redeemer is additionally the Creator. God
ended up incarnate to reclaim fallen mankind and recharge all creation. What's ... Show more
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To Jews, Christ is a hindrance, however their extremely Scriptures forecast inexhaustibly about his
wonderful birth from a virgin, his demise on the cross, and his revival. All their prediction focuses
to Christ and closures with Christ. To Gentiles, Christ is stupidity. They ridicule Christians yet
neglect to see the habit of their divine beings and symbols. They say that Christians hold to a
conviction unfitting of a God, to be specific, that a God would degrade himself to enter creation. In
any case, Saint Athanasius composes, if Gentiles tune in to their logicians, who hold that the
universe is vivified by the perfect Logos, they would comprehend that these rationalists likewise
take into account the nearness of God in a material body. Plato himself composes of God having
acted the hero the tottering universe. The agnostic divine beings, additionally, are discredited by
Christ's own particular works and those of his devotees, and the agnostic divine beings, being false
divine beings, are feeble to stop the surrender of their previous admirers. Holy person Athanasius
says in the event that you think about the Scriptures yourself, you will take in these things, however
realize that to comprehend the Scriptures, a great life and an unadulterated soul are required. You
can't comprehend without
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The Holy Trinity : Is Not Just For Non Christians?
The Holy Trinity is a difficult thing to understand, much less to explain. This is true not just for
non–Christians, but Christians themselves. The best explanation many young Christians get when
they are growing up is that God is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all one,
but are different in their own ways (such was the case with my own upbringing in a Catholic
household, so I speak from experience). This doesn't seem to make much sense, especially
considering that it is similar to another Holy Mystery that is often brought up: that of Jesus Christ
being wholly man and wholly God at the same time. The answers are more often than not
unsatisfying, seemingly feeling like placeholders, and this frustration is only ... Show more content
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Still, this did not satisfy Constantine, as his intention as Emperor was to have a united empire, and
this included Christians. Christians were divided on many issues at the time, with many following
varying schools of thought that, while similar enough, were different around core ideas. In order to
rectify this, Constantine organized the First Ecumenical Council–the First Council of Nicaea–in 325
CE. He had invited nearly 2,000 bishops from all of Christendom to come to Nicaea to see if
agreements could be made over old disagreements and unite all of the Christians under one, united
Church, with Constantine himself acting as a mediator as much as a host.
Many of the issues brought up at this council were of an organizational and structural nature as to
how and when and what things should be done how and when and where and so on and so forth:
when Easter should be celebrated, prohibition of kneeling on Sundays, baptism of heretics,
ordination of eunuchs, etc. The biggest issue, however, was the question of Jesus Christ and His
nature, His relationship to God the Father, and whether or not he was "created" or not. This issue
had come to a head between two schools of thought: Alexander of Alexandria believed that God the
Father and God the Son were both one and the same and different,
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Redeeming Santa Claus
Santa Claus, is known by many names: Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle and simply
"Santa". He is a figure that has been influenced by legend, myth, folklore and most importantly for
our purposes today. He wears red, is pulled around on a sleigh by a bunch of reindeer and delivers
presents to good children on the 24th of December.
The purpose of my post is not to argue about whether or not to teach kids about the full on mythical
father Christmas; personally I think it is a bad idea to go along with our culture on this; my friend
Clint Archer does a good job of dealing with this issue, click here to read it.
What I hope to do in this article is see if there is anything about Father Christmas that can be
redeemed. Now before you think my optimistic amillenialism has got the best of me, please read on.
The portly, joyous, white–bearded, bespectacled, red coat wearing, black leather belt displaying man
who carries gifts for children in a huge bad really became popular in the USA and Canda in the 19th
century . Thanks to the American media machine this image has been maintained and promulgated
in song, radio, TV, children's books and films. This image was further entrenched in the 20th
century, especially with big corporations like Coka–Cola taking Santa on board their advertising .
If we move back a few generations, some people say that the affinity Santa has for chimney comes
from the pre–Christian era of Northern Europe. It is said to be believed by the Norse that
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Heresy Of Macedonianism Research Paper
The heresy of Macedonianism, also known as the Pneumatomachian heresy, is a 4th century heresy
of the Christian faith that rejected the divinity of the Holy Spirit, believing it to be created by the
Son, therefore being subordinate to the Son and the Father. This specific heresy challenged the
Church to redefine its original definition of the Holy Spirit and add this part into the Nicene Creed:
"And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the
Father and the Son is equally worshipped and glorified," In the end, this heresy was ultimately good
for the Church as it helped the Church clarify its position and ruling on this topic. The leader of this
heresy, Macedonius, was the bishop of Constantinople ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It may have been good in the short and long run by allowing the Church to clarify itself, but there
was no major impact. Sure, it had enough power and size to go up against Arianism, its leader killed
quite a bit of people who disagreed with his beliefs, and it clearly challenged the Catholic faith, but
it was a small blip on the radar of Catholicism. Merely a distraction from the real goal which is to
glorify and worship The Trinity and bring justice to it and its people. The council which condemned
it and basically put it out of its misery was the Second Ecumenical Council and this council was
probably the most unimportant one due to what its topic was and the amount of bishops presiding
over it, that number being a mere 150. All the other Ecumenical Councils had at least 200 or more
bishops presiding over them. This topic was pretty much already brushed under a carpet because of
the Arianism heresy years prior to it. It was merely the final fight of a dying man who most likely
had nothing better to do with his remaining years. The Catholic faith as a whole, not just as the
church, but the whole of it has put up with and persevered through far, far worse things than a
simple heresy, such as the slaughtering and persecution of millions of its own people the outlawing
of it as religion. Now I will admit the Catholic Church has done some stupid, greedy, and
superfluous things such as the Crusades, specifically the Second Crusade, and other such things
involving the slaughter of millions of people or the greedy act of taking money from the poor. If
you're going to lead a religious conquest over the Holy Lands, why not move the whole Church over
there to occupy them if it means so much. They probably would not have lost the Holy Lands again
if they had done that, and there would also not have been as many people dead, which is against the
fifth commandment by the way.
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Eusebius Pamphilus 'Life Of The Blessed Emperor'
The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine Part One is one in a set of four in depth historical
books about the life of Constantine, and is authored by Eusebius Pamphilus (also known as
Eusebius of Caesarea). Eusebius structured this book to follow the history of Constantine from the
time of his birth until the time of Licinius' (Maxamin II Daia) decline into ill health. Eusebius of
Caesarea, born in 260 A.D. and died in 340 A.D, is referred to as "the father of church history" due
to his penchant recording of historical church events. Moreover, Eusebius was an educated man,
which allowed him the skill to record the history of the church as told to him, often times by
witnesses themselves. In addition, Eusebius was a devout Christian. During the year 313, Eusebius
Pamphili was named bishop of Caesarea. It's no surprise why Eusebius writes about Flavius Valerias
Constantinus (Constantine) with not only fervor but veneration in this book. Constantine's father,
Constantius Chlorus, was a devout believer in the Christian God, therefore Eusebius looked
favourably on his governing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Where the book could have improved is by taking out some of the tangents of vigorous adoration
that Eusebius goes on throughout the book and replace it with more of the subtle reasoning behind
his admiration. Constantine is an important figure that should be given due respect and reverence,
but in this literary environment the excessive praise deflects from the historical and bibliographical
intention. In spite of this, Eusebius is able to communicate his thesis and persuade readers using
historical and sacred accounts. Overall this book achieves its goal in providing readers with
historical information and persuading readers to adopt Eusebius'
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The Pros And Cons Of The Council Of Ephesus
To please the Council of Ephesus and the Church, Cyril of Alexandria and John of Antioch agreed
on a compromise that met the concerns of both sides. This compromise stated that Jesus was both
the "perfect God and perfect man composed of rational soul and body...consubstantial to the Father
as to his divinity and consubstantial to us as to his humanity" (Kereszty, pg. 248). This meant that
Jesus was a human of divine nature, recognizing these two physeis. Unfortunately, this compromise
did not last long. After Eutyches was convicted by the synod in Rome, he appealed to other Bishops.
This lead to the rise of the Monophysite movement, headed by Eutyches.
Monophysitism believed that Jesus had one nature rather than the Chalcedonian belief that
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Nicene Creed Beliefs
This investigation attempts to answer the question "To what degree did the Nicene Creed unify
Christian Beliefs?" This question is relevant because Christianity is a common and important
religion in the modern world, with an estimated 22.4% of the world practicing the religion as of
2015; these followers have unified beliefs and practices because of the Nicene Creed, established in
325 CE and later amended in 381 CE, and what's outlined in it. The three primary issues that will be
addressed in this investigation are what the Nicene Creed was, what it meant for Christianity in the
past, and how it still affects the religion today. This investigation will focus on the time period of the
first century to present day and the location mainly investigated ... Show more content on
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In the creed, it states that "[Christians] believe... Lord Jesus Christ [is] ... of the same essence as the
Father..." This portion of the document was primarily written to settle a debate between Arius, a
Libyan Priest and founder of the belief of Subordinationism, the belief that Jesus is not of the same
divinity as God the Father, and Pope Alexander of Alexandria, discussing if God the Father and
Jesus the Son were of the same divinity, which was a very divided argument at the time. The creed
also states that "... [Christians] believe in the Holy Spirit... He proceeds from the Father and the Son,
and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified." This also proclaims belief in the Holy
Spirit and His divinity. In Christianity, the belief of the Holy Trinity is made up of the Father, Son,
and the Holy Spirit, and the creed details on how these three figures are of the same essence and
divinity, and they add up to one Holy God. The Holy Trinity is accepted in many different Christian
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Discuss The Importance And Importance Of The Council Of...
The council of Nicaea was the first Ecumenical Council of Church history. It took place in 325 AD
in the town of Nicaea (Britannica). Nicaea, which is present day Turkey, welcomed multiple
Bishops into its gates in the year that the council took place (Mcguckin). At the council, they
covered various topics of conversation and tried to settle many dogmatic disputes that arose over the
years. Ecumenical councils, like this one, are very important to the Catholic faith. The council of
Nicaea is important to our Catholic faith because it disputed the heresy of Arius, was the council
where the Nicean Creed started to be formed, and restored the peace and belief in one God amongst
the church. To begin, a ecumenical council is a gathering of Bishops, ... Show more content on
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And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the
Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the
prophets.And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for
the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come"
(Brittanica).
Although the creed is called Nicene creed, it was actually created at the Council of Constantinople.
A lot happened at the first council of church history like the ejection of the heresy created by Arius
and the start of the formation of the Nicene
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Argument Of Athanasius And Arius At The Council Of Nicaea
Critically evaluate the arguments of Athanasius and Arius at the Council of Nicaea The Patristic Era
saw various controversies arising over the nature of Jesus Christ, which consequently lead to the
establishment of the creed as an attempt to reject the heretical views held by proponents. An
example of a heretical advocate is Arius, who suggested Christ was inferior to God, but still above
other creatures (McGrath, 2001, p.358). However, early orthodox theologians disputed this idea due
to the soteriological complications that accompanied it (Young, 2010, p.55). The central advocator
of this dispute was Athanasius, who questioned how Arius' belief allowed for salvation through
Jesus Christ, which is a key orthodox belief identified within the Bible. Accordingly, this essay will
critically evaluate the heretical opinion of Arius and determine how this Arian understanding was
discarded by Athanasius and the Nicene Creed. It is important to note that the Arian thought that
will be assessed is primarily presented to us by Athanasius, which will emphasise the conflicting
orthodoxy/heretical opinion that was held. In addition to this, the essay will determine how the
establishment of the creed at the Council of Nicaea, which was greatly influenced by Athanasius
(McGrath 2001, p,12), was a failed attempt to expel all aspects of Arian heresy but a success in
uniting Christians. Firstly, the definition of heresy will be explained as to not discredit Arius'
Chrisitian belief: Heresy is the acceptance of basic Christian principle but interpreting it in terms
that are not consistent with orthodoxy (McGrath, 2001, p.153). Arius, as a Christian, accepted the
supreme authority of an eternal God but he declared God alone is "anarchos" and Jesus has an arche
(Williams, 2001, p.97); the suggestion of Jesus' created existence makes him a distinctly separate
nature from God. This a direct rejection of the Council of Nicaea's declaration of Jesus having the
same essence of God; therefore, this Arian belief is a heresy through refusal not misinterpretation.
This heretical view is further fought against through Athanasius' extensive focus on Jesus' death and
the implications that this had on humanity as told by the Bible
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St. Athanasius Against Arian Heresy
St. Athanasius Against the Arian Heresy
The St. Athanasius greatly impacted the Arian heresy. The Arian heresy was very well rooted, and
St. Athanasius is recognized as the main Church Father to fight it. The heresy of Arianism started in
the early 300s. It was starting to gain followers, so the Church called for the Council of Nicea. The
Nicene Creed was made during this Council, and it rebuked the teachings of Arianism, which made
it an heresy. Arianism soon rose back from the ashes, and many Church members were turning to it
out of fear or corruption. St. Athanasius stayed strong throughout all of this, continuing to preach
and write of the heresies of Arianism. He survived five exiles and died peacefully in his bed in the
Alexandrian See. Arianism didn't just appear out of thin air, it had a start just like all other heresies.
The founder of Arianism was Arius. Arius was a priest in Alexandria, who had studied in Antioch.
Some of the subjects of his studies were the works of Origen, Neoplatonism, and Gnosticism. He
then started to preach that Jesus was sent by the Father, however not equal to the Father. He said that
Jesus was only called the 'Son of God' because of his heroics. Athanasius was the main opponent of
this heresy, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Circular Letter was in response to Gregory of Cappadocia's intrusion into the Alexandrian See.
He wrote about Gregory sending Jews and barbarians into the churches of Alexandria to attack the
people, how the Jews were making sacrifices of birds on the altar, and how monks were beaten and
killed. He also wrote that Gregory allowed these men to plunder the church, in order to win them
over fully. Athanasius then shows in his writing how Gregory was supported by the Arians, and that
the Arians are doing this to keep him out. Athanasius ends the letter with an appeal to the other
members of the Church to get Gregory out of
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Athanasius: On The Incarnation
Athanasius was an Egyptian theologian and philosopher. Born in 293, he defended the Christian
faith against nonbelievers and fought against heresy until his death in 373. He was educated in
Alexandria and traveled throughout Europe and Northern Africa, spending his time involved in
councils and furthering his influence of his Orthodox faith. He had a major role in the Council of
Sardica and the Synod of Alexandria. The three major works of his lifetime, including, On the
Incarnation, focus on Christology and the holy Trinity.
On the Incarnation is a defense of Christ's incarnation to nonbelievers. Aimed at heretics,
Athanasius explains and support essentials of the Christian faith. Before addressing the incarnation
of Christ, Athanasius ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"Thus by His own power He restored the whole nature of man" (10). The restoration of humanity
meant "condemnation has come to an end; and now that, by the grace of the resurrection, corruption
has been banished and done away" (21). Two crucial results arose out of Jesus' sacrifice. The first
included the changed perception of death in terms of human nature, and, the second, was giving
humans hope and a new beginning through means of resurrection. The crucifixion and resurrection
of Jesus go hand in hand with each other and our salvation could not have been achieved any other
way. The resurrection of Christ demonstrated God's victory over death and led to the new, fearless
nature of humans regarding death. Humans began to treat death "like a tyrant who has been
completely conquered by the legitimate monarch...[they are] no longer afraid...because of the king
who has conquered him" (27). We are no longer afraid of death because we know if we are
righteous, we will be blessed and we will resurrect to live an eternal life in God's kingdom. Those
"who believe in Christ no longer die, as men died
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The Council Of Nicaea As An Anti Arian Creed
Controversy
The Council of Nicaea which met in 325 was called by Constantinople in reaction against Arianism.
The Nicene Creed was produced at the Council of Nicaea as an "anti–Arian Creed" (Lane 29). The
Council of Nicaea held that Jesus comes from God, Jesus was at the same level of authority as God,
Jesus is, "Son of God, not a creature"( Lane 29), Jesus is, "'of one substance with the Father
[homoousio]" ( Lane 29).
The Council of Constantinople was called in 381 by Theodosius in reaction against three heresies.".
The Council of Constantinople argued against 'Arianism'
Chalcedon by asserting equality and individuality of the trinity (Lane 40). The Council argued
against Macedonianism by asserting the equality of the Holy Spirit in the trinity (Lane 40). Finally
the Council argued against Apollinarianism by asserting Jesus's humanity (Lane 40)
Marcian the emperor called The Council of Chalcedon in 451 ( Lane 60) in reaction against four
heresies. The Council's 'Definition' fought against Arius by proclaiming Jesus's full deity, it fought
against Apollinaris by proclaiming Jesus's "full humanity" ( Lane 61), it fought against Nestorius by
arguing that deity and humanity are equal in Jesus, and finally they argued against Eutyches by
arguing that deity and humanity should not be confused. According to Lane, "Its teaching can be
summarized in the phrase 'one person in two natures'"(Lane 61).
Outcome
The Council of Nicaea determined, " ...the full deity, but less
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The Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed was created in two great church councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, who
sought to deal with the divinity of Christ and that of the spirit which had been challenged by a priest
from Alexandria. The prayer begins with an affirmation of the belief in God, where it apparently
identifies Him as the only creator. Nevertheless, it does not mean that Jesus and the Spirit did not
take part in the act of creation, as the Creed identifies the Spirit as the giver of life and through the
Son, things were made. By taking the phrases in the prayer in turns, it could provide an elaborate
clarification. The fourth, which is quite controversial considers Jesus and the Creator as one, which
leads to enquiring further clarification. One of
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The Nicene Creed Essay
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the
first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325. At that time, the text ended after the
words "We believe in the Holy Spirit", after which an anathema was added. The doctrine of the
Trinity is commonly expressed as: "One God, three Persons", but this word "Trinity" does not
appear in the Bible. So the doctrine is formally defined in the Nicene Creed, which declares Jesus to
be: "God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance
with the Father." in 325, the Council of Nicea set out to officially define the relationship of the Son
to the Father, in response to the controversial teachings of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Even during numerous exiles, Athanasius continued to be a vigorous defender of Nicene
Christianity against Arianism. Athanasius then famously said "Athanasius against the world". The
Cappadocian Fathers also took up the torch; their Trinitarian discourse was influential in the council
at Constantinople.Up until about 360, theological debates mainly dealt with the Divinity of Jesus,
the 2nd person of the Trinity. However, because the Council of Nicaea had not clarified the divinity
of the Holy Spirit, the 3rd person of the Trinity, it became a topic of debate.
The council affirmed the original Nicene Creed of faith as true and an accurate explanation of
Scripture. This council also developed a statement of faith which included the language of Nicaea,
but expanded the discussion on the Holy Spirit to combat the heresy of the Pneumatomachi. It is
called the Nicene Creed of 381 and was a commentary on the original Nicene formula. It expanded
the third article of the creed dealing with the Holy Spirit, as well as some other changes. About the
Holy Spirit the article of faith said he is "the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father,
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified". The statement of proceeding from the
Father is seen as significant because it established that the Holy Spirit must be of the same being as
God the Father.
ESSAY 3
The second– and third–century African theologian Tertullian took exception to this widespread
doctrine.
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
The Arguments Of Athanasius And Arius At The Council Of...
Critically evaluate the arguments of Athanasius and Arius at the Council of Nicaea
The Patristic Era saw various controversies arising over the nature of Jesus Christ, which
consequently lead to the establishment of the creed as an attempt to reject the heretical views held
by proponents. An example of a heretical advocate is Arius, who suggested Christ was inferior to
God, but still above other creatures (McGrath, 2001, p.358). However, early orthodox theologians
disputed this idea due to the soteriological complications that accompanied it (Young, 2010, p.55).
The central advocator of this dispute was Athanasius, who questioned how Arius' belief allowed for
salvation through Jesus Christ, which is a key orthodox belief identified ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
This heretical view is further fought against through Athanasius' extensive focus on Jesus' death and
the implications that this had on humanity as told by the Bible (Young, 2010, p.55); Romans (10:9)
explicitly states Jesus is the Lord and the only route to salvation. So it can be argued, if Jesus is not
God, as Arius suggests, then it is not possible for humanity to reach salvation, which results in
diminishment of the purpose of Christian faith. Thus, it is acceptable to assume that the Nicene
Creed's assertion of the homoousious relationship of God and Jesus, as a rejection of Arianism, was
essential to early Christian theology because it provided certainty for the establishment of the faith.
Although the consubstantial nature of Jesus and God was confirmed at Nicaea, it wasn't definitively
defined because Arians responded with another heretical view: Jesus and God were homoiousious.
The belief that God and Jesus were only similar in nature allowed for subordinationism to manifest,
which was a heresy that asserted God the Father was superior to Jesus and the Holy Spirit
(Williams, 2001, p.133). So this belief accepts the Trinity but has misinterpreted the orthodox
declaration of the idea. Arius told of the unequal glories amongst each "distinct being" within the
Trinity (Williams, 2001, p.102). This was scorned by Athanasius who knew of the homoousious
relationship through scripture (Colossians 2:9), which is how God expresses
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
Persian Wars Vs Pax Romana
Persian Wars
Who/What: The Persian war was a war between Persia and Greece That was led by King Darius I
When: Persian Wars starting happening around 500 BCE–499 BCE
Where: The Persian Wars took place in Greece.
How: The Persian war was the prevailing force. At the point when the Greeks defeated them, they
got to be overwhelming and Greek beliefs and culture was spread all through the world.
Pax Romana
Who/What: Pax Romana was the peace that existed between nationalities
When: The Pax Romana occurred from 31 BCE to 180 BCE
Where: The Pax Romana took place in Rome
How: It was important because it was a time of peace.
Polis
Who/What: Polis was the ordinary structure of a group in the old Greek world. A polis consisted of
an urban focus, regularly fortified and with a consecrated ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Hellenistic and Hellenic is identifying with Greek history, dialect, and culture from the death of
Alexander the Great to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony by Octavian in 31 BCE. During
this period Greek culture thrived, spreading through the Mediterranean and into the Close East and
Asia and focusing on Alexandria in Egypt and Pergamum in Turkey. Hellenistic and Hellenic has
many different kinds of similarities and differences such as art, philosophy, and religion. Hellenistic
art was engaged more on perfection of the human frame, accuracy and detail. Models from Greek
times looked more God–like than human. Hellenic art depended on the new thought of authenticity.
Hellenic figures were molded into sensible, blamed human structures. Art in the Hellenic world art
epitomized richness, cheerful nature, and coarse with. Marble statues and reliefs described human
greatness and sensuality. Art in Hellenistic world emphasize extraordinary naturalism and
unashamed luxury. Art in Hellenistic and Hellenic showed feelings and other components filled with
different
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

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Development Of Doctrine In The Christian Church

  • 1. Development of Doctrine in the Christian Church The very first example of the development of doctrine in the Christian Church was planted in late antiquity. In Alexandria, a minister named Arius gained notoriety around the mid–fourth century due to public criticism of his bishop, Alexander of Alexandria, and sparked what is now called the Arian Controversy . Lasting almost sixty years, this doctrinal conflict pervaded the early Christian Church and necessitated many ecumenical councils, including the Council of Nicaea in 325 which dealt primarily with Christology. In the legacy of this era, orthodoxy claims Arius as a heretic. Much work from this side of the argument lasts, a major one being Athanasius' On the Incarnation. In his apologetic treatise, St. Athanasius, a student under the aforementioned Alexander of Alexandria, responds to Arian claims that the Son [Jesus], a created being, is demoted equal to man. However, not much more than three unquestionable letters of Arius remain arguably, completely untainted by his opponents providing a sense of Arius' real thoughts. These are Arius' letters to Eusebius of Nicomedia (318), to Alexander of Alexandria (320), and to Emperor Constantine (327) . In light of these letters as the primary expositions of Arius' doctrine, one sees that Arius' sincere attempts to unite traditional biblical language with radical philosophical ideas and techniques are understandably overlooked by his opponents. The Arian doctrine of denial of the divine status of Christ needs to be ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 2. What Is The Christian Pentecost? What Happened? Diego Chavez TH–120–11 Theology Prof. James Crosson February 22nd 2016 For Part One: 1) 1)What is the CHRISTIAN PENTECOST? What happened? To whom? And where? Pentecost is when the Holy Spirit came on the early followers of Jesus. It happened a few weeks after Jesus' death and resurrection, there were followers of Jesus, but no movement that could be meaningfully called "the church." Thus, from an historical point of view, Pentecost is the day on which the church was started. This is also true from a spiritual perspective, since the Spirit brings the church into existence and enlivens it. It became with Three thousand new believers in Pentecost. 2) Who led the new religion in Jerusalem? Who led the new religion outside of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... How did he become a Christian? What did he do after he converted? What was the name he took after he converted? Saul of Tarsus known as Apostle Paul was not one of the Twelve Apostles but he is considered one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age. He founded several churches in Asia Minor and Europe. Paul took advantage of his status as both a Jew and a Roman citizen to minister to both Jewish and Roman audiences. According to The Bible he was called Saul and he was dedicated to the persecution of the early disciples of Jesus in the area of Jerusalem. While, Paul was traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus on a mission to "bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem", the resurrected Jesus appeared to him in a great light. He was struck blind, but after three days his sight was restored by Ananias of Damascus, and Paul began to preach that Jesus of Nazareth is the Jewish Messiah and the Son of God. 4) Give four distinct facts about SAUL OF TARSUS (not repeating any of the information in #3). Paul was not physically impressive, nor was he a very good speaker. Paul was educated in Jerusalem under the famous Jewish teacher Gamaliel. Paul participated in the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Paul was the most prominent apostle in the early Church because he was so effective at forming Christian communities. 5) Who were the GOD FEARERS? Be sure to give the complete answer. A God fearer was a member of a ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 3. Constantine The Great : The Reign Of Constantine The Great The reign of Constantine the Great marks the transition of the Christian religion from under persecution by the secular government to union with the same, beginning the state–church system (Schaff, pg., 4). However, following Jesus's death, resurrection, and ascension, many questions arose about Christ, his nature, and in answer to those, different hypocritical positions arose. In the fourth and fifth centuries, the early Church Fathers gathered to discuss and agree to a common, Biblical view of Christ in response to some erroneous views. These were the Councils of Nicaea (325 A.D.), Constantinople (381 A.D.), and Chalcedon (451 A.D.). 2. The Outcome The first Ecumenical Council, (meaning that it involved and bound all Church traditions), was the Council of Nicaea. This council met as a response to Arianism (named after Arius of Alexandria) which denied that Jesus the Son is eternal, but rather made by God and therefore, inferior to God. He proposed, "before [the Son] was begotten or created or defined or established, he was not for he was not unbegotten" (Bingham, pg., 46) as well as "the Son has a beginning, but God is without beginning" (Bingham, pg., 46). Constantine, the Emperor of both the East and the West felt compelled to intervene, thus calling the Council of Nicene in June of 325. This resulted in the Creed of Nicea, which "condemned Arianism resulting in an anti–Arian creed" (Lane, pg., 29). The Nicea Creed concluded, "Jesus shared the Father' divine ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 4. Arian Controversy Analysis In the 4th and 5th centuries, the early church was going through change. After a period of persecution against Christians, the Edict of Milan established a policy for the toleration of Christianity under Constantine. Constantine was the first Roman emperor to embrace Christianity and he himself became a Christian. The Ecumenical Councils were encouraged by Constantine. The gatherings included church leaders and others who met to affirm the teachings of the church and to tackle heresy. The topic of controversy was over the relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Arian controversy caused Constantine to call for the Council of Nicaea, which was the first of the Ecumenical Councils. Arias denied the deity of Jesus. He believed that Jesus was subordinate to God the Father and that the Holy Spirit was subordinate to Jesus. Arias believed that the Father was God, but Jesus and the Holy Spirit were not. Instead, he believed that Jesus was a creature who had a beginning, while God was eternal and had no beginning. He did not believe that Jesus was "of the same substance [homoousios]" of the Father. Athanasius stood up at the Council of Nicaea and opposed the beliefs of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... I believe that the Nicene Creed is supported by Scripture. John 1:14 says, "The Word [Logos] became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." And 1 John 5:7–8 says, "For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement." I find it encouraging that leaders of the 4th and 5th century church helped define and defended the Trinity doctrine from heresy. It is important that contemporary Christians learn about the Nicene Creed because it is part of the history that brought us [the invisible church] to where we are, ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 5. The Council Of Nicae The Authority Of The Roman Empire Essay THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA In 325 AD, Constantine the leader of the Roman Empire convened a council of three hundred Bishops to unite the Christian sects under his church, the Universal Church of Rome. Constantine himself was a leader of the cult of Sol Invictus (Invisible Sun). The council formed came to be known as the Council of Nicaea. The Council of Nicaea, is the first ecumenical council of the Christian church, in ancient Nicaea which was located in Asia Minor, east of Constantinople now İznik, Turkey. Constantine hoped the council would help solve the problem of Arianism, a "heresy" and schism first promulgated by Arius of Alexandria. POLITICAL IMPACT OF THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA The Arian "heresy" had penetrated parts of the Church all the way from Alexandria to Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor and Greece. "Heresy" was the term used to describe what former bishops had been teaching: "God is One, without partners" which happens to be the theme throughout the Old Testament. When the pagan Romans wanted Christianity to be the official church of the Holy Empire, they needed to rethink the concept of God; this concept not only vitiated the core of the Christian doctrine from within, but also endangered the Roman Empire itself. Constantine as the leader of the Empire decided to take action and remedy the situation. The falling Roman Empire, under Constantine's rule, could not withstand the division caused by doctrinal differences. The emperor saw the differences within the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 6. The, The Roman Empire, And Councils Of The Early Church Arius, the Roman Empire, and Councils of the Early Church Christianity came to a crossroads during the fourth century. Previously, there had been gaps in Church teaching, and so some people began to fill those gaps. One of those people was Arius. Arius was born in 256 A.D. in Libya, but moved to Alexandria, Egypt and became a presbyter there. He began to teach about Jesus as a creature created by God the Father, and so therefore not God. This was seen by many early Christians as a possibility, as there had not previously been any official teaching set, and many of them started to follow Arius. Though the Church experienced some struggle with this heresy, in the end it was made stronger because it was forced to set theological beliefs. The Christian Church was advanced in the fourth century through struggles with the Arian heresy, a drastic change in the Roman Empire, and the combination of the Empire and Church to combat heresy. Arius' teaching called to question multiple beliefs of Christians that had not yet been established. First, Arius taught that God the Father is one, singular God.1 He derived this principle from the beliefs of Judaism, from which Christianity was born. According to Arius, God has some qualities that only he can possess2, making him uniquely alone and unequal to any other thing. One of those qualities possessed by God is that he is "ingenerate." This means that he had no beginning in time: he always was. He is also perfect, which brings ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 7. The Church Went Through A Period Of Cruel Persecution INTRODUCTION The Church went through a period of cruel persecution under various Roman Empire emperors prior to the 4th century. The church also had to go through the issue with heretics inside the church. During this crucial period in church history, one of the important theological and ecclesiastical question concerned Christology. Christology deals with the life of Jesus Christ. One bishop, Arius, taught that Jesus was not God the Son. God providentially sent a man, St. Athanasius, to defend the Lord's church. St. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, became an important figure in church history. The cconflict with Arius and the successive Roman emperors shaped Athanasius 's ministry career. Why is Athanasius important for the life ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... His work affects issues in the church today. For example, "The Jehovah's Witnesses, in their rejection of the deity of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity, not only follow in the footsteps of Arius, but hold him up as one of the great defenders of the "true" faith". "Alexandria was a leading commercial and cultural center in the Mediterranean world, second only to Rome itself". "...Alexandria became a great Christian learning center, the home of the great catechetical school of Christian instruction..." this is the place where Athanasius would get his education. More importantly, "The background to the conflict lay in the church of Alexandria". St. Athanasius was born around the year AD 297 to a Christian family in the city of Alexandria. His parents were wealthy enough to afford giving him a fine secular education. At the young age of 10 years old, in A.D. 306, there was a baptism ritual with other children. Playing the part of a church official, he baptized one of the children during this sacrament of baptism. He impressed the bishop of Alexandria, Alexander, which he became one of his disciples. He writes his treaties to Macarius, true lover of Christ. "In 318 Athanasius wrote his most famous work, De Incarnatione Verbi (On the Incarnation of the Word"), which shows the influence of Irenaeus and Origen; the incarnate Logos was divine and restored ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 8. Christianity And Christianity Of Christianity Being some of the biggest religions in the world today, Christianity and Catholicism are considered to be symbols of stability, comfort, and security because of its strong faith. This, however, has not always been true. Over the course of hundreds of thousands of years, Christianity and Catholicism have gone through tremendous changes through different major events in history. Ranging from the Council of Nicaea–the early church community prior to 1054–to the Spanish Colonization of the New World–prior to 1900–to the Second Vatican Council–after 1900–all of these events created waves of change in these religions and helped form them into what they are today. At the dawn of Christianity, many differing beliefs existed. Small factions, without leadership, practiced their own interpretations of their faith. Due to its nature as a persecuted religion, it was difficult for the early church to establish a semblance of leadership. After Constantine's legalization and implementation of Christianity in 313 A.D., it became clear that Catholics needed to consolidate their beliefs. This wasn't accomplished until 325 A.D. when the Council of Nicaea was convened. There were many motivations for holding the council, including: the deliberation on the nature of God and Jesus Christ and what it meant to be Christian among others. The Council of Nicaea was a very important meeting where 300 bishops from across the Roman Empire met to discuss different administrative and theological ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 9. Reaffirming Jesus : How Convictions Challenged By... Daniel Barabino Jesus through the Centuries Dr. Millicent Feske 5 April 2017 Reaffirming Jesus: How Convictions Challenged by Conflicting Evidence Yield Stronger Beliefs Jesus has been presented to me in a consistent way from my youth beginning in kindergarten through my high school experience. My initial understanding of Jesus is that he is a fully human, fully divine savior that serves as a teacher for his historical peers through contemporary times. The conceptions and understanding I have of Jesus had not been contested, challenged or questioned until I came to St. Joseph's. While my original ideas of Jesus have largely remained unchanged throughout the course, they have been significantly strengthened through exploring and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This division is knowledge is largely attributed to the scientific revolution. For example, in early India, God was said to be present where priests were left silent. This ancient understanding of divinity was rooted solely in mythos. As science developed and rose to a paramount discipline with the likes of Copernicus and Newton, religion was tested against a logos way of thinking. Because of this, people demanded that science yield proof of biblical accuracies and so were born atheism and fundamentalism. People were reading the Bible far too literally (which was not nearly as pervasive a thought prior to the scientific revolution), and concurrently the certainty that began being expected of the Bible was too demanding. Interpreters of the Bible began holding up something to the laws of logos, that is intrinsically grounded in mythos Theres a misconception that a scientist cannot be involved in organized religion, that these two systems are diametrically opposed. Scientists are only "supposed" to be believe in the observable and quantifiable things that we can physically have proof of, and religion is seen as fundamentally against everything being a scientist is about. This thinking really helped me to better understand Jesus, and perhaps more generally God an organized religion. I am a skeptical and rational person (perhaps because my father is scientist), but that does not preclude me from believing or participating in religion. I do ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 10. Nestorius And Apollinarianism During the 3d and 4th centuries controversy among the leaders and population due to the rising questioning of the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ. At the beginning of the fourth century, the First Council of Nicaea was convened to come against the heretical teachings of Arius. Arius, a presbyter from Alexandria, who along with his followers believed that "before [the Son] was begotten or created or defined or established, he was not for he was not unbegotten and that the Son had a beginning but God has no beginning." (Bingham, D. Jeffrey. Pocket History of the Church. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2002. Print.) Therefore according to Arius, Jesus Christ was not eternal nor divine but only possessed divine attributes. As time went on Arianism still was a problem in the church. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... At the Council of Constantinople, Apollinarianism, taught by Apollinaris the Younger, Bishop of Laodicea, which stated that while Christ, the Logos, had been made flesh then He had to have both a sensitive soul and a rational soul as well as free will. According to Apollinarianism, where there is free will, there is the presence of sin. This coincided with the Council of Chalcedon with contended against the heresy of Nestorius and Nestorianism, which "sacrificed the unity of Christ's person for the fullness of deity and humanity." (Bingham, D. Jeffrey. Pocket History of the Church. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2002. Print.). as well as Eutychianism, which supported the idea that Jesus Christ was of one nature only and. This heresy was also known as monophysitism, which held that Jesus Christ had only one nature, a mixture of both divine and human ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 11. The Nicene Creed: The Arian Controversy Introduction In the fourth century, the Arian controversy caused considerable theological discussion and upheaval over the definition of faith. In an effort to bring unity, Emperor Constantine summoned a council to rule on Arius's position, that "affirmed a kind of Trinity made up of three "divine" beings (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), only one of whom is truly God." Through the guidance of Alexander of Alexandria and Athanasius, orthodox doctrine would prevail, and the emperor would decree that Arius's teaching was heresy and banished him. Subsequently, the council recognized the necessity of writing an indisputable definition of faith, which affirmed orthodoxy against Arian heterodoxy. Alexander and Athanasius would be directly involved in this aspect of the proceedings. Although Alexander had prominence, Athanasius significantly affected the development of Trinitarian theology through his uncompromising opposition to Arianism. Additionally, his rhetoric as well as assistance to Alexander directly influenced the words chosen for the Nicene Creed. Therefore, this paper identifies the impact that Athanasius had in establishing the Nicene Creed as the unifying creed among the church at the First Council of Nicaea (AD 325). Arian Background Without the Arian controversy, the proceedings of the First Council of Nicaea (AD 325) ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... While scholars still debate on the motives for Eusebius of Caesarea's proposal to use the creed of his own church, the fact remains that the council used a Syrian or Palestinian baptismal creed as the basis for its formation. However, in its presented form by Eusebius, the creed could have been compromised by unorthodox principles. Therefore, the use of non–biblical terms was formulated to create a unifying and compulsory creed. The creed's word homoousios can be attributed to Athanasius's involvement in discussions concerning its technical language. Identical ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 12. Peter And The Council Of Nicaea Essay Explain the Significance of Peter, Paul, Constantine and the Council of Nicaea, and the Schism of 1054 Peter: Initially Peter was known as Saul. He was the first disciple of Jesus who lived as a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee until he was called, along with his brother Andrew, by Jesus. The important even of being called by Jesus is recorded in early Matthew, "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him." (Matthew 4:18–20 KJV) While he is credited for writing only two books found in the new testament, and being an attendee of the Last Supper, he still fulfilled the augury found in Matthew, "Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." (Matthew 26:34) After Peter did this, he proved Jesus to be correct. When Peter did this he verified Jesus's insight and is another example of the truth of the Bible. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... His full time occupation was to find and persecute Christians. In the new testament book of Acts says, "As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison." (Acts 8:3 KJV) He was later miraculously converted to Christianity deeper into the book of Acts, "Then Saul, filled with the Holy Ghost set eyes on him." (Acts 13:9 KJV) After converting he became a leading missionary of early Christianity. He wrote thirteen books of what is now known as the new testament. Many churches in Asia and Greece were founded by Paul, he even kept correspondence with them throughout his life. In conclusion, Paul was exceptionally influential on helping build ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 13. Saint Athanasius of Alexandria and the Council of Nicaea Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, also referred to as Athanasius the Great, led Alexandria as the twentieth bishop for forty–five years during the fourth century. Although Athanasius is regarded as serving as bishop for almost fifty years, the saint spent over seventeen of those years in exile for various reasons. A renowned Christian theologian, Athanasius was known for his defense of the Trinity, and his deep–rooted hatred for Arius and his followers, the Arians. Around 356, after Athanasius was almost arrested during a vigil service, he decided to flee to Upper Egypt. During his time spent there, he completed his most notable work Four Orations Against the Arians. The text brings up a variety of claims that the Arians make, and Athanasius's responses to their so–called heretical nature. Although Athanasius uses Scriptural evidence to argue against the Arians, his writing style is cruel and belittling: an inappropriate way for a leader to address the people of the Empire. After reading a great deal of Athanasius's own works, as well as texts concerning the role of Athanasius throughout the fourth century, it has become evident that St. Athanasius of Alexandria impacted the Trinitarian Controversy most significantly through his noteworthy orations, his role at the Council of Nicaea, and most importantly, his commitment to the betterment of the Catholic Church. Athanasius is known as a Church Father, a renowned Christian theologian, and a defender of Trinitarianism. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 14. The Holy Of The Roman Empire The Libyan born Presbyter and theologian, Arius (d. 336), believed that Jesus was created by god and therefore not eternal. He taught many things in his church in Alexandria and he attempted to address complexities such as the divinity of Christ in relation to God according to monotheism. Perhaps God had a reason for the work of Arius in the Empire. Until now the church hadn't resolved an issue of this magnitude and Arius brought it to the main stage. Perhaps Arius was meant to argue for the sake of change within the church according to God's ultimate design, saving the dissolution of the Roman Empire. In this paper I will describe the beliefs held by Arius on eternity and the divinity of Jesus, as well as the issue of Monotheism in both points of view and the controversy that enveloped. I will then talk about the views and response of the church to Arius' teachings and the reasoning behind the formation of the Council of Nicaea, as well as attempt to prove that Arius was wrong in his belief. Lastly I will discuss the influence of Emperor Constantine in the formation of the council and the politics within the church in regards to the growing issue that Arius started, as well as explain the role of argumentation that Arius had (knowingly or unknowingly) in the preservation of the church according to God's ultimate plan for Christianity. Politics aside Arius is an interesting man. A presbyter from the north Egyptian city of Alexandria, "he was described as a learned and ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 15. The Iconoclast Controversy The iconoclast controversy, initiated by Leo III and solidified by decree by Emperor Constantine V and his allies through the Council of Hiereia, was a violent and theologically divisive struggle which transcended dispute over the material with a Christological partition. The controversy between iconoclast and iconophile lasted for some time, and was a matter that consisted both of physical violence and persecution of the iconophiles and physical destruction of icons, the immediate and primary source of the issue. The veneration of icons, to the iconoclasts, signified worshipping an idol; therefore, the idolatry of venerating icons was a violation of past ecumenical dogma, a violation of Biblical decrees, and a denial of the hypostatic union of Jesus, as a material object ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Iconoclasts went so far as to incite violence at the first attempt at a council, which led to a more careful placement of the second, which became the Second Council of Nicaea. The iconoclasts used theological arguments through established doctrine and Scripture to establish valid grounds upon which they justified their stance on the subject of icons. By doing this, they made it a necessity for an ecumenical council to respond, as do all matters of faith when they are contested by heretical thinking. The only way to safely put an end to the matter was to do what had been done at the Council of Hiereia, thus making it an official Church stance. If previous councils had been cited in the iconoclast attempt to justify the destruction of icons, the established decree of a new council would put an end to the claim that the Church had not ever validated the veneration of icons. The matter could only be settled in the same way it had become a problem, and that was through inclusion into the dogma of the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 16. Athanasius On The Incarnation Athanasius' On the Incarnation In the year 325 A.D., the Council of Nicaea met and addressed the question of who Christ is. The council revolved around a belief known as Arianism, which was started by a priest named Arius. Arius denied that Jesus is divine. He claimed that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are nothing more than God's creatures. The Council of Nicaea, however, rejected Arianism and affirmed that Jesus was not created like all other things were. They said that Jesus and God share the same divine substance, which means that Jesus is one with God the Father. Essentially, Jesus is God. Saint Athanasius, who was a bishop of Alexandria at the time of the Nicene council, shared a similar theology to that set out in the council. Athanasius ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... He made it his mission to conquer death and bring back all those who had been led astray. Athanasius refers to a verse from the gospel of Luke to show that scripture tells the story of God's plan. "I came to seek and to save which was lost." (Luke 19:10) An interesting thing that Athanasius does in his writings is that he explains things by raising questions that one might ask and providing his answers for them. He answers the questions through logic of the faith. When discussing what God did to save the world, he raises the question: "Since, then, human beings had become so irrational and demonic deceit was thus overshadowing every place and hiding the knowledge of the true God, what was God to do?" (62). God knew what he had to do to undo all the corruption that existed among humans and that was to become human himself. Athanasius tells us that God "sojourned as a human being, taking to himself a body like theirs," (64). Jesus is the Word that God sent and the Word was God becoming man, which means that the Word of God is God himself. God worked through his son Jesus to make himself present to the people. Athanasius again turns to scripture to show that Jesus' works were all part of God's plan to save humanity. "If I do not do the works of my Father, do not believe me; but if I do, even if you don't believe me, believe my works, that you might know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 17. Aaeus Influence On Christianity On June 325, at least 220 bishops were present at the council of Nicaea condemning Arius interpretation of Jesus Christ and the divine trinity. As a result, it "produced an anti–Arian creed, the Creed of Nicea." Arius was a presbyter teaching a radical view of Jesus Christ and the trinity. Arius believed that the Son was a creature with a beginning, therefore, it was not "possible to have a hierarchy of divine beings." His viewpoints, believes, faith, and passion is "found today in the Jehovah's Witnesses." This council divided the church in "two half–truths confronting one another – the full deity of Jesus Christ (Nicea) and his eternal distinctness from the Father (Origen)." In fact, the identity of Christ and the trinity completely changes the way that we live as Christians. Without a clear view, one cannot have a clear understanding of Christianity. This is a unique time in Christian history. However, it continues to compromise the absolute truth of Jesus Christ. In fact, due to this misunderstanding as early as the second century there were monks "who lived an especially ascetic life" Trying to earn God's favor of salvation by keeping certain rituals and ceremonies. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... In fact, three heresies were condemned at the council of Constantinople (381); then, the council of Ephesus (431) which meet to resolve the controversy between Cyril and Nestorius; then, the council of Chalcedon (451), which condemned four ancient heresies: "In Jesus Christ, true deity (against Arius) and full humanity (against Apollinaris) are indivisibly united in the one person (against Nesorius), without being confused (against Eutyches)." This led to the creation of the basic creed for Christianity. True Christianity is knowing who Jesus Christ is in relationship to God, the Holy Spirit and ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 18. Life of Constantine History May 6, 2013 Dr. Kletter Eusebius : Life of Constantine The Life of Constantine, written by Eusebius of Caesarea (260–339 C.E) is a story written in the memory of Constantine the Great. The tone somewhat seems to be giving high praise to Constantine commenting on the deeds of Constantine. Kevin Reilly states, "The emperor's historian Eusebius recognized both the importance of the emperor and the role of the empire in the success of Christianity in the winning the Roman Empire"(246). Eusebius who is also called Eusebius of Caesarea and Eusebius Pamphili was a Roman Historian and Christian Polemicist. He later became the Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine. He wrote other things besides the Life of Constantine. He wrote other ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Constantine researched on emperors before him and saw reasons for their demise with a dishonorable end. Worshipping multiple gods had led to the downfall of the ones who led before him. Reilly states, "While engaged in enquiry, the thought occurred to him that of the many emperors who had preceded him, those who had rested their hopes in a multitude of gods, and served them with sacrifices... had met with an unhappy end" (248). However, the one whom he had realized to his provider and Shelter and the successful one among most was his father who served one supreme being. Reilly says, "While one alone, Constantine's father who had pursued an entirely opposite course, who had condemned their error and honored the Supreme God during his whole life had found him to be Saviour and Protector of his Empire. and the giver of everything good" (248). Proceeding this decision to honor his Father's god alone, he prayed for this god to show him a sign of who this God was. With this prayer, came from the skies, the trophy of a cross which was used as a safeguard when going into war with his enemies as well their sign that was made of gold and precious stones (249). Later on he had enquired about what this sign was. He was eager to know what the vision was that God has gave him. He was informed that this vision meant he was God and this sign was one of immortality. He was also ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 19. A. D. Constantine's Defender Of The Persecuted Church Defender of the Faith INTRODUCTION It was 312 A.D. the period of the Persecuted Church was coming to an end. Constantine dream in which "he claimed to have seen in the sky a shining cross bearing the motto, "Hoc Signo Vinces – " By this sign thou shalt conquer," (Hurlbut 58, 59) proved true. At the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, Constantine defeated his archenemy Maxentius, "In 313 A.D. Constantine's Edict of Toleration officially put an end to the persecutions" (Hurlbut 59). The edict brought much positive and negative change both to the church and the state. At that time, new doctrines and heresies threatened to divide the church. When these controversies surfaced, great men such as Athanasius defended the Faith, even if it meant putting ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Even the very creation broke silence at His behest and, marvelous to relate, confessed with one voice before the cross, that monument of victory, that He Who suffered thereon in the body was not man only, but Son of God and Savior of all. The sun veiled his face, the earth quaked, the mountains were rent asunder, all men were stricken with awe. These things showed that Christ on the cross was God, and that all creation was His slave and was bearing witness by its fear to the presence of its Master (Athanasius ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 20. The Controversy Of The Council Of Nicaea The council of Nicaea occurred in the year 325 AD, by order of the Roman Emperor Caesar Flavius Constantine. Constantine wanted to convert to Christianity,and felt that a meeting of bishops should be held in order to resolve the controversy of the nature of God;and confusion as to whether God and Jesus are "two separate substance" or "of one substance." At this time the failing Roman Empire was under his rule, and could not undergo division due to doctrinal differences. Too Constantine this was a threat to Christianity, he urged church officials to put their differences aside and to be "Christlike" agents. The main theological differences that arose were "Who is the Christ? Is He more divine than human or more human than divine? Was Jesus created or begotten? Being the Son of God, is He co–equal and co–eternal with the Father, or is He lower in status than the Father? Is the Father the one true God, or are the Father, Son, and Spirit the one true God?" ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Therefore the Council of Nicaea was born. The Arian group was the most controversial within the groups, mostly because of the heresy. Arius believed that "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." Of course the other bishop's where offended by his heresy. Arius's conclusion goes completely against the essential unity and "consubstantiality" of the Holy ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 21. Athanasius Father Introduction Of all the early church fathers, only a few would stand up to the story, importance and work of Athanasius. Not only did he take over as Bishop in one of the most prominent cities of ancient Rome, he had a very tumultuous life and spent many years in exile for his defense of doctrine and he steadfast approach to understanding the Trinity, specifically the relationship of Jesus Christ to the father, and remains controversial to this day. This paper will take an overall look at the life of Athanasius, his upbringing, the stage that was set for him in Alexandria, and the controversies and work that surrounded his life, and most of all, showcasing, in their time, some of his most important works that are still used almost 2000 years ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This writing makes no mention of Arius, but is heavily indoctrinated with the person of Christ, and the need for Christ to be eternal, and the need for Christ to share fully in the reality of the father. Athanasius argument is that no creature would have the power to save us as humans. This was both an attack against Pagan philosophy and Arianism. Written somewhere in the time of 328–335, Athanasius had enemies on all fronts. The Melitians and the growing Arians, who now had powerful members outside of Eqypt, both wanted Athanasius removed for different reasons, and set the stage for his first exile from the ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 22. Arian Controversy Analysis The Arian Controversy started around the fourth century, with its main "father" being Arius who "was a popular Presbyter in the Church of Alexandria"(262). The Arian view was seen as against the church to most people out of the movement, this is because the Arian's seemed to have a very different view point of Jesus. "Arianism is an absolute monotheism, so that the Son cannot be an emanation of the Father, or a part of his substance or another being similar to the Father, for any of these possibilities would deny either the unity or the immaterial nature of God"(262). To put it in lament terms Jesus is not of the same substance as God. Arian's seem to use the argument that "the son cannot be without a beginning, for then he would be a 'brother' of the Father and not a Son" (262). The Arian's also seemed to believe that Jesus was a "creature"(263) created by God. It seems that a lot of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... As well as the planning of the Arians themselves, instead of "attacking the decisions of the great Council, which was still Constantine's pride, they rather organized attacks upon those individuals who were the main supporters of the Nicene formula"(274). With these they still fall under the goodness of Constantine but still were able to cause strives for their movement. After Constantine passed away the empire was divided between his three sons Constantine II, Constantius, and Constans. Constantius "was a decided defender of Arianism and of its leader Eusebius of Nicomedia, who was now bishop of Constantinople"(277). This was a big move for the Arians, this was the first time that they were favored by an emperor but also the first time they were truly in power. After this the Arian's "attempted to weaken the Nicene position, not only by attacking its defenders, but also by producing a series of other creeds that hopefully would be used as alternatives to that of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 23. The Creed : The Meaning Of The Nicene Creed The word creed comes from the Latin credo, the very first word of the Nicene Creed, meaning "I believe." For generations innumerable since this text was first contrived, Christians have heartily expressed their beliefs in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but through time these beliefs have taken different, even opposing views. The heretical teaching of Arius in the AD 4th Century and Athanasius' counterarguments to it illustrate perfectly the need for a clear and definitive Creed by which to profess God on earth, for not only is such a creed a summary of one's belief in salvation through Christ, but also the interpretive framework by which such a belief may flourish and be maintained. Therefore, it is ever of great importance that the Creed be understood in its fullest meaning as its author's intended to be, that it delineates who the Son is in the Trinity and how He died for the sake of mankind so that we might share in His divinity in Heaven. The early Christians developed several Creeds quickly after the composition of the Canonical Gospels; indeed, most of the content of the Nicene Creed comes directly from the gospel. Thus, it is no surprise that the Gospels and the Pauline epistles offer an insightful account of the person of Christ and the meaning of His Incarnation through time. One such instance is in Paul's letter to the Philippians, wherein he writes: [Christ] humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 24. St. Athanasius: On The Incarnation Of The Word St. Athanasius is of the Patristic period. He was conceived in 296 AD and kicked the bucket in 373 AD. He was the twentieth Bishop of Alexandria. Athanasius is the creator of the work titled, "On the Incarnation of the Word". In this book St. Athanasius safeguards the incarnation of Christ against the general population who don't concur with his perspectives on it. He talks about why God approaches his kin in human shape. This book has affected numerous individuals of the accompanying religions; Christian Orthodox, Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, and Coptic Christians. Holy person Athanasius of Alexandria composes that the Redeemer is additionally the Creator. God ended up incarnate to reclaim fallen mankind and recharge all creation. What's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... To Jews, Christ is a hindrance, however their extremely Scriptures forecast inexhaustibly about his wonderful birth from a virgin, his demise on the cross, and his revival. All their prediction focuses to Christ and closures with Christ. To Gentiles, Christ is stupidity. They ridicule Christians yet neglect to see the habit of their divine beings and symbols. They say that Christians hold to a conviction unfitting of a God, to be specific, that a God would degrade himself to enter creation. In any case, Saint Athanasius composes, if Gentiles tune in to their logicians, who hold that the universe is vivified by the perfect Logos, they would comprehend that these rationalists likewise take into account the nearness of God in a material body. Plato himself composes of God having acted the hero the tottering universe. The agnostic divine beings, additionally, are discredited by Christ's own particular works and those of his devotees, and the agnostic divine beings, being false divine beings, are feeble to stop the surrender of their previous admirers. Holy person Athanasius says in the event that you think about the Scriptures yourself, you will take in these things, however realize that to comprehend the Scriptures, a great life and an unadulterated soul are required. You can't comprehend without ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 25. The Holy Trinity : Is Not Just For Non Christians? The Holy Trinity is a difficult thing to understand, much less to explain. This is true not just for non–Christians, but Christians themselves. The best explanation many young Christians get when they are growing up is that God is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all one, but are different in their own ways (such was the case with my own upbringing in a Catholic household, so I speak from experience). This doesn't seem to make much sense, especially considering that it is similar to another Holy Mystery that is often brought up: that of Jesus Christ being wholly man and wholly God at the same time. The answers are more often than not unsatisfying, seemingly feeling like placeholders, and this frustration is only ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Still, this did not satisfy Constantine, as his intention as Emperor was to have a united empire, and this included Christians. Christians were divided on many issues at the time, with many following varying schools of thought that, while similar enough, were different around core ideas. In order to rectify this, Constantine organized the First Ecumenical Council–the First Council of Nicaea–in 325 CE. He had invited nearly 2,000 bishops from all of Christendom to come to Nicaea to see if agreements could be made over old disagreements and unite all of the Christians under one, united Church, with Constantine himself acting as a mediator as much as a host. Many of the issues brought up at this council were of an organizational and structural nature as to how and when and what things should be done how and when and where and so on and so forth: when Easter should be celebrated, prohibition of kneeling on Sundays, baptism of heretics, ordination of eunuchs, etc. The biggest issue, however, was the question of Jesus Christ and His nature, His relationship to God the Father, and whether or not he was "created" or not. This issue had come to a head between two schools of thought: Alexander of Alexandria believed that God the Father and God the Son were both one and the same and different, ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 26. Redeeming Santa Claus Santa Claus, is known by many names: Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle and simply "Santa". He is a figure that has been influenced by legend, myth, folklore and most importantly for our purposes today. He wears red, is pulled around on a sleigh by a bunch of reindeer and delivers presents to good children on the 24th of December. The purpose of my post is not to argue about whether or not to teach kids about the full on mythical father Christmas; personally I think it is a bad idea to go along with our culture on this; my friend Clint Archer does a good job of dealing with this issue, click here to read it. What I hope to do in this article is see if there is anything about Father Christmas that can be redeemed. Now before you think my optimistic amillenialism has got the best of me, please read on. The portly, joyous, white–bearded, bespectacled, red coat wearing, black leather belt displaying man who carries gifts for children in a huge bad really became popular in the USA and Canda in the 19th century . Thanks to the American media machine this image has been maintained and promulgated in song, radio, TV, children's books and films. This image was further entrenched in the 20th century, especially with big corporations like Coka–Cola taking Santa on board their advertising . If we move back a few generations, some people say that the affinity Santa has for chimney comes from the pre–Christian era of Northern Europe. It is said to be believed by the Norse that ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 27. Heresy Of Macedonianism Research Paper The heresy of Macedonianism, also known as the Pneumatomachian heresy, is a 4th century heresy of the Christian faith that rejected the divinity of the Holy Spirit, believing it to be created by the Son, therefore being subordinate to the Son and the Father. This specific heresy challenged the Church to redefine its original definition of the Holy Spirit and add this part into the Nicene Creed: "And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is equally worshipped and glorified," In the end, this heresy was ultimately good for the Church as it helped the Church clarify its position and ruling on this topic. The leader of this heresy, Macedonius, was the bishop of Constantinople ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... It may have been good in the short and long run by allowing the Church to clarify itself, but there was no major impact. Sure, it had enough power and size to go up against Arianism, its leader killed quite a bit of people who disagreed with his beliefs, and it clearly challenged the Catholic faith, but it was a small blip on the radar of Catholicism. Merely a distraction from the real goal which is to glorify and worship The Trinity and bring justice to it and its people. The council which condemned it and basically put it out of its misery was the Second Ecumenical Council and this council was probably the most unimportant one due to what its topic was and the amount of bishops presiding over it, that number being a mere 150. All the other Ecumenical Councils had at least 200 or more bishops presiding over them. This topic was pretty much already brushed under a carpet because of the Arianism heresy years prior to it. It was merely the final fight of a dying man who most likely had nothing better to do with his remaining years. The Catholic faith as a whole, not just as the church, but the whole of it has put up with and persevered through far, far worse things than a simple heresy, such as the slaughtering and persecution of millions of its own people the outlawing of it as religion. Now I will admit the Catholic Church has done some stupid, greedy, and superfluous things such as the Crusades, specifically the Second Crusade, and other such things involving the slaughter of millions of people or the greedy act of taking money from the poor. If you're going to lead a religious conquest over the Holy Lands, why not move the whole Church over there to occupy them if it means so much. They probably would not have lost the Holy Lands again if they had done that, and there would also not have been as many people dead, which is against the fifth commandment by the way. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 28. Eusebius Pamphilus 'Life Of The Blessed Emperor' The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine Part One is one in a set of four in depth historical books about the life of Constantine, and is authored by Eusebius Pamphilus (also known as Eusebius of Caesarea). Eusebius structured this book to follow the history of Constantine from the time of his birth until the time of Licinius' (Maxamin II Daia) decline into ill health. Eusebius of Caesarea, born in 260 A.D. and died in 340 A.D, is referred to as "the father of church history" due to his penchant recording of historical church events. Moreover, Eusebius was an educated man, which allowed him the skill to record the history of the church as told to him, often times by witnesses themselves. In addition, Eusebius was a devout Christian. During the year 313, Eusebius Pamphili was named bishop of Caesarea. It's no surprise why Eusebius writes about Flavius Valerias Constantinus (Constantine) with not only fervor but veneration in this book. Constantine's father, Constantius Chlorus, was a devout believer in the Christian God, therefore Eusebius looked favourably on his governing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Where the book could have improved is by taking out some of the tangents of vigorous adoration that Eusebius goes on throughout the book and replace it with more of the subtle reasoning behind his admiration. Constantine is an important figure that should be given due respect and reverence, but in this literary environment the excessive praise deflects from the historical and bibliographical intention. In spite of this, Eusebius is able to communicate his thesis and persuade readers using historical and sacred accounts. Overall this book achieves its goal in providing readers with historical information and persuading readers to adopt Eusebius' ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 29. The Pros And Cons Of The Council Of Ephesus To please the Council of Ephesus and the Church, Cyril of Alexandria and John of Antioch agreed on a compromise that met the concerns of both sides. This compromise stated that Jesus was both the "perfect God and perfect man composed of rational soul and body...consubstantial to the Father as to his divinity and consubstantial to us as to his humanity" (Kereszty, pg. 248). This meant that Jesus was a human of divine nature, recognizing these two physeis. Unfortunately, this compromise did not last long. After Eutyches was convicted by the synod in Rome, he appealed to other Bishops. This lead to the rise of the Monophysite movement, headed by Eutyches. Monophysitism believed that Jesus had one nature rather than the Chalcedonian belief that ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 30. Nicene Creed Beliefs This investigation attempts to answer the question "To what degree did the Nicene Creed unify Christian Beliefs?" This question is relevant because Christianity is a common and important religion in the modern world, with an estimated 22.4% of the world practicing the religion as of 2015; these followers have unified beliefs and practices because of the Nicene Creed, established in 325 CE and later amended in 381 CE, and what's outlined in it. The three primary issues that will be addressed in this investigation are what the Nicene Creed was, what it meant for Christianity in the past, and how it still affects the religion today. This investigation will focus on the time period of the first century to present day and the location mainly investigated ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... In the creed, it states that "[Christians] believe... Lord Jesus Christ [is] ... of the same essence as the Father..." This portion of the document was primarily written to settle a debate between Arius, a Libyan Priest and founder of the belief of Subordinationism, the belief that Jesus is not of the same divinity as God the Father, and Pope Alexander of Alexandria, discussing if God the Father and Jesus the Son were of the same divinity, which was a very divided argument at the time. The creed also states that "... [Christians] believe in the Holy Spirit... He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified." This also proclaims belief in the Holy Spirit and His divinity. In Christianity, the belief of the Holy Trinity is made up of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and the creed details on how these three figures are of the same essence and divinity, and they add up to one Holy God. The Holy Trinity is accepted in many different Christian ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 31. Discuss The Importance And Importance Of The Council Of... The council of Nicaea was the first Ecumenical Council of Church history. It took place in 325 AD in the town of Nicaea (Britannica). Nicaea, which is present day Turkey, welcomed multiple Bishops into its gates in the year that the council took place (Mcguckin). At the council, they covered various topics of conversation and tried to settle many dogmatic disputes that arose over the years. Ecumenical councils, like this one, are very important to the Catholic faith. The council of Nicaea is important to our Catholic faith because it disputed the heresy of Arius, was the council where the Nicean Creed started to be formed, and restored the peace and belief in one God amongst the church. To begin, a ecumenical council is a gathering of Bishops, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come" (Brittanica). Although the creed is called Nicene creed, it was actually created at the Council of Constantinople. A lot happened at the first council of church history like the ejection of the heresy created by Arius and the start of the formation of the Nicene ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 32. Argument Of Athanasius And Arius At The Council Of Nicaea Critically evaluate the arguments of Athanasius and Arius at the Council of Nicaea The Patristic Era saw various controversies arising over the nature of Jesus Christ, which consequently lead to the establishment of the creed as an attempt to reject the heretical views held by proponents. An example of a heretical advocate is Arius, who suggested Christ was inferior to God, but still above other creatures (McGrath, 2001, p.358). However, early orthodox theologians disputed this idea due to the soteriological complications that accompanied it (Young, 2010, p.55). The central advocator of this dispute was Athanasius, who questioned how Arius' belief allowed for salvation through Jesus Christ, which is a key orthodox belief identified within the Bible. Accordingly, this essay will critically evaluate the heretical opinion of Arius and determine how this Arian understanding was discarded by Athanasius and the Nicene Creed. It is important to note that the Arian thought that will be assessed is primarily presented to us by Athanasius, which will emphasise the conflicting orthodoxy/heretical opinion that was held. In addition to this, the essay will determine how the establishment of the creed at the Council of Nicaea, which was greatly influenced by Athanasius (McGrath 2001, p,12), was a failed attempt to expel all aspects of Arian heresy but a success in uniting Christians. Firstly, the definition of heresy will be explained as to not discredit Arius' Chrisitian belief: Heresy is the acceptance of basic Christian principle but interpreting it in terms that are not consistent with orthodoxy (McGrath, 2001, p.153). Arius, as a Christian, accepted the supreme authority of an eternal God but he declared God alone is "anarchos" and Jesus has an arche (Williams, 2001, p.97); the suggestion of Jesus' created existence makes him a distinctly separate nature from God. This a direct rejection of the Council of Nicaea's declaration of Jesus having the same essence of God; therefore, this Arian belief is a heresy through refusal not misinterpretation. This heretical view is further fought against through Athanasius' extensive focus on Jesus' death and the implications that this had on humanity as told by the Bible ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 33. St. Athanasius Against Arian Heresy St. Athanasius Against the Arian Heresy The St. Athanasius greatly impacted the Arian heresy. The Arian heresy was very well rooted, and St. Athanasius is recognized as the main Church Father to fight it. The heresy of Arianism started in the early 300s. It was starting to gain followers, so the Church called for the Council of Nicea. The Nicene Creed was made during this Council, and it rebuked the teachings of Arianism, which made it an heresy. Arianism soon rose back from the ashes, and many Church members were turning to it out of fear or corruption. St. Athanasius stayed strong throughout all of this, continuing to preach and write of the heresies of Arianism. He survived five exiles and died peacefully in his bed in the Alexandrian See. Arianism didn't just appear out of thin air, it had a start just like all other heresies. The founder of Arianism was Arius. Arius was a priest in Alexandria, who had studied in Antioch. Some of the subjects of his studies were the works of Origen, Neoplatonism, and Gnosticism. He then started to preach that Jesus was sent by the Father, however not equal to the Father. He said that Jesus was only called the 'Son of God' because of his heroics. Athanasius was the main opponent of this heresy, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... The Circular Letter was in response to Gregory of Cappadocia's intrusion into the Alexandrian See. He wrote about Gregory sending Jews and barbarians into the churches of Alexandria to attack the people, how the Jews were making sacrifices of birds on the altar, and how monks were beaten and killed. He also wrote that Gregory allowed these men to plunder the church, in order to win them over fully. Athanasius then shows in his writing how Gregory was supported by the Arians, and that the Arians are doing this to keep him out. Athanasius ends the letter with an appeal to the other members of the Church to get Gregory out of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 34. Athanasius: On The Incarnation Athanasius was an Egyptian theologian and philosopher. Born in 293, he defended the Christian faith against nonbelievers and fought against heresy until his death in 373. He was educated in Alexandria and traveled throughout Europe and Northern Africa, spending his time involved in councils and furthering his influence of his Orthodox faith. He had a major role in the Council of Sardica and the Synod of Alexandria. The three major works of his lifetime, including, On the Incarnation, focus on Christology and the holy Trinity. On the Incarnation is a defense of Christ's incarnation to nonbelievers. Aimed at heretics, Athanasius explains and support essentials of the Christian faith. Before addressing the incarnation of Christ, Athanasius ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... "Thus by His own power He restored the whole nature of man" (10). The restoration of humanity meant "condemnation has come to an end; and now that, by the grace of the resurrection, corruption has been banished and done away" (21). Two crucial results arose out of Jesus' sacrifice. The first included the changed perception of death in terms of human nature, and, the second, was giving humans hope and a new beginning through means of resurrection. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus go hand in hand with each other and our salvation could not have been achieved any other way. The resurrection of Christ demonstrated God's victory over death and led to the new, fearless nature of humans regarding death. Humans began to treat death "like a tyrant who has been completely conquered by the legitimate monarch...[they are] no longer afraid...because of the king who has conquered him" (27). We are no longer afraid of death because we know if we are righteous, we will be blessed and we will resurrect to live an eternal life in God's kingdom. Those "who believe in Christ no longer die, as men died ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 35. The Council Of Nicaea As An Anti Arian Creed Controversy The Council of Nicaea which met in 325 was called by Constantinople in reaction against Arianism. The Nicene Creed was produced at the Council of Nicaea as an "anti–Arian Creed" (Lane 29). The Council of Nicaea held that Jesus comes from God, Jesus was at the same level of authority as God, Jesus is, "Son of God, not a creature"( Lane 29), Jesus is, "'of one substance with the Father [homoousio]" ( Lane 29). The Council of Constantinople was called in 381 by Theodosius in reaction against three heresies.". The Council of Constantinople argued against 'Arianism' Chalcedon by asserting equality and individuality of the trinity (Lane 40). The Council argued against Macedonianism by asserting the equality of the Holy Spirit in the trinity (Lane 40). Finally the Council argued against Apollinarianism by asserting Jesus's humanity (Lane 40) Marcian the emperor called The Council of Chalcedon in 451 ( Lane 60) in reaction against four heresies. The Council's 'Definition' fought against Arius by proclaiming Jesus's full deity, it fought against Apollinaris by proclaiming Jesus's "full humanity" ( Lane 61), it fought against Nestorius by arguing that deity and humanity are equal in Jesus, and finally they argued against Eutyches by arguing that deity and humanity should not be confused. According to Lane, "Its teaching can be summarized in the phrase 'one person in two natures'"(Lane 61). Outcome The Council of Nicaea determined, " ...the full deity, but less ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 36. The Nicene Creed The Nicene Creed was created in two great church councils of Nicaea and Constantinople, who sought to deal with the divinity of Christ and that of the spirit which had been challenged by a priest from Alexandria. The prayer begins with an affirmation of the belief in God, where it apparently identifies Him as the only creator. Nevertheless, it does not mean that Jesus and the Spirit did not take part in the act of creation, as the Creed identifies the Spirit as the giver of life and through the Son, things were made. By taking the phrases in the prayer in turns, it could provide an elaborate clarification. The fourth, which is quite controversial considers Jesus and the Creator as one, which leads to enquiring further clarification. One of ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 37. The Nicene Creed Essay The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325. At that time, the text ended after the words "We believe in the Holy Spirit", after which an anathema was added. The doctrine of the Trinity is commonly expressed as: "One God, three Persons", but this word "Trinity" does not appear in the Bible. So the doctrine is formally defined in the Nicene Creed, which declares Jesus to be: "God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father." in 325, the Council of Nicea set out to officially define the relationship of the Son to the Father, in response to the controversial teachings of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Even during numerous exiles, Athanasius continued to be a vigorous defender of Nicene Christianity against Arianism. Athanasius then famously said "Athanasius against the world". The Cappadocian Fathers also took up the torch; their Trinitarian discourse was influential in the council at Constantinople.Up until about 360, theological debates mainly dealt with the Divinity of Jesus, the 2nd person of the Trinity. However, because the Council of Nicaea had not clarified the divinity of the Holy Spirit, the 3rd person of the Trinity, it became a topic of debate. The council affirmed the original Nicene Creed of faith as true and an accurate explanation of Scripture. This council also developed a statement of faith which included the language of Nicaea, but expanded the discussion on the Holy Spirit to combat the heresy of the Pneumatomachi. It is called the Nicene Creed of 381 and was a commentary on the original Nicene formula. It expanded the third article of the creed dealing with the Holy Spirit, as well as some other changes. About the Holy Spirit the article of faith said he is "the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified". The statement of proceeding from the Father is seen as significant because it established that the Holy Spirit must be of the same being as God the Father. ESSAY 3 The second– and third–century African theologian Tertullian took exception to this widespread doctrine. ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 38. The Arguments Of Athanasius And Arius At The Council Of... Critically evaluate the arguments of Athanasius and Arius at the Council of Nicaea The Patristic Era saw various controversies arising over the nature of Jesus Christ, which consequently lead to the establishment of the creed as an attempt to reject the heretical views held by proponents. An example of a heretical advocate is Arius, who suggested Christ was inferior to God, but still above other creatures (McGrath, 2001, p.358). However, early orthodox theologians disputed this idea due to the soteriological complications that accompanied it (Young, 2010, p.55). The central advocator of this dispute was Athanasius, who questioned how Arius' belief allowed for salvation through Jesus Christ, which is a key orthodox belief identified ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... This heretical view is further fought against through Athanasius' extensive focus on Jesus' death and the implications that this had on humanity as told by the Bible (Young, 2010, p.55); Romans (10:9) explicitly states Jesus is the Lord and the only route to salvation. So it can be argued, if Jesus is not God, as Arius suggests, then it is not possible for humanity to reach salvation, which results in diminishment of the purpose of Christian faith. Thus, it is acceptable to assume that the Nicene Creed's assertion of the homoousious relationship of God and Jesus, as a rejection of Arianism, was essential to early Christian theology because it provided certainty for the establishment of the faith. Although the consubstantial nature of Jesus and God was confirmed at Nicaea, it wasn't definitively defined because Arians responded with another heretical view: Jesus and God were homoiousious. The belief that God and Jesus were only similar in nature allowed for subordinationism to manifest, which was a heresy that asserted God the Father was superior to Jesus and the Holy Spirit (Williams, 2001, p.133). So this belief accepts the Trinity but has misinterpreted the orthodox declaration of the idea. Arius told of the unequal glories amongst each "distinct being" within the Trinity (Williams, 2001, p.102). This was scorned by Athanasius who knew of the homoousious relationship through scripture (Colossians 2:9), which is how God expresses ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...
  • 39. Persian Wars Vs Pax Romana Persian Wars Who/What: The Persian war was a war between Persia and Greece That was led by King Darius I When: Persian Wars starting happening around 500 BCE–499 BCE Where: The Persian Wars took place in Greece. How: The Persian war was the prevailing force. At the point when the Greeks defeated them, they got to be overwhelming and Greek beliefs and culture was spread all through the world. Pax Romana Who/What: Pax Romana was the peace that existed between nationalities When: The Pax Romana occurred from 31 BCE to 180 BCE Where: The Pax Romana took place in Rome How: It was important because it was a time of peace. Polis Who/What: Polis was the ordinary structure of a group in the old Greek world. A polis consisted of an urban focus, regularly fortified and with a consecrated ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ... Hellenistic and Hellenic is identifying with Greek history, dialect, and culture from the death of Alexander the Great to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony by Octavian in 31 BCE. During this period Greek culture thrived, spreading through the Mediterranean and into the Close East and Asia and focusing on Alexandria in Egypt and Pergamum in Turkey. Hellenistic and Hellenic has many different kinds of similarities and differences such as art, philosophy, and religion. Hellenistic art was engaged more on perfection of the human frame, accuracy and detail. Models from Greek times looked more God–like than human. Hellenic art depended on the new thought of authenticity. Hellenic figures were molded into sensible, blamed human structures. Art in the Hellenic world art epitomized richness, cheerful nature, and coarse with. Marble statues and reliefs described human greatness and sensuality. Art in Hellenistic world emphasize extraordinary naturalism and unashamed luxury. Art in Hellenistic and Hellenic showed feelings and other components filled with different ... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...