Arius Disputes with Alexander, His Bishop

After Peter, bishop of Alexandria, had suffered martyrdom under Diocletian, Achillas was installed as bishop, and Alexander succeeded him during the time of peace mentioned above. Alexander, fearlessly carrying out his work of teaching and governing the church, one day attempted, in the presence of his presbyters and the rest of his clergy, to explain that great mystery of theology, the unity of the Holy Trinity, in perhaps too philosophical detail. One of the presbyters under his authority, a man named Arius, who had no small skill in logic, imagined that the bishop was subtly teaching the same view of this subject as Sabellius the Libyan. From love of controversy he took the position opposite to the Libyan’s, and, as he thought, answered the bishop’s words vigorously. This is what he said: “If the Father begot the Son, then the one who was begotten had a beginning of existence. From this it is clear that there was a time when the Son was not. It follows necessarily that he had his substance from nothing.” [a]