How the Arian Dispute Began

Although religion, as we have shown, was flourishing at this time, the churches were nevertheless troubled by bitter disputes. For under the pretext of piety and of seeking a more perfect knowledge of God, certain questions were stirred up that had never been examined until then. Arius was the originator of these disputes. He was a presbyter of the church at Alexandria in Egypt. At first he was a zealous thinker about doctrine, and he supported the innovations of Melitius. Eventually, however, he abandoned that opinion and was ordained deacon by Peter, bishop of Alexandria. Peter later cast him out of the church, because when Peter anathematized the zealous followers of Melitius and rejected their baptism, Arius attacked him for doing so and could not be kept quiet. After Peter’s martyrdom Arius asked Achillas for forgiveness. He was restored to his office as deacon and later raised to the rank of presbyter. Afterward Alexander, too, held him in high regard, since he was a most skillful logician; for it was said that he did not lack that kind of knowledge. [a]

He fell into absurd talk, so that he dared to preach in the church what no one before him had ever suggested: that the Son of God was made out of what had not existed before; that there was a time when he did not exist; that, since he had free will, he was capable of both vice and virtue; and that he was created and made. As he went further into argument and detailed inquiry, he added many other assertions like these. Those who heard these teachings put forward blamed Alexander for not opposing innovations that were at odds with doctrine. But the bishop thought it better to leave each side free to discuss the doubtful questions, so that they might give up their quarrel through persuasion rather than force. So he sat as judge with some of his clergy and brought both sides into a debate. But on this occasion it happened, as it usually does in a war of words, that each side claimed the victory. Arius defended his assertions, but the others contended that the Son is of one substance with the Father and coeternal with him. The council met a second time and argued over the same points, but they reached no agreement among themselves. During the debate Alexander seemed to lean first to one side and then to the other. In the end, however, he declared himself for those who affirmed that the Son was of one substance with the Father and coeternal with him, and he commanded Arius to accept this teaching and to reject his former opinions. But Arius would not be persuaded to obey, and many of the bishops and clergy thought his statement of doctrine was correct. So Alexander expelled him from the church, together with the clergy who agreed with him.

Those of the diocese of Alexandria who had embraced his opinions were the presbyters Aithales, Achillas, Carpones, Sarmates, and Arius, and the deacons Euzoius, Macarius, Julius, Menas, and Helladius. Many of the people also sided with them: some because they imagined their teachings were from God, others, as often happens in such cases, because they believed they had been badly treated and unjustly excommunicated. With matters at Alexandria in this state, the partisans of Arius thought it wise to seek the favor of the bishops of other cities, and they sent delegations to them. They sent them a written statement of their teachings, asking that, if the bishops judged such views to be from God, they would tell Alexander not to trouble them; but if they disapproved of the teachings, they should teach them what they ought to believe. This precaution was no small advantage to them, for in this way their teachings were spread everywhere, and the questions they had raised became matters of debate among all the bishops. Some wrote to Alexander begging him not to receive the partisans of Arius into communion unless they renounced their opinions, while others wrote urging the opposite course.

Alexander saw that many who were revered for the appearance of good conduct, and who carried weight through persuasive eloquence, held with the party of Arius. Chief among them was Eusebius, who presided over the church of Nicomedia, a man of considerable learning and highly regarded at the palace. So Alexander wrote to the bishops of every church, asking them not to hold communion with them. This step only kindled the zeal of each side all the more, and, as might be expected, the conflict grew more and more heated. Eusebius and his partisans had often petitioned Alexander but could not persuade him. Considering themselves insulted, they grew indignant and became more determined than ever to support the teaching of Arius. They convened a synod in Bithynia and wrote to all the bishops, asking them to hold communion with the Arians as with people who made a true confession of faith, and to require Alexander to hold communion with them as well. Since Alexander could not be forced to comply, Arius sent messengers to Paulinus, bishop of Tyre, to Eusebius Pamphilus, who presided over the church of Caesarea in Palestine, and to Patrophilus, bishop of Scythopolis. He asked permission for himself and his followers, since they had already reached the rank of presbyter, to gather the people who were with them into a church. For it was the custom in Alexandria, as it still is today, that all the churches should be under one bishop, but that each presbyter should have his own church in which to gather the people. These three bishops, together with others assembled in Palestine, granted Arius’s request and allowed him to gather the people as before. But they told him to submit to Alexander, and they commanded Arius to strive without ceasing to be restored to peace and communion with him.