Schools of heresy from Church History

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History of Arianism and key proponents

Arianism is a Christian heresy that originated in the 4th century AD. It was named after Arius, a priest from Alexandria, Egypt. Arius taught that Jesus Christ was not fully divine, but was instead a created being. He argued that the Son was subordinate to the Father and that he was not co-eternal with him.

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    Arianism was condemned as a heresy by the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. However, it continued to be a popular belief for many years. Arianism was finally defeated in the 5th century AD, when the Council of Chalcedon affirmed the full divinity of Jesus Christ. Some of the key proponents of Arianism include:

• Arius (3rd-4th century)
• Eunomius (4th century)
• Aetius (4th century)
• Eutyches (5th century)

Description of its tenets The main tenets of Arianism are as follows:

• Jesus Christ is not fully divine.
• The Son is subordinate to the Father.
• Jesus was not co-eternal with the Father.
• Jesus was created by the Father.

Arianism also denied the Holy Trinity, the doctrine that God is three persons in one: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Comparison against true doctrines The true doctrine of the Trinity is that God is one being in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Son is fully divine and co-eternal with the Father. He was not created by the Father, but was eternally begotten of the Father. The Bible teaches the true doctrine of the Trinity in many places. For example, in the Gospel of John, Jesus says, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). In the book of Ephesians, Paul says, "There is one God and one Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:6). Application - What do those false beliefs lead to? The false beliefs of Arianism lead to a number of problems, including:

• It undermines the authority of Jesus Christ.
• It denies the true nature of God.
• It leads to confusion and division within the church.
• It can lead to a loss of faith in God.

Examples of contemporary teachers or faiths that embrace those heresies There are a number of contemporary teachers and faiths that embrace the heresies of Arianism. Some of these include:

• The Jehovah's Witnesses
• The Church of Christ, Scientist
• The Unitarian Universalist Church
• The Universal Life Church

It is important to be aware of these heresies and to be able to defend the true doctrine of the Trinity. The Trinity is a central doctrine of the Christian faith, and it is essential to our understanding of God.