Politics and Theology at Nicaea. Constantine, Ossius and Eusebius of Nicomedia
Politics and Theology at Nicaea. Constantine, Ossius and Eusebius of Nicomedia
Author(s): RIST John M.Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Political Theory, Theology and Religion, Religion and science , Politics and religion, History of Religion
Published by: Editura Doxologia
Keywords: homoousios; subordinationism; homoiousios; imperial religion; Arianism; heresy;
Summary/Abstract: This paper aims to demonstrate what actually happened (rather than what is often assumed to have happened) at the Council of Nicaea. That involves rejecting the view that what happened was that a well-established ‘orthodoxy’ was challenged by Arius, an obvious heretic in the eyes of almost everyone. Rather, what happened at the Council was that orthodoxy was at least in part established in a rejection of various types of rather popular subordinationism. It will also be shown that the widespread belief that Athanasius played a major role at the Council (rather than after it) is mistaken and that the chief conciliar ‘players’ were Ossius, Alexander, Arius, Eusebius of Nicomedia and the Emperor Constantine himself. In the course of this demonstration, the ambiguity of the word ‘homoousios’ will be an important theme.
Journal: Teologie şi Viaţă
- Issue Year: CI/2025
- Issue No: 1-4
- Page Range: 8-42
- Page Count: 35
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF
