Search for the Christian Doctrine of God : The Arian Controversy, 318-381

by Hanson, R. P. C.

• ISBN13: 9780801031465
• ISBN10: 080103146X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-03-01
• Publisher: Baker Academic

Summary

A comprehensive look at the doctrine of God in the early church, examing extant sources from Nicea to Constantinople.

Author Biography

R. P. C. Hanson (1916-1988) was Lightfoot Professor of Divinity, University of Durham; professor of theology, University of Nottingham; and professor of historical and contemporary theology, University of Manchester. His numerous scholarly publications include Allegory and Event: A Study of the Sources and Significance of Origen's Interpretation of Scripture.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
List of Abbreviations	xiv
Introduction	xvii
PART I The Origins
Chapter 1: What did Arius Teach?	3	(16)
1. Arius' Career up to 318	3	(2)
2. Arius' Own Words	5	(11)
3. The Account of One Contemporary	16	(3)
Chapter 2: The Early Supporters of Arius	19	(41)
1. Athanasius' 'Arians'	19	(8)
2. Some of Arius' Contemporaries	27	(19)
3. Eusebius of Caesarea	46	(14)
Chapter 3: The Antecedents of Arius	60	(39)
1. Possible predecessors	60	(24)
2. Philosophical Background	84	(11)
3. Conclusions	95	(4)
Chapter 4: The Rationale of Arianism	99	(30)
1. Sources for Arianism	99	(1)
2. A Reduced God	100	(6)
3. Inferiority and Imperfection of the Logos	106	(3)
4. A Suffering God	109	(8)
5. More Detailed Christology	117	(6)
6. The Attitude of Arians to Arius	123	(6)
Chapter 5: Events Leading to Nicaea	129	(23)
1. From the Outbreak of the Controversy to the Council of Antioch of 325	129	(9)
2. The Alexandrian Alternative Theology	138	(8)
3. The Council of Antioch of 325	146	(6)
Chapter 6: The Council of Nicaea	152	(29)
1. The Calling of the Council	152	(5)
2. The Proceedings of the Council	157	(6)
3. The Creed of Nicaea	163	(9)
4. The Immediate Repercussions of the Council	172	(9)
PART II Period of Confusion
Chapter 7: Semantic Confusion	181	(27)
1. Hypostasis and Ousia	181	(9)
2. Homoousios	190	(12)
3. Other terms	202	(6)
Chapter 8: Eustathius and Marcellus	208	(31)
1. Eustathius of Antioch	208	(9)
2. Marcellus of Ancyra	217	(18)
3. Photinus	235	(4)
Chapter 9: The Behaviour of Athanasius	239	(35)
1. Estimates of Athanasius' Character	239	(7)
2. Athanasius' Career to the Council of Tyre	246	(16)
3. From the Council of Tyre to the Council of Rome	262	(12)
Chapter 10: Attempts at Creed-making: Phase One, 341-349	274	(41)
1. Was there an Arian Conspiracy?	274	(10)
2. The Council of Antioch of 341	284	(9)
3. The Council of Serdica of 343	293	(13)
4. Period of Reconciliation	306	(9)
Chapter 11: Attempts at Creed-making: Phase Two, 350-357	315	(33)
1. Constantius II	315	(10)
2. The First Sirmian Creed (351)	325	(4)
3. The Councils of Arles (353) and of Milan (355)	329	(5)
4. Ossius and Liberius	334	(7)
5. The Third Exile of Athanasius	341	(2)
6. The Sirmian Council of 357	343	(5)
Chapter 12: Attempts at Creed-making: Phase Three, 357-361	348	(39)
1. The Rise of the Homoiousians	348	(9)
2. The Council of Sirmium of 358	357	(5)
3. The 'Dated' Creed of 359	362	(9)
4. Constantius' Final Solution	371	(9)
5. The Aftermath of Nice	380	(7)
Chapter 13: Eusebius of Emesa and Cyril of Jerusalem	387	(30)
1. Eusebius of Emesa	387	(11)
2. Cyril of Jerusalem	398	(19)
PART III The Rival Answers Emerge
Chapter 14: The Doctrine of Athanasius	417	(42)
1. The Dates of Athanasius' Works	417	(4)
2. The Theology of Athanasius: the Father and the Son	421	(15)
3. Homoousios	436	(10)
4. The Incarnation	446	(13)
Chapter 15: The Western Pro-Nicenes I: Hilary of Poitiers	459	(48)
1. Hilary's Career and Works	459	(12)
2. His Theology: Introduction	471	(4)
3. The Relation of the Son to the Father	475	(17)
4. Hilary's Doctrine of the Incarnation	492	(10)
5. Conclusion	502	(5)
Chapter 16: The Western Pro-Nicenes II	507	(24)
1. Eusebius of Vercelli and Lucifer of Calaris	507	(9)
2. Phoebadius of Agen and Gregory of Elvira	516	(15)
Chapter 17: The Western Pro-Nicenes III: Marius Victorinus	531	(26)
1. Marius Victorinus: Introduction	531	(3)
2. His Christology	534	(13)
3. His Doctrine of the Incarnation	547	(3)
4. His Doctrine of the Trinity	550	(7)
Chapter 18: Homoian Arianism	557	(41)
1. The Identification of Homoian Arianism	557	(5)
2. The Theology of the Homoian Arians	562	(10)
3. Homoian Arian Polemic	572	(7)
4. Homoian People	579	(19)
Chapter 19: The Neo-Arians	598	(41)
1. Aetius: his Career	598	(5)
2. Doctrine	603	(8)
3. Eunomius: his Career	611	(6)
4. Doctrine	617	(22)
PART IV The Controversy Resolved
Chapter 20: Athanasius and his Heirs	639	(37)
1. The Council of Alexandria of 362	639	(14)
2. Didymus and Pseudo-Didymus	653	(5)
3. Epiphanius	658	(9)
4. Ambrose	667	(9)
Chapter 21: The Cappadocian Theologians	676	(62)
1. Introduction	676	(3)
2. Basil of Caesarea	679	(20)
3. Gregory of Nazianzus	699	(16)
4. Gregory of Nyssa	715	(15)
5. Conclusion	730	(8)
Chapter 22: The Doctrine of the Spirit	738	(53)
1. Introduction	738	(10)
2. The Holy Spirit in the Thought of Athanasius and his Followers	748	(12)
3. The Macedonians	760	(12)
4. The Holy Spirit in the Cappadocian Theologians	772	(19)
Chapter 23: The Council of Constantinople	791	(33)
1. Imperial Policy before the Council	791	(4)
2. Abortive Attempts at Agreement	795	(7)
3. The Beginning of the Consensus	802	(3)
4. The Council of Constantinople	805	(7)
5. The Creed of Constantinople	812	(8)
6. The Immediate Sequel to the Council	820	(4)
Chapter 24: The Development of Doctrine	824	(54)
1. The Influence of Scripture	824	(25)
2. The Influence of the Emperor	849	(7)
3. The Influence of Philosophy	856	(13)
4. The Development of Doctrine	869	(9)
Bibliography	878	(23)
General Index	901	(21)
Index of Modern Authors	922
Index of Biblical References	921