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| Further Particulars concerning the Term “Consubstantial.” Council of Ariminum, the Manner, Source, and Reason of its Convention.
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Chapter XIX.—Further
Particulars concerning the Term “Consubstantial.” Council
of Ariminum, the Manner, Source, and Reason of its Convention.
It is not surprising that the
Emperor Constantius was induced to adopt the use of the term
“homoiousios,” for it was admitted by many priests
who conformed to the doctrines of the Nicæan council.1271
| 1271An independent chapter on the true cause of division
and the origin of the council of Ariminum. Cf. Athan. Ep. de
Synodis.
|
Many use the two words indifferently, to convey the same meaning.
Hence, it appears to me, that the Arians departed greatly from the
truth when they affirmed that, after the council of Nicæa, many of
the priests, among whom were Eusebius and Theognis, refused to admit
that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, and that Constantine
was in consequence so indignant, that he condemned them to banishment.
They say that it was afterwards revealed to his sister by a dream or a
vision from God, that these bishops held orthodox doctrines and had
suffered unjustly; and that the emperor thereupon recalled them, and
demanded of them wherefore they had departed from the Nicene doctrines,
since they had been participants in the document concerning the faith
which had been there framed; and that they urged in reply that they had
not assented to those doctrines from conviction, but from the fear
that, if the disputes then existing were prolonged, the emperor, who
was then just beginning to embrace Christianity, and who was yet
unbaptized, might be impelled to return to Paganism, as seemed likely,
and to persecute the Church. They assert that Constantine was pleased
with this defense, and determined upon convening another council; but
that, being prevented by death from carrying his scheme into execution,
the task devolved upon his eldest son, Constantius, to whom he
represented that it would avail him nothing to be possessed of imperial
power, unless he could establish uniformity of worship throughout his
empire; and Constantius they say, at the instigation of his father,
convened a council at Ariminum.1272
This story is easily seen to be a gross fabrication, for the council
was convened during the consulate of Hypatius and Eusebius, and
twenty-two years after Constantius had, on the death of his father,
succeeded to the empire. Now, during this interval of twenty-two years,
many councils were held, in which debates were carried on concerning
the terms “homoousios” and
“homoiousios.” No one, it appears, ventured to deny
that the Son is of like substance1273
| 1273κατ᾽
οὐσίαν
ἀνόμοιον is the right
correction of Valesius.
|
with the Father, until Aëtius, by starting a contrary opinion, so
offended the emperor that, in order to arrest the course of the heresy,
he commanded the priests to assemble themselves together at Ariminum
and at Seleucia. Thus the true cause of this council being convened was
not the command of Constantine,1274
| 1274A mistake for Constantius.
|
but the question agitated by Aëtius. And this will become still
more apparent by what we shall hereafter relate.
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