Editing Arianism (section)

==From the 16th to the 19th century==
Following the [[Protestant Reformation]] from 1517, it did not take long for Arian and other nontrinitarian views to resurface. The first recorded English antitrinitarian was [[John Assheton]], who was forced to recant before [[Thomas Cranmer]] in 1548. At the [[Anabaptist]] [[Council of Venice]] 1550, the early Italian instigators of the [[Radical Reformation]] committed to the views of [[Michael Servetus]],-who was burned alive by the orders of [[John Calvin]] in 1553- were promulgated by [[Giorgio Biandrata]] and others into [[Poland]] and [[Transylvania]].<ref>[[Roland Bainton]], ''Hunted Heretic. The Life and Death of Michael Servetus''</ref>

The anti trinitarian wing of the [[Polish Reformation]] separated from the [[Calvinist]] ''ecclesia maior'' to form the ''ecclesia minor'' or [[Polish Brethren]]. These were commonly referred to as "Arians" due to their rejection of the Trinity, though in fact the [[Socinians]], as they were later known, went further than Arius to the position of [[Photinus]]. The epithet "Arian" was also applied to the early [[Unitarianism|Unitarians]] such as [[John Biddle (Unitarian)|John Biddle]]; though in denial of the [[pre-existence of Christ]] they were again largely Socinians, not Arians.<ref>[[George Huntston Williams]]. ''The Radical Reformation'', 3rd edition. Volume 15 of Sixteenth Century Essays and Studies. Ann Arbor, MI: Edwards Brothers, 1992</ref>

In 1683, when [[Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury]], lay dying in Amsterdam—driven into exile by [[Exclusion Crisis|his outspoken opposition to King Charles II]]—he spoke to the minister [[Robert Ferguson (minister)|Robert Ferguson]], and professed himself an Arian.<ref>{{cite ODNB | last=Harris | first=Tim | title=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | chapter=Cooper, Anthony Ashley, first earl of Shaftesbury (1621–1683), politician | date=2004-09-23 | isbn=978-0-19-861412-8 | doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/6208}}</ref>

In the 18th century the "dominant trend" in [[Georgian era|Britain]], particularly in [[Latitudinarianism]], was toward Arianism, with which [[Samuel Clarke]], [[Benjamin Hoadly]], [[William Whiston]] and [[Isaac Newton]] are associated.<ref>William Gibson, Robert G. Ingram ''Religious identities in Britain, 1660–1832'' p.&nbsp;92</ref> To quote the ''Encyclopædia Britannica''{{'s}} article on Arianism: "In modern times some [[Unitarianism|Unitarians]] are virtually Arians in that they are unwilling either to reduce Christ to a mere human being or to attribute to him a divine nature identical with that of the Father."<ref>"Arianism." ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Encyclopædia Britannica 2007 Deluxe Edition. Chicago: 2007.</ref>