Editing Arianism (section)

===Aftermath of Nicaea===
[[File:PalatiumTheodoricMosaicDetail.jpg|thumb|Once the orthodox Trinitarians succeeded in defeating Arianism, they [[Iconoclasm|censored]] any signs that the perceived heresy left behind. This mosaic in the [[Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo]] in Ravenna has had images of the Arian king, Theoderic, and his court removed. On some columns their hands remain.]]

The First Council of Nicaea did not end the controversy, as many bishops of the Eastern provinces disputed the ''[[homoousios]]'', the central term of the Nicene Creed, as it had been used by [[Paul of Samosata]], who had advocated a [[Monarchianism|monarchianist]] [[Christology]]. Both the man and his teaching, including the term ''homoousios'', had been condemned by the [[Synods of Antioch]] in 269.{{sfn|Chapman|1911}}
Hence, after Constantine's death in 337, open dispute resumed again. Constantine's son [[Constantius II]], who had become emperor of the eastern part of the [[Roman Empire]], actually encouraged the Arians and set out to reverse the Nicene Creed.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hall|first=Christopher A.|title=How Arianism Almost Won|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-85/how-arianism-almost-won.html|access-date=2021-01-16|website=Christian History {{!}} Learn the History of Christianity & the Church|date=July 2008 |language=en}}</ref> His advisor in these affairs was Eusebius of Nicomedia, who had already at the Council of Nicaea been the head of the Arian party, and was made the bishop of Constantinople.

Constantius used his power to exile bishops adhering to the Nicene Creed, especially St [[Athanasius of Alexandria]], who fled to Rome.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Reardon|first=Patrick Henry|title=Athanasius|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/theologians/athanasius.html|access-date=2021-01-16|website=Christian History {{!}} Learn the History of Christianity & the Church|date=8 August 2008 |language=en}}</ref> In 355 Constantius became the sole Roman emperor and extended his pro-Arian policy toward the western provinces, frequently using force to push through his creed, even exiling [[Pope Liberius]] and installing [[Antipope Felix II]].{{sfn|Chapman|1910}}

The [[Third Council of Sirmium]] in 357 was the high point of Arianism. The Seventh Arian Confession (Second Sirmium Confession) held that both ''homoousios'' (of one substance) and ''homoiousios'' (of similar substance) were unbiblical and that the Father is greater than the Son.{{sfn|Chapman|1912}} This confession was later known as the Blasphemy of Sirmium.

<blockquote>
But since many persons are disturbed by questions concerning what is called in Latin ''substantia'', but in Greek ''ousia'', that is, to make it understood more exactly, as to 'coessential,' or what is called, 'like-in-essence,' there ought to be no mention of any of these at all, nor exposition of them in the Church, for this reason and for this consideration, that in divine Scripture nothing is written about them, and that they are above men's knowledge and above men's understanding;<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fourthcentury.com/index.php/second-creed-of-sirmium-or-the-blasphemy-of-sirmium/ |title=Second Creed of Sirmium or 'The Blasphemy of Sirmium' |website=www.fourthcentury.com |access-date=2017-03-09}}</ref></blockquote>

As debates raged in an attempt to come up with a new formula, three camps evolved among the opponents of the Nicene Creed. The first group mainly opposed the Nicene terminology and preferred the term ''homoiousios'' (alike in substance) to the Nicene ''homoousios'', while they rejected Arius and his teaching and accepted the equality and co-eternality of the persons of the Trinity. Because of this centrist position, and despite their rejection of Arius, they were called "Semi-Arians" by their opponents.

The second group also avoided invoking the name of Arius, but in large part followed Arius's teachings and, in another attempted compromise wording, described the Son as being like (''[[Acacians|homoios]]'') the Father. A third group explicitly called upon Arius and described the Son as unlike (''[[Anomoeanism|anhomoios]]'') the Father. Constantius wavered in his support between the first and the second party, while harshly persecuting the third.

[[Epiphanius of Salamis]] labeled the party of [[Basil of Ancyra]] in 358 "[[Semi-Arianism]]". This is considered unfair by Kelly who states that some members of the group were virtually orthodox from the start but disliked the adjective ''homoousios'' while others had moved in that direction after the out-and-out Arians had come into the open.{{sfn|Kelly|1978|p=249}}

The debates among these groups resulted in numerous synods, among them the [[Council of Serdica]] in 343, the [[Fourth Council of Sirmium]] in 358 and the double [[Council of Rimini]] and Seleucia in 359, and no fewer than fourteen further creed formulas between 340 and 360. This lead the pagan observer [[Ammianus Marcellinus]] to comment sarcastically: "The highways were covered with galloping bishops."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Schaff|first=Philip|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uK3oDwAAQBAJ&q=%22The+highways+were+covered+with+galloping+bishops.%22&pg=PT1710|title=The Complete History of the Christian Church (With Bible)|date=2019-12-18|publisher=e-artnow|isbn=|location=|pages=|language=en|quote=The pagan Ammianus Marcellinus says of the councils under Constantius: "The highways were covered with galloping bishops;" and even Athanasius rebuked the restless flutter of the clergy.}}</ref> None of these attempts was acceptable to the defenders of Nicene orthodoxy. Writing about the latter councils, Saint [[Jerome]] remarked that the world "awoke with a groan to find itself Arian."<ref>{{Cite news|date=1999-09-09|title=The history of Christianity's greatest controversy|work=Christian Science Monitor|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1999/0909/p21s1.html|access-date=2021-01-16|issn=0882-7729}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=On battling Arianism: then and now|url=https://legatus.org/news/on-battling-arianism-then-and-now|access-date=2021-01-16|website=Legatus|language=en}}</ref>

After Constantius's death in 361, his successor [[Julian (emperor)|Julian]], a devotee of [[State religion of Rome|Rome's pagan gods]], declared that he would no longer attempt to favor one church faction over another, and allowed all exiled bishops to return. This increased dissension among Nicene Christians. The emperor [[Valens]], however, revived Constantius's policy and supported the "Homoian" party,{{sfn|Macpherson|1912}} exiling bishops and often using force. During this persecution many bishops were exiled to the other ends of the Roman Empire, e.g., Saint [[Hilary of Poitiers]] to the eastern provinces. These contacts and their common plight led to a rapprochement between the western supporters of the Nicene Creed and the ''homoousios'' and the eastern Semi-Arians.