Chapter V – The Trinitarian Controversy
A – Equality and Distinction in the Early Church – In Chapter 4, we looked at several
theologians (Origen, Hippolytus, Novation) who held some strange ideas on some things, and
even who caused some trouble to the Church. These men are still accounted as Fathers of the
Church. Why? Because they taught rightly concerning the Doctrine of the Trinity, which was
the main theological topic of debate in the 3rd Century. Most of the heresies of the third Century
deal with the Trinity. Now, when we discuss the Trinity, we are dealing with one of those
complex things that can make your mind hurt. God is One. God is Three. God is Three in One.
The third Century is when the Church really starts dealing in depth with how we are going to talk
about the relationship between the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
When you end up talking about the Trinity, there are a couple of themes. There is the
discussion of equality – the idea that the Father, Son, and Spirit are all God. Equality ends up
focusing greatly on the idea of the Unity of God, that God is One. Alexandria is a place that is
know for producing theologians who are great at writing about God as One. But there also is
distinction – there is a difference between the Father and the Son and the Spirit. Antioch
produces a lot of theologians that really talk about the distinction between the members of the
Trinity very well.
But what happens, as so often does, is that many people will take either the idea of
equality or distinction too far, and end up saying things that are false about God. This leads to
the big heresies of the 3rd Century, which we will now discuss.
B – Paul of Samosata and Monarchism – Paul of Samosata (a small town in Syria) was elected
Bishop of Antioch in 260. Remember, Antioch is one of the major Churches of the Early
Church, so he ends up taking a very important responsibility on. Paul ends up doing some rather
interesting things. He also holds a very high government post, so there are some hints of abuse
of power. Also, he was reputed to be a bit “popular” with the ladies (basically it sounds like he
had groupies). But we aren’t talking about him because of these traits, we are going to look at
the heresy which he was famous for – Dynamic Monarchism.
Paul was very, very interested in emphasizing the Oneness of God (Mon = One, Arch =
source, root). This in and of itself isn’t a bad thing, especially when you are surrounded by
pagans. However, he goes about this in a drastically bad way. He denies that the Son (Jesus) is
really God or the Word of God– rather Jesus is simply a person who had God’s Wisdom in a
special way. Paul would say that there is only One God – the Father, who guides the man Jesus
to do His Will. Paul claims that the simple man Jesus received God’s “power” (or dynamos in
Greek – dynamic) to live a life pleasing to God.
So, let’s think about this. What does this do to Salvation? If Jesus isn’t true God, what is
the point of His life? The focus then simply becomes on living your life like a good man.
Rather than a true Savior who saves us, Jesus simply becomes an example, a teacher whom God
uses to show us the right way. So, does this sound familiar? Why might this heresy be
attractive? This is a great example of the distinction between the Father and the Son being over
blown.
Paul, after a few years of fighting and clashing, is condemned in 264 by a council and
ordered to stop being the bishop. . . but he stays. He doesn’t leave. As a public official, he has
the support of Zenobia, who is running Syria. Paul hangs on until 272 when the Emperor
Aurelian defeats the rebellious Zenobia. Aurelian then, after listening to the Italian bishops
enforces the deposition of Paul. What do you make of this turn of events?
C – Sabellius and Modalism – Sabellius lived in the early 200s, and not much is really know
about his personal life. However, his teachings spread throughout the Church, and much of the
3rd Century deals with reactions against his teaching, which is called Modalism.
Sabellius, like Paul of Samosata, wished to affirm the idea that God was One. However,
unlike Paul, Sabellius was more than willing to say that Jesus was God. The problem is that
Sabellius claimed that Jesus literally was the Father. Sabellius’ idea what that there is One God
who has different “modes” of existence and dealing with people. He says that literally God the
Father became man and suffered on the Cross.
The big obvious problem with this is that it simply doesn’t mesh with what we see in
Scripture. In the bible you can see a clear distinction between the Father and the Son, so to
simply ignore that isn’t true to Scripture. Also, if there is simply One God who appears in
different modes – you have to answer the question of why there are different modes. This can
lead to all sorts of weird and strange ideas about God. This idea is popular among liberal
scholars today (even one or two guys in the Missouri Synod skate dangerously close to this).
Finally, think about what this says about God. It says that God doesn’t really deal with us
honestly, He doesn’t to really reveal Himself to us, to bring us into relationship with us – rather
Modalism just has God almost playing pretend with us, like an actor on a stage.
D – Subordinationism – Another early heresy floating around in the Church is what is called
Subordinationism. Subordinationism isn’t really associated with any one person – it is more of a
trend that was common. In an attempt affirm that God is One, lots of people sought to lessen
Jesus (and the Holy Spirit) in relation to the Father. Sabellius is a huge, gross, example of this,
but there are many shades and grades of this.
The reason there is such a drive towards Subordinationism is basically caused by a focus
on right living and submitting to the Father’s will. Think of the passages where Jesus submits to
the Father’s will. A subordinationist would look at this and say, “see, Jesus is less God than the
Father because Jesus has to listen to the Father.” The focus turns to Jesus’ obedience, and in
turn, our own obedience to God. But this misses the point of what obedience and submission is.
Take a look at Ephesians 5:21. If submission is about POWER and rank and who is
better than another, how can we submit to each other? The cause of our submission to each other
is love and compassion. The reason Christ obeys the Father is because He loves the Father – not
because He is less God or is forced to. How do you think Subordinationism fits in with
moralism and the rigorists? We really like pecking orders if we can convince ourselves that we
are near the top.
E – Arius and Arianism – If there is one Heretic who stands above them all, who is the Arch
Heretic of the History of the Church, it is Arius. No single person in the Church cause Her more
grief or pain than Arius, and his impact overwhelms the 4th Century of the Church, and indeed
echoes to today.
Arius is born, probably in North Africa, right around the end of the 3rd Century.
However, he did much of his theological training at Antioch under a fellow by the name of
Lucian. While there he becomes good friends with some of the up and coming theological stars
of Syria. Arius ends up heading back to Egypt and becomes a Presbyter in Alexandria. This is
where the trouble starts. Remember, Alexandria is more known for emphasizing the Unity of
God, but Arius was trained in Antioch, where there is more of a focus on the differences between
the persons.
Arius, then, starts being very critical of Alexander, who is the Bishop of Alexandria.
This slowly builds through the 315 until the matter explodes. And why does it explode? Arius
becomes very adamant in his teaching about Christ, and his teaching is just wrong.
Arius is very concerned about the distinction between the Father and Jesus. One of the
common ideas is that God is changeless (a very common, biblical idea), and Arius really wants
to protect this idea. So, therefore Arius concludes that the Son isn’t really God. Why? The Son
becomes Man, this involves a change, so therefore the Son can’t be God. Arius says that the Son
is the first created entity, made before the world, and that God uses the Son to make the world,
the Father elevates the Son to deity, but that the Son isn’t really, really GOD. Now, this isn’t as
gross as what Paul of Samosata taught (Arius actually holds that there is a separate Word who
exists), but it is just bad for the same reasons. Incidentially, do you know what religious group
basically teaches today the same thing as Arius?
Sadly, Arius becomes rather popular. The town of Alexandria is somewhat divided, and Arius is
very active in trying to rally people to his support. He and his supporters start writing hymns
that become the popular songs of the day. The famous line or chant of the Arians is “There was
a when when He was not” – referring to their belief that Jesus was a created being. Alexander
tries his best to put the situation to rest – he calls a synod of Bishops from Egypt and they
condemn and remove Arius. However, Arius has some strong friends in the East who he went to
school with (and this is apparently what Lucian taught). When Arius gets kicked out, he heads to
them and starts a massive campaign to get his position adopted by the Church at large. Thus, the
rumble in Alexandria spills over into the entire Church. Squelching this heresy will occupy the
Church for the 4th Century.