Newman: The Arians of the Fourth Century

Chapter I

Schools and Parties in and About the Ante-Nicene Church, in Their Relation to the Arian…

Page

SECTION I. — The Church of Antioch . . . . I

1. Historical connexion of Arianism with the Antiochene School: —

Paulus, Bishop of Antioch, deposed for heresy . 3

The Martyr Lucian. ...... 6

His disciples the first Arians ..... 7

2. Judaism of Antioch: —

Revival of the fortunes of the Jews . 10

Patronized by successive Emperors. 10 Their influence upon the populace and the Schools

of Syria .... . . . 1 1

3. Ouarto-decimans: —

Of the Proconsulate 13

Of Syria 15

Of central Asia Minor 16

Betraying or encouraging a Judaistic spirit . . 18

4. Judaizers indirectly leading to Arianism: —

Mosaic rites ........ 19

Cerinthians and Ebionites ..... 20

Nazarenes . ...... 21

Corroborative facts . 22

Pagb

SECTION II. — The Schools of the Sophists . ... 25

1. Disputative skill of Arians: —

As of Paulus of Samosata . . . . « 27

And of the disciples of Aristotle .... 29

2. Disputation cultivated in the Christian Schools — Axioms taken from logic and mathematics . . 33 School of Artemas. ...... 34

3. Tradition losing force: —

Contempt of predecessors . . , : . .36 Symbol of faith indispensable ..... 36 Unwillingness of the Church to impose it . .36

SECTION III. — The Church of Alexandria ... 39

1. Its missionary and political character: — . .41 Its local position ....... 41

Its exoteric teaching ...... 42

Catechetical system ...... 44

Public preaching- ....... 45

Relative influence of separate Gospel truths . .46 Example of Scripture to guide us . . . .46

2. The Disciplina Arcani, or secret teaching: — Scripture the storehouse, not the organ of teaching. 50 Nor Apologists an organ, as not authoritative . 51 The secret teaching consistent with the rudimental. 53 Not arbitrary, but an apostolical tradition . . 54 Not derogatory to the authority of Scripture . . 55 Terminating with the rise of the Councils 55

3. The Allegorical method :—

National with the Egyptians 57

Adopted by Greek philosophy .... 57

Natural to the human mind . .... 57

Familiar to inspired writers 58

Scripture uses of it 59

Safeguards necessary, canons for its use. . . 60 Caution of Scripture as to it . . . . .61

Traditionary keys for it 62

Alexandrian use of it 62

4. The Economy: —

I'sed by Alexandrians in Scripture difficulties . 64

Pace

Sanctioned by St. Paul . . ' . . u .65 Exemplified by the Fathers . . . . .66

Theory and dangcrousness of it . . . . 72

As leading to deceit ...... 73

Divine economics ....... 74

Scripture economies ...... 76

False economies . . . . . . 77

5. The Dispensation of Paganism: —