10/4/2013

So why did fail?

Four Major Reasons St. Athanasius 1. Great Saint(s), like Saint Athanasius Contra Mundum 2. Monasticism 3. A Catholic Emperor 4. Heresy (Error) is not self-sustaining, Part IV of necessity it implodes

Great Saints Monasticism (1) God always raises great saints from among (1) Grew at an extraordinarily rapid date the clergy & religious to “save” His Church (2) Saves Civilization (2) The graver the crisis, the greater the saints (3) A direct ‘litmus test’ for the Church’s health (3) The 4th Century was filled with great saints Four Great Eastern Church Fathers • Rome was collapsing: Western Civilization as man knew it was at the end of an age,  St. Athanasius, St. Basil, St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. John Chrysostom • The monks were rejecting an evil and dying world Four Great Western Church Fathers that mocked and discredited itself  St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Gregory the Great • Very few of the monks were Arian St. Sylvester, St. Julius, St. Damasus, St. Nicholas, So many others! • This was a hidden army whose strength utterly St. Eustathius of Antioch, St. Paul of Constantinople, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, confounded the enemies of God St. Alexander of Alexandria, St. Maximian of Treveri, St. Hilary of Poiters, St. , St. Serapion, St. Antony, St. Pachomius …

A Catholic Emperor Heresy is Self-Destructive (1) The Universal Kingship of Christ (1) True Life can only be found in the Truth (2) Church and State are meant to work together (2) Heresy is to “cut away” to divide (3) A monarchy most closely mirrors heaven (3) Once heresy is accepted, there is no principle of unity; a process of disintegration (splintering ad infinitum) is inevitable • Imperial Force facilitated Arianism (heresy is always spread at the point of a sword) • Once the Arians vanquished their common enemy • Arianism was not finally subdued until the Emperors (Nicea & Athanatius) and had achieved an apparent stopped being Arian victory, they turned upon themselves • The Roman Empire never had a saintly Catholic • They favored ambiguity so unity was impossible Emperor (Catholicism had not yet taken sufficient root • They turn their perfected tactics of imperial force and in the soil of Roman imperial culture and society) conciliar machinations upon each other

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Arian Divisions Arian Councils (1) Anomoeans: The divine nature is fully (358) 4th Council of Sirmium: Led by Basil of Ancyra, comprehensible by the human mind victory for the semi-Arians (2) Heteroousians: The Father and the Son are unlike (359) Council or Rimini: “Dated Creed”, Homean victory; each other in substance homoin – the Son is similar to the Father in all things (3) Homeans: The Son is like (how?) the Father (359) Creed of Nice in Thrace: An Arian “Nicean” Creed; (4) : The Father and the Son are like each anathemizes Arianism but accepts Arian theology! other in substance; semi-Arians (5) : The Holy Ghost is a creature (359) Council at Seleucia: Compromise between various (6) Eunomians: A division of Anomoeans who followed the Arian groups with the ambiguous Nice Creed schismatic Eunomius of (360) Council at Constantinople – Great Arian Victory for (7) Macedonians: A division of Pneumatomachi who followed Urascius and Valens; Total of 70 opposing Arian bishops Macedonius of Constantinople deposed (Anomeans, Macedonians, and Semi-Arians)

The Darkest Moment Third Exile: Desert, 356-362 Where could you find the True Church? Hidden by the monks; always on the run His most prolific writing period: Apology for Flight, Ingemuit totus orbis et Arianum se esse miratus est. Four Discourses Against the Arians, History of the Arians - St. Jerome Life of St. Antony “The whole world gave forth a groan in astonishment Maintains communication with many other orthodox to find itself Arian.” leaders throughout the world “They may have the buildings but we have the We turn to the Invisible Patriarch of the Desert, Apostolic Faith! Which is greater?” and his ‘pen of faith’ which proved far mightier than the imperial sword.

Imperial Arian Power Wanes Champion of Orthodoxy

The Demise of Constantius Athanasius’ triumphant return (only for 8 months!) . declared emperor in Gaul (360 Apr) Synod of Alexandria (362) . St. Hilary’s Synod in Paris (360 Nov) . Athanasius uses his towering prestige to bring a divided . Civil War and confused Eastern Church back into orthodoxy . Baptism and Death (361 Nov) . Reconciles those who have fallen away (Only obstinate Gruesome end of George the Pork Dealer heretics to be condemned; No retaliation or use of force) . Attacks the Pagan’s Mithras Temple; Flees (359) . Doctrine has primacy over its linguistic expression . Returns (363) and is killed by a mob . The Divinity of Holy Ghost; On the . The Arian Lucius named anti-Patriarch St. Eusebius of Vercelli supports the Synod Emperor Julian the Apostate (361 Nov –363 June) Lucifer of Calaris causes schism in Antioch Conversion of Gentiles; Growth of Church

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Julian vs. Athanasius Emperors Jovian and Valens

Julian is a self-proclaimed Apostate; his ultimate goal Jovian the Catholic is to restore the glory of paganism . Returns Athanasius to his See . Edict recalling all of Constantius’ exiled bishops and . Dies within eight months granting ‘religious freedom’ to all . Privileges granted to Pagans Valens the Arian . Taxation for Christians; persecution for them as well . Valentinian, his brother, rules in the West Athanasius’ Fourth Exile (Oct 362 – Feb 364) . Valens brings back persecutions in the East . By Dec 1 he must be gone or heavy fines Athanasius’ Fifth Exile (Oct 365 – Feb 366) . Oct 23, Athanasius escapes down the Nile River . Four months hiding in his father’s tomb . Easter, flees deep into the Thebiad . ’ rebellion influences Valens Julian attempts to rebuild Jerusalem Temple (362) . Athanasius is returned to his See by imperial soldiers with Julian is killed in a Persian skirmish (June 363) all honors and is left in peace the remainder of his years

Final Seven “Peaceful” Years Oversees the growth of his local Church . Despite attacks from a heathen mob and Arian Lucius Governs with great wisdom, mercy and justice . Illicit consecration by Bishop Philo of Siderius . Excommunicates the Libyan Governor Unity and Stability for the Church in the East . Correspondence with Basil the Great of Cæsarea . Seeks to heal the schism in Antioch . Reconcilation for Marcellus of Ancyra . Reconciliation for the Semi-Arians who oppose Valens Pope Damasus hosts a Synod in Rome (369) . Final death blow to Arianism in the West Athanasius enters into eternal glory: 2 May 373 AD

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