Arius is widely considered to be Rowan Williams's magnum opus. Long out of print and never before available in paperback, it has been newly revised. This expanded and updated edition marks a major publishing event. Arianism has been called the "archetypal Christian heresy" because it denies the divinity of Christ. In his masterly examination of Arianism, Rowan Williams argues that Arius himself was actually a dedicated theological conservative whose concern was to defend the free and personal character of the Christian God. His "heresy" grew out of an attempt to unite traditional biblical language with radical philosophical ideas and techniques and was, from the start, involved with issues of authority in the church. Thus, the crisis of the early fourth century was not only about the doctrine of God but also about the relations between emperors, bishops, and "charismatic" teachers in the church's decision-making. In the course of his discussion, Williams raises the vital wider questions of how heresy is defined and how certain kinds of traditionalism transform themselves into heresy. Augmented with a new appendix in which Williams interacts with significant scholarship since 1987, this book provides fascinating reading for anyone interested in church history and the development of Christian doctrine. Preface ix Preface to the Second Edition xiii Introduction: Images of a Heresy 1(28) Part I Arius and the Nicene Crisis Arius before Arianism 29(19) Origins 29(3) The Troubles of the Alexandrian Church I: The Melitian Schism 32(9) The Troubles of the Alexandrian Church II: Bishops and Presbyters 41(7) The Nicene Crisis: Documents and Dating 48(34) The Controversy to 325 48(14) The Thalia 62(5) Nicaea and After 67(15) Conclusion 82(13) Part II Arius and Theology The Theology of Arius 95(22) Alexandria and the Legacy of Origen 117(41) Philo 117(7) Clement 124(7) Origen 131(18) Alexandria after Origen 149(9) Theology Outside Egypt 158(17) Antioch 158(9) Methodius and Eusebius 167(8) Conclusion 175(6) Part III Arius and Philosophy Creation and Beginning 181(18) Intellect and Beyond 199(16) Analogy and Participation 215(15) Conclusion 230(3) Postscript (Theological) 233(14) Appendix 1: Arius since 1987 247(22) Appendix 2: Credal Documents 269(12) Notes 281(72) Abbreviations 353(2) Bibliography 355(16) Index of Names 371