The Legend of the Death of Arius – Imagination and Propaganda in the Development of Early Christianity.

by fulltimestudent 3 Replies latest jw friends

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  fulltimestudent

  The Legend of the Death of Arius – Imagination and Propaganda in the Development of Early Christianity.

  
  

  As a JW, I, of course, soon learnt the standard JW belief that there was no such thing as a triune god. Whereas most other christians believe in a triune god.

  So in one of my classes, a couple of years ago, when we examined the Arian/Athanasian controversy, I could joke with the lecturer, that I was almost certainly the only ‘follower’ of Arius in his class.

  As part of the discussion we had a look at the christian circulated story, detailing the death of Arius. Here’s the story:

  The death occurred (it is related) when Arius was ex-communicated, then went to Constantinople and appealed to the Emperor Constantine to cancel his ex-communication. Constantine issued an instruction that the church should re-admit Arius to the church. Arius and his followers then decidedto press the local bishop, Alexander, for admission to the church and renewed communion with local Christians. But Alexander was a follower of Athanasius, and in the story locked himself in the church and prayed to God to use his power and stop Arius from polluting the church with his presence. We can now read in a letter written by Athanasius (his Letter to Serapion) the drama that followed :

  “Praying about these things, the bishop withdrew, very concerned; but a wondrous and unexpected thing took place. As those with Eusebius threatened, the bishop prayed, and Arius, overconfident in those who were with Eusebius, foolishly went in to the ‘throne’ (toilet) because of the necessity of his gut. Immediately, according to what is written, ‘falling face first, he burst in the middle’. Upon falling, he immediately expired, deprived of both communion and his life at the same time.”

  Note. How closely this resembles the death of an earlier perceived enemy of christianity, Judas, who also it is said, ‘split open’ and died.

  So is there any truth in this story? Likely, no truthiness at all. Ellen Muehlberger, a Professor at the University of Michigan, has made a study of this story, and drew that conclusion in her paper, “The Legend of Arius’ Death: Imagination, Space and Filth in Late Ancient Historiography.”

  If anyone wishes to examine her findings in more detail, you may be able to access her paper at this web reference: https://academic.oup.com/past/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/pastj/gtu042

  
  
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  fulltimestudent

  Muehlberger, develops her analysis of the legend in three sections. First she describes the earliest surviving appearance of the story of Arius’ death and traces the changes that were added to it in late antiquity. The version that ultimately became the dominant one had Arius dying near the famous porphyry column that stood at the centre of the Forum of Constantine, a space constructed as part of the dedication of Constantinople in 337 CE .

  The majority of the additions made to the story were first seen in Christian histories written in or centred on Constantinople during the first half of the fifth century.

  The second section of the article explains the context in which these additions were generated: the late ancient discourse regarding Christian orthodoxy and the co-option, even merger, of Christian and imperial ritual in that city.

  And the third Muehlberger explains why the story was developed. In her conclusion she offers some thoughts on imagined spaces and their representation in antiquity.

  Its interesting that the development of the doctrine supported by Athanasius, became so dependent on imagined stories that reflected other bible stories.
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  Half banana

  Its interesting that the development of the doctrine supported by Athanasius, became so dependent on imagined stories that reflected other bible stories.

  Thanks for this FTS. (Incidentally it was also said that Henry VIII of England burst open upon his death but I cannot readily find good evidence for it).

  Two thousand years ago In the absence of concrete records such as film or photography, voice recording or even first hand verbal evidence recorded from reliable witnesses; it is not surprising that hearsay becomes a rumour and rumours can become Truth with a capital T when in contact with religion.On top of this there was no printed word so any written idea could be changed in a new handwritten text copy and the originals destroyed if it suited the bishop's purpose.

  You also touch upon a subject which I think very important and which gets so little exposure: the " co-option, even merger, of Christian and imperial ritual" into the Church. The post Constantine hierarchy had every reason not to disclose the pagan foundations of Christianity.
  
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  oppostate

  I believe that Arius had been restored to good graces when he was poisoned with an intestine damaging abrasive, causing him to first have extreme abdominal pain then when running off to relieve himself, hemorrhaging out the anus and finally dying from loss of blood. This can be attested to from eyewitness accounts.

  Athanasius was a hierarchical tyrant with an ax to grind. I would not put it past him to have Arius poisoned.