|
HOME | GREEK LANGUAGE |
LIBRARIES |
BLOG | HELP | SEARCH | BOOKSTORE | FREEWARE |
|
|
By Archibald Robertson.
St Athanasius the Great Resources Online and in Print
|
128 Pages (Part I)
Page 77
5. The Council of Tyre and First Exile of Athanasius, 335-337.
Many of the bishops who were making their way to the great festival met at Tyre. The Arian element was very strong. Eusebius of Nicomedia, Narcissus, Maris, Theognis, Patrophilus, George, now bishop of Laodicea, are all familiar names. Ursacius and Valens, 'young [47] both in years and in mind' make their first entrance on the stage of ecclesiastical intrigue; Eusebius of Caesarea headed a large body of 'conservative' malcontents: in the total number of perhaps 150, the friends of Athanasius were outnumbered by nearly two to one. (See Gwatkin's note, p. 85, Hefele ii. 17, Eng Tra.) Eusebius of Caesarea took the chair (yet see D.C.B. ii. 316^b). The proceedings of the Council were heated and disorderly; promiscuous accusations were flung from side to side; the president himself was charged by an excited Egyptian Confessor with having sacrificed to idols (p. 104, n. 2), while against Athanasius every possible charge was raked up. The principal one was that of harshness and violence. Callinicus, bishop of Pelusium, according to a later story [48] , had taken up the cause of Ischyras, and been deposed by Athanasius in consequence. A certain Mark had been appointed to supersede him, and he had been subjected to military force. Certain Meletian bishops who had refused to communicate with Athanasius on account of his irregular election, had been beaten and imprisoned. A document from Alexandria testified that the Churches were emptied on account of the strong popular feeling against these proceedings. The number of witnesses, and the evident readiness of the majority of bishops to believe the worst against him, inspired Athanasius with profound misgivings as to his chance of obtaining justice. He had in vain objected to certain bishops as biassed judges; when it was decided to investigate the case of Ischyras on the spot, the commission of six was chosen from among the very persons challenged (p. 138).
[47] p. 107: Euseb. V. C. iv. 43, calls them 'the fairest of God's youthful flock.' The Council of Sardica in 343 describes them as 'ungodly and foolish youths,' Hil. Frag. ii., cf. pp. 120, 122.
[48] Soz. ii. 25. But Callinicus was a Meletian all along: pp. 132, 137, 517.
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/athanasius/athanasius-life-arianism.asp?pg=77
