The Arian Controversy (Truth Matters) [28:06]
by Alex Hall rated at 3.2 (12 votes so far)
Alex Hall of London tells the story of how the church vacillated between Arius and Athanasius during the fourth century. By focusing on the dueling councils during that period (a.d. 318-381) Alex paints a picture, which, although disturbing to those of us who would like to think that such matters as the deity of Christ were always clear, accurately describes how politics heavily influenced the development of theology during that time. A good deal of Alex's work was influenced by When Jesus Became God by Richard Rubenstein. If this conversation has piqued your interest in this subject I highly recommend reading Rubenstein's book as it fills out the details in a readable manner. Alex's conclusion is that we should not trust either side since both used ungodly means to achieve their goal of winning the debate, rather, we should practice the Berean exercise of searching the Scriptures to see whether these things are so (Acts 17.11).
books
These books, written by people from diverse backgrounds, express the simple truth that God is one. Some of them are more scholary while others are more autobiographical. In addition, a few of them are available to read online. If you would like more in depth treatment of christian monotheism, these books are the next step to take. Note: if you know of other books, not listed here, please leave us feedback.
featured item
Commentary on 1 Timothy 3.16
by John Schoenheit, Mark Graeser, and John Lynn [2 pages]
rated at 1.6 (out of 6 votes)
Although the above verse in the NIV does not support the Trinity, there are some Greek manuscripts that read, "God appeared in the flesh." This reading of some Greek manuscripts has passed into some English versions, and the King James Version is one of them. Trinitarian scholars admit, however, that these Greek texts were altered by scribes in favor of the Trinitarian position. The reading of the earliest and best manuscripts is not "God" but rather "he who." Almost all the modern versions have the verse as "the mystery of godliness is great, which was manifest in the flesh," or some close equivalent.