Arius

An icon from the time, showing the First Council of Nicea, which opposed Arius' position. Arius is shown at the bottom of the image. The central figure is Emperor Constantine.

Arius (born around 260 in Cyrenaica, died 336 in Constantinople) was an early Christian thinker. He lived in Alexandria but was probably born in what is now Libya. He did not agree with his bishop Alexander of Alexandria, who said that Jesus and God are the same. Arius said Jesus and God are not the same and there was a time that Jesus did not exist.

At the First Council of Nicea, most bishops oppsed with Arius. The official document states that God the Father and Jesus the Son are of the same essence and therefore are the same being. It also states that Jesus and God have existed together for all time.

Reference

• Article about Arius from Encyclopedia Britannica