Williams, Michael Stuart
(2011)
Auxentius of Milan: From Orthodoxy to Heresy.
Studia Patristica, 66.
pp. 263-272.
Abstract
Auxentius of Milan, the predecessor of Ambrose, is still frequently seen through the
eyes of Hilary of Poitiers and Athanasius of Alexandria, as a leading member of a
minority faction which used the Council of Rimini (359) to impose an unpopular subordinationist
doctrine on the west. Much about this picture may be disputed, however.
Serious doubts can and have been raised regarding Auxentius’ prominence and indeed
presence at Rimini, and regarding the closeness of his association with the Illyrian
bishops Valens of Mursa and Ursacius of Singidinum. Similarly, the one statement that
survives from Auxentius is misleadingly framed by Hilary as part of his polemic Contra
Auxentium. If we set aside unwarranted speculations, by Hilary and by modern
scholars, regarding the private beliefs of Auxentius, we are left with a bishop who
publicly adhered to the decisions of the Council of Rimini – not as a challenge to the
prevailing orthodoxy in the west but precisely in accordance with it. The compromise
which Rimini represented was rejected by Athanasius and Hilary and their allies; but
it was accepted as the prevailing orthodoxy not only by Auxentius but also by those
who judged Hilary’s challenge to his position – including the emperor Valentinian I.
That this position would later be overthrown in favour of Hilary’s Nicene fundamentalism
should not lead us to condemn Auxentius as dishonest, malign, or out of touch with
his Christian congregation. We should recognise instead that it was only after his death
that his open orthodoxy was officially redefined as surreptitious heresy.
Item Type: |
Article
|
Additional Information: |
This article was first published in 2013 in Studia Patristica Vol.66(2011) Papers presented at the Sixteenth International Conference
on Patristic Studies held
in Oxford 2011;
Edited by
Markus Vinzent;
Volume 14:
Clement of Alexandria
The Fourth-Century Debates |
Keywords: |
Auxentius of Milan; Council of Rimini; early Christian literature; Theology; History; Fathers of the church; |
Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Arts & Humanities > Ancient Classics |
Item ID: |
4601 |
Depositing User: |
Dr. Michael Williams
|
Date Deposited: |
19 Nov 2013 15:19 |
Journal or Publication Title: |
Studia Patristica |
Publisher: |
Peeters |
Refereed: |
Yes |
URI: |
|
Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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