Until recently scholars on Arianism rightly saw Arius and Athanasius, the legendary protagonists in a gigantic confrontation, as the respective embodiments of vice and virtue. The previous century and a half witnessed the emergence of a vast literature on Arianism which has been increasingly favorable to Arius. It is against this development that one would best appreciate Newman’s first major book, The Arians of the Fourth Century, or simply The Arians. In addition to being a very scholarly work, The Arians is also most original. It presents the Arian dispute as a moral contestation about the pivotal Christian doctrine, the Incarnation of the Son of God, the Savior of mankind. The first six chapters of this book deal with the making and contents of The Arians. The last four chapters present its reception or rather shameful slighting and neglect. The dislike shown toward The Arians is easily understood if one considers that Newman often refers to the Incarnation as "the Sacred Mystery." No similar touch in many new christological publications, Protestant and even Catholic, all suggestive, in various degrees, of Arianizing trends. To his credit, Newman foresaw their coming.

By Fr. Stanley L. Jaki

ISBN 978-0-9774826-6-5  •  vi + 255 pages  •  softcover