The Arian Confrontation

Arius teachings had already spread across the east. The two sides fought for control of regional bishoprics, local churches and individual parishioners. Constantine was looking to make it the defacto state religion of the empire. But as with the donatists, he was hesitant to get to involved in the dispute himself. It was an argument over a trivial point of philosophy. Surely the matter could be settled without the emperor needing to get involved. Instead, constantine despatched the bishop osius to egypt to end the controversy once and for all. And after riots broke out in antioch over the election of a new bishop, osius decided to convene a council of