Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl01185)

Hello.

My name is Antonio Abrantes, and I am not member of any Theosophical
society. I am roman catholic. I am brazilian and my english is not so good, so sorry if I commit
some mistakes!. Recently I read a HPB's book called Unveiled Isis, and I would like to discuss
some points here, OK?

At Vol III chapter VII, (near Note 51) (In portuguese edition, Unveiled Isis was published in four
volumes: Vol I and II Science, Vol III and IV Theology), HPB states that Athanasius killed Arius
THIS HPB'S STATEMENT IS WRONG. Gibbon in Decline and Fall of Roman Empire Vol I
chapter XXI p314 says: "But, as if the conduct of the emperor had been guided
by passion instead of principle, three years from the council of Nice (325) were
scarcely elapsed before he discovered some symptons of mercy, and even of indulgence,
towards the proscribed sect (Arius), which was secretly protected by his favourite
sister. The exiles were recalled, and Eusebius, who gradually resumed his influence
over the mind of Constantine, was restored to the episcopal throne, from which
he had been ignominiously degraded. Arius himself was treated by the whole court with
the respect which would have been due an innocent and opressed man. His faith was
approved by the synod of Jerusalem, and yhe emperor seemed impatient to repair his
injustice, by issuing an absolute command that should be solemly admitted to the
communion in the cathedral of Constantinople. On the same day which had been
fixed for triumph of Arius, he expired (336), and the strange and horrid
circumstancesof his death MIGHT EXCITE A SUSPICION THAT THE ORTHODOX SAINTS HAD
CONTRIBUTED MORE EFFICACIOUSLY THAN BY THEIRS PRAYERS TO DELIVER THE
CHURCH FROM THE MOST FORMIDABLE OF HER ENEMIES. The three principal leaders of the
catholics Athanasius of Alexandria, Eustathius of Antioch and Paul of
Constantinople were  deposed on various accusations, by thesentence of numerous
councils, and was aftwards banished into distant provinces by the first of the
christian emperor, who (Constantine), in the last moments of his life (337)
received the rites of baptism from the Arian bishop Eusebio of Nicomedia"

Observe that Gibbon didn't accuse Athanasius. There is no evidence about it.
And at century IV, did someone accuse Athanius from Arius' death? NO
In his first exile, decided in Synod of Tire (336), Athanasius was
accused (p317) to have " abbused his eclesisatical and civil power, that he had
sacrilegiously broken a chalice in one of their churchs of Maraetis, that he had
whipped or imprisioned six of their bishops and that Arsenius, a seventh bishop
of the same party (heretics), had been murdered, or at least mutilated, by the cruel
hand of the primate (Athanasius)"
Gibbon clarifies such accusation: "The synod of Tire was conducted by Eusebius
of Caesarea, with morepassion and with less art, than his learning and experience
mightpromise; his numerous fraction (Arians) repeated the names of homicide
and tyrant (directed to Athanasius), and their clamours were encouraged by the
seeming patient of Athanasius, who expected the decisive moment to produce
Arsenius alive and unhurt in the midst of asssembly. The nature of the charges
did not admit of such clear and satisfatory replies; yet the archbisp was able to
provethat in the village where he was accused of breaking a consecrated chalice,
neither chhurch nor althar nor chalice could really exist. The Arians, who had
secretely determined the guilt and condenmnation of their enemy (Athanasius)
attempted, however, to disguise theis injustice by the imitation ofjudicial forms;
the synod appointed an episcopal commissionof sixdelegates to collect evidence on
the spot, and this measure, whichwas vigorously oppposed by the egiptian bishops,
oppened new scenes of violence and perjury. After the return of the deputies from
Alexandria, the majority of the council pronounced the final sentence of
degradation and exile agaisnt the primate of Egypt (Athanasius)"

Observe that never the Arians accused Athanasius to Arian's death. The
accusation that Athanasius killed or hurted the heretic Arsenius was false too,
because Arsenius presented himself live and hurted in Synod. All accusations
were forgeries to force Athanasius' exile.

Abrantes