William G. Rusch: A Bishop Writes Home: A Letter of Eusebius of Caesarea to His Diocese

In the literature of the Trinitarian controversy there is a relatively brief letter by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea. This episcopal author was a person of considerable historical,political, and theological prominence. His epistle is a critical source to understand the process that arrived at the Nicene definition of God.and is employed by Athanasius to support his developing theology. While standard treatments of this controversy have discussed this epistolary text, they offer varying interpretations of it. This communication will argue there is more information to be extracted from this letter to understand the events at the Council of Nicaea and its aftermath, especially when Athanasius' hermeneutic of the text is included.