Eusebius of Caesarea

Eusebius of Caesarea or Eusebius Pamphili , c.263-339?, Greek apologist and church historian, b. Palestine. He was bishop of Caesarea, Palestine (314?-339). In the controversy over Arianism , Eusebius favored the semi-Arian views of Eusebius of Nicomedia, and he once gave refuge to Arius. A simple baptismal creed submitted by Eusebius at the First Council of Nicaea (325) formed the basis of what became known as the Nicean Creed; it was amended with the Greek word homoousios [consubstantial, of the same substance] to define the Son's relationship with the Father. Eusebius considered this addition to the creed as reflecting the ideas of Sabellius , which he opposed. Although he signed the formulary, he later did not support it. His works include a universal history entitled the Chronicle, the Ecclesiastical History, and the apologetic works Praeparatio Evangelica and Demonstratio Evangelica.

Eusebius. Christian bishop and historian (264–340), born in Palestine, who wrote in Greek; known formally as Eusebius Pamphili, Bishop of Caesarea. Among several surviving works, his Chronicle [Gk. Chronicon], co-ordinating Christian and pagan events, was especially influential on the world-view of early Celtic Christian writers.

Bibliography

See Alden A. Mosshammer , The Chronicle of Eusebius and Greek Chronographic Tradition (Lewisburg, Penn., 1979).

Eusebius (c.260–c.340). Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine and church historian. Eusebius's most important work was the Ecclesiastical History, containing an immense range of material, including many extracts from earlier writers, about the Church from the beginning to his own time. Among his other historical works are a Chronicle, containing tables synchronizing events in ancient history; a Life of Constantine, to whom he was theological advisor; and an account of the Martyrs of Palestine in the persecution of 303–10. His most important theological writings are the two apologetic works, Preparation for the Gospel (refuting Greek polytheism) and Demonstration of the Gospel (proving Christianity from the Old Testament).