355–363

The anti-Nicene parties (Anomoeans, Homoeans, Homoiousians) and the reconciliation of 362–363

Having become sole emperor, Constantius by cunning and force brought the Western bishops to agree with the Eusebians at the councils of Arles and Milan (355). A formula known as the "blasphemy of Sirmium" declared the Son inferior to the Father and forbade discussion of "ousia" – which, according to González, amounted to a condemnation of Nicaea; under pressure even Ossius of Córdoba and Pope Liberius signed it. The anti-Nicene party split into the Anomoeans (the Son is "unlike" the Father), the Homoeans (the Son is simply "like" the Father) and the Homoiousians (the Son is "like in substance"); in 359–360 the Homoean "Dated Creed" became the official confession of the Empire. Meanwhile the Homoiousians were drawing closer to the defenders of consubstantiality: the Council of Alexandria in 362 recognized that both "one hypostasis" and "three hypostases" can be understood in an orthodox sense, and the Synod of Antioch in 363 accepted the Nicene Creed, interpreting "consubstantial" as likeness in substance.