Heretical teacher; d. 336; ordained as a pastor in Egypt around 313, Arius began teaching that Jesus is not God but instead is God the Father's first creation. In his words, "There was a time when the Son did not exist." Because the apostles had believed that Jesus is both God (John 10:30-33; 20:28; Rom. 9:5) and man (1 John 4:2; 2 John 1:7), Arius's teachings caused concern and conflict among Christians throughout the Roman empire. This eventually compelled Emperor Constantine to convene the Council of Nicaea in 325; the council condemned the Arian heresy with the Nicene Creed. See also Christology; Constantine the Great; Council of Nicaea.