Key Facts:

Date Winter 351
Location Sirmium (in modern-day Serbia)
Summoned by
Constantius II
Number of Participants
Various Eastern bishops
Key Participants
Basil of Ancyra; Photinus
Purpose To examine the theology of Photinus
Key Events
The debate between Basil and Photinus; Photinus’ subsequent condemnation; the production of a formula of faith which repeats that of Antioch AD 341; the production of 27 anathemas against Photinus as well as Marcellus of Ancyra; Athanasius deposed and condemned again.
Ancient Descriptions
Athanasius, De Synodis II.27; Epiphanius Panarion 71.1-5; Sulpicius Severus, Chronica 2.37.5; Socrates HE 2.29-30; Sozomen HE 4.6 (The latter two conflates this council with the council held in this city in 357.)

Surviving Documents:

First Creed of Sirmium

Bibliography

Barnes, T.D. Athanasius and Constantius (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1993), 109-110.

Hanson, R.P.C. The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God (New York: T&T Clark, 1988), pp. 325-329.

Simonetti, M. “Sirmium” in The Encyclopedia of the Early Church (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), vol. 2, p. 783.

Created by MKM, JCB and PSAM

Last updated: 7-16-2012

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