Arianism

    Arianism is a non-trinitarian sect of Christianity developed by St. Arius (c. 250-336AD) of Alexandria that taught Jesus did not always exist, but was created by God. This belief became so wide spread that it was causing a rift in the control the catholics wanted to maintain over all Christians. When Christianity was finally legalized by Constantine a council was called to establish a cohesive Christian doctrine; Council of Nicaea of 325. Here the Trinity was established as the official belief structure and St. Arius was declared a heretic. Later he would be exonerated in 335 at the First Synode of Tyre. After his death in 381, however, he would again be called a heretic at the First Council of Constantinople. 

Germanic Invasion

    The controversy was much deeper than most people know. Arius was competing with his rival Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria who eventually succeeded in getting the trinity accepted as the only true form of Christianity. Arianism, however, did not die out. After Constantine's death two of his successors, Constantius II and Valens were Arian Catholics. Many of the Germanic tribes were also largely Arian, thanks in part to Theodoric the Germanic king of the Ostrogoths. The church, by this time, had already taken firm control over the majority of the Roman Empire. Once these Germanic peoples invaded they would slowly integrate with the native population and accept their languages, cultures and religion. The Roman Catholic Church could now establish doctrines and solidify their strong roots that would allow them to control Europe and Christianity for the next 1200 years.  Some Christian groups today are non-trinitarian, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, Unitarians and Church of God (7th Day) – Salem Conference, but these groups do not follow the teachings and many of the principles laid out by St. Arius. Many Arian sects remained in the farther eastern portions of the Roman Empire and remained until the conquest of Islam. Some scholars even believe Islam is a descendant of Arianism.

    Believers in the Trinity say that the Son is the Father who is the Holy Spirit, however, the Son is also not the Father, who is not the Trinity, as shown in this picture:

Makes perfect sense...

    Despite the obvious paradox created with this statement, it is commonly accepted today without much thought. The Arian, non-trinitarian, theology says that there is only one God, who created the Son, who together created our known universe (Earth, man, etc...). The Holy Spirit is simply the love of God, or the work of God, being given down to man. It is, simply put, God allowing his presence to be felt by man. Jesus used this Holy Spirit (the love of God) to do miracles and claim to be on the level of God (level of understanding). It seems contradictory to say you believe in a monothiestic religion yet you have three Gods. But it's only one God, but it's three, because it's one... No.

St. Arius

    There are many scriptures in the Bible that are used as proof texts for the trinitarian believers. Most of these are quite ambiguous and often times contradictory. The non-trinitarian 'proof texts' are generally easier to interpret and much less ambiguous. Many of them are simply dismissed by the trinitarian sects today. Below I have listed many of these scriptures starting with some of the most obvious.

Clear scriptures of Jesus being separate and less than God.

• John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -begotten means created
• Matthew 19:17 Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.
• John 14:28 You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
• John 8:28 So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
• Mark 13:32 But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
• Hebrews 5:8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
• Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
• John 20:17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
• John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
• Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
• Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. -Here Jesus repeats Deuteronomy 6:4
• Corinthians 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
• Matthew 27:46 Around the ninth hour, Jesus shouted in a loud voice, saying "Eli Eli lama sabachthani?" which is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Jesus being exalted after ascension to heaven.

• Acts 5:31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
• Philippians 2:9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name

Jesus having a distinct personality in Heaven

• Hebrews 9:24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
• Acts 7:55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. -Here the Holy Spirit is in someone other than Jesus showing it is not part of a god-head.
• Corinthians 15:24 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

Other Examples such as Jesus praying to God or Jesus being tempted by Satan (Why would Satan tempt God if God created everything?)

• Jesus prays to God. (John 17:1-3)
• Jesus has faith in God. (Hebrews 2:17,18, Hebrews 3:2)
• Jesus is a servant of God. (Acts 3:13)
• Jesus does not know things God knows. (Mark 13:32, Revelation 1:1)
• Jesus worships God. (John 4:22)
• Jesus has one who is God to him. (Revelation 3:12)
• Jesus is in subjection to God. (1 Corinthians 15:28)
• Jesus is given authority by God. (Philippians 2:9)
• Jesus is given kingship by God. (Luke 1:32,33)
• Jesus is given judgment by God. (Acts 10:42)
• "God raised [Jesus] from the dead". (Acts 2:24, Romans 10:9, 1 Corinthians 15:15)
• Jesus is at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19, Luke 22:69, Acts 2:33, Romans 8:34)
• Jesus is the one human mediator between the one God and man. (1 Timothy 2:5)
• God put everything, except Himself, under Jesus. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28)
• Jesus did not think being "equal with God" was graspable. (Philippians 2:6)

A good book to read on this subject is When Jesus Became God by Richard Rubenstein.  It goes into detail of the rivalry between Arius and Athanasius and how the trinitarian ideology took hold in the Roman Empire. You can also visit the website for the Arian Church to lean a great deal more than what is covered here.