The deeper I dig in to this stuff, it seems as if many of these 'heretics' were but props, 'types' against which doctrine was defined and in the politics of the times I'd imagine persecutions over the years off and on put this in context in which we have little understanding as to the machinations used to ensure 'true' doctrine was entrenched.
I think we're seeing this played out on a different scale today when one person's text, tweet, whatever, is taken out of context (there is no time for context in our instant world) and blown to extremes whether or not the meaning is what it is said to have meant.
The logical extension of the 'worst' of Antiochene thought led to the accusations Cyril railed against Nestorius; it didn't necessarily matter whether or not he actually believed what was said. Ditto what was said about Cyril.
It is probably the same way with Arius. What is left of Arius' beliefs is found primarily in Athanasius. Not exactly an unbiased source of information.
They became props against which doctrine was delineated and defined.
We do the same thing today with the various denominations when in reality we seem to have lost what the 'Trinity' actually means. Truthfully, when I read the Oneness arguments I think they are trying to say the same thing about the mystery. There are differences, obviously, such as the fact that the pre-existent 'Jesus' was in the mind of God and not a pre-existing Word that became man. Significant difference, certainly, from 'orthodox' thinking but in truth, when we drill down, we are trying to take the Biblical witness and put words to the mystery.
I will revisit this but I believe as Christians we are more united than we are divided and we spent more time infighting than we do trying to show people the beauty of the Christian faith.
I became a Christian spontaneously and it took me almost 20 years to want to be one.
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