Fortunatian of Aquileia's Christology: Arian Heresy or Nicene Orthodoxy?

The article examines a recently discovered text Commentarii in eyangelia (CSEL 103), a work of bishop Fortunatian of Aquileia, dated in the middle of the 4th century, and addresses its position in the context of political-doctrinal polemics around the Arian controversy. Bishop Fortunatian was accused of collaboration in the apostasy from the Nicene, orthodox party, and was condemned to oblivion for almost fifteen centuries, mainly thanks to Jerome (De vir. ill. 97). After Lukas J. Dorfbauer re-discovered the work, a critical examination of Fortunatian's doctrinal positions (Christology, Trinitarian theology, heresiology) is possible. The author demonstrates that theological standpoints of the Aquileian bishop are plainly of Latin or Western character but are at the same time very clearly in line with the Nicene orthodox theology. According to this analysis of the text, a doctrinal rehabilitation of Fortunatian of Aquileia is proved.