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Eustathius continued to waver among the varieties of Arianism, signing all manner of heretical and contradictory formulas of faith. In 385, he was [[deposition|deposed]] from the [[see]] of Sebaste by a synod at Melitene and succeeded by [[Meletius of Antioch|Meletius]], although his semi-Arian followers remained loyal to him. His deposition seemed not to effect his standing as he was asked by the semi-Arian bishops to be at their synod at Ancyra to oppose the spread of Anomoean doctrines. At the [[Council of Seleucia]] on [[September 27]], 359, Eustathius played a prominent place in the indecisive proceedings. He was among the group of bishops, who after the council, were sent to Constantinople to present their case before Emperor Constantius. Eustathius led their case against the Arians, presenting their formula of the the dissimilarity of the Father and Son, when the Arian delegation from the [[Council of Rimini]], to the liking of Constantius, announced their position proscribing the Homoousion formula. With this turn Eustathius and his party were compelled to agree which ended the council of which St. Jerome wrote: "The whole world groaned and was astonished to find itself Arian." <ref>Jerome, Dialogue Against the Luciferians, 19.</ref>
Constantius then, in January 360, called a council in Constantinople at which [[Acacius of Caesarea ]] presided that deposed and banished Eustathius and a number of bishops including [[Cyril of Jerusalem]], [[Basil of Ancyra]], and Eleusius of Cyzicus. The council used Eustathius' previous deposition by Eulalius as sufficient cause and did not allow Eustathius to defend himself.
With the death of Constantius in 361, Eustathius and the other banished bishops were recalled by Emperor Julian. With his return, Eustathius immediately repudiated his signature on the creed of the Council of Rimini and the rejection of pure Arianism. As reported by Sozomen, Eustathius joined with others in a number of synods in which he condemned the supporters of Acacius, denounced the creed of the Rimini, and asserted that Homoiousion was the true formula over that of the Homoousion and the Anomoeon of Aetius and his followers. <ref>H. E. v. 14</ref>
The accession of Valens as emperor in 364 change the landscape. Arianism again assumed ascendency. The party of semi-Arians, including Eustathius, now called Macedonians as they denied the divinity of the [[Holy Spirit]], at a council chaired by Eleusius, repudiated the Acacian council of 360 at Constantinople and the creed of the Rimini council, renewed the semi-Arian creed of Antioch, and deposed Eudoxius and Acacius. <ref>Socr. H. E. iv. 2-4; Soz. H. E. vi. 7</ref> This raised the ire of Valens who required them to hold communion with Eudoxius, which they refused. Now under loss of their sees and banishment, the Macedonians, with Eustathius, journeyed to Rome to plead with the emperor Valentinian and Pope Liberius. Finding only a reluctant Liberius, they agreed to sign a written adherence to the Nicene creed and Homoousion. <ref>Socr. H. E. iv. 12; Soz. H. E. vi. 11</ref> However, no mention was made to the [[Macedonianism|Macedonian ]] [[heresy]] concerning the Holy Spirit that Eustathius subscribed to.
Returning to the East with letters of communion as proof of their orthodoxy, Eustathius and his fellow-delegates were received as the rightful bishops of their sees. <ref>Soz. l.c.; Basil. Ep. 244 [82], § 5</ref> However, Valens, who was committed to Arianism, issued a edict expelling all bishops who had been restored by Julian. In reaction to save himself, Eustathius signed a formula formed around Homoiousian that also denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:4th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Heretics]]
