CLAS / PHIL 2610. Paganism to Christianity

Lecture 22. Emperors and Heresy: Nicaea and Chalcedon

I. Christology (The Study of Christ): Is Jesus God or Man?

A. Monotheism vs. Dy/Tritheism

B. Signs of Jesus' Humanity

Suffering: Mark 15.33 "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"

Imperfect Knowledge: Matthew 24.32 "Not even the Son knows..."

C. Was Jesus Created by the Father?

II. Arius and Arianism

A. Arius and Alexander

Christ was created by Father; did not always exist

B. The Council of Nicaea (325)

Led by the Emperor Constantine: 320 bishops; "First Ecumenical (world) Council"; burn petitions; homoousios (of the same nature)

Nicene Creed (One in being with the Father)

Death of Arius

III. The Aftermath of Nicaea

A. Constantine's Baptism and Death (337)

Succession disputes

B. Athanasius of Alexandria and the Fight for Nicaea

Exiled four times; wins support of west / Rome

C. Councils and Creeds

Council of Serdica 343: E / W Split

13 coucils with 4 formulas

Council of Rimini / Seleucia 359: homoian (similar in all respects)

Council (II) of Constantinople 381: reasserts Nicaea

D. Survival of Arianism

Goths; Mormons

IV. Nestorius and the Council (III) of Epehsus (431)

A. Alexandria vs. Antioch

Cyril of Alexandria = One Nature mixing Human and Divine

B. Mary as Theotokos (God Bearer)

Nestorius Bp. of Constantinople (originally from Antioch) opposes Theotokos, favors Christotokos

Council of Ephesus (431) condemns Nestorius

C. Nestorian Church of Persia

V. The Monophysite Movement

A. Cyril and Monophysism (Monos = single; Physis = nature)

B. Council (IV) of Chalcedon (451)

perfect god and perfect man, consubstantial with the father in his divinity and with us in his humanity, two natures without confusion which remain different despite their union

C. Turbulent Controversies

Zeno's Henotikon (Unification Treatise)

Justinian's Compromises

D. The Monophysite Church: Armenia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Ethiopia

VI. The Importance of the Controversies

A. Passion of the Masses

Greg of Nazianzen: Bread sellers, money-changers interested in Christology

Riots under Anastasius over Monophysite Trisagion

B. Church Power

Eastern sees v. each other

Rome v. Constantinople

C. Politics and Controversy

Imperial power over bps: Constantine at Nicaea (325)

Bishops power over Emperors: Basil and Valens (372)