Constantinople. Alexandria Nitria Scetis

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1 Carthage Rome Athens Constantinople Antioch Alexandria Nitria Scetis Jerusalem Anthony's cave Paul's cave Tabennisi Thebes

2 Desert Monasticism Forms Solitary Paul of Thebes (c. 250) Anthony (269) Clusters of solitaries Ammon (Nitria) Macarius (Scetis) Cenobitism Pachomius (313, Tabernnisis)

3 Life of St Anthony Scriptural models Jesus temptations in the desert Elijah, John the Baptist Spiritual warfare with demons

4 Meanwhile... Persecutions 250 ff under Decius 311 in Alexandria under Maximian (Anthony) Julian the Apostate Successions Antonius Pius Marcus Aurelius Diocletian Tetrarchy (Diocletian, Maximian, two Caesars) Nicomedia, Milan, Sirmium, Trier Constantine Conversion 312, defeats Maxentius at Milvian Bridge Edict of Toleration 313 Establishes capital at Constantinople 330

5 Carthage Rome Athens Constantinople Antioch Alexandria Jerusalem

6 Doctrinal Controversies Examples we ve seen already Problem: Is Christianity part of Judaism? Settlement: Keep OT scriptures Gentiles not required to become Jews Problem: Is there ongoing revelation? Settlement: No Problem: What about classical culture? Settlement: None

7 4th- and 5th-Century Controversies Problem: Monotheism I: Is Jesus God? Settlement : Nicea (325) Problem: Monotheism II: What about the Holy Spirit? Settlement : Constantinople (381) Problem: The person of Christ: So what does Nicea mean for the person of Christ? Settlement : Chalcedon (451) Differences these times around The emperor is involved Large formal councils Canons and creeds

8 The Players Arius (Alexandria) Athanasius (Alexandria) Cappadocians Basil of Caesarea Gregory of Nazianzus Gregory of Nyssa Cyril (Alexandria) Nestorius (Constantinople) Eutyches Theodore of Mopsuestia Leo (Rome)

9 Monotheism I: Is Jesus God? Yes Yes, but... No

10 Monotheism I: Heresies Docetism If he suffered he was not God; if he was God he did not suffer Monarchianism (modal, dynamic) Patripassianism Seballianism Adoptionism Subordinationism Arianism

11 Arianism Christ is subordinate to God The letter of Arius to Eusebius The son is not unbegotten, nor part of the unbegotten in any way, nor is he derived from any substance... And before he was begotten or created or appointed or established, he did not exist; for he was not unbegotten. We are persecuted because we say that the Son has a beginning, but God is without beginning. For that reason we are persecuted, and because we say that he is from what is not. And this we say because he is neither part of God nor derived from any substance. Arian Syllogism If the Father begat the Son, he that was begotten had a beginning of existence; hence it is clear that there was when he was not. It follows then of necessity that he had his existence from the non-existent. Proverbs 8:22 The Lord created me the beginning of his works

12 Nicea 325 Creed 1.We believe in one God, the Father, almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; 2. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten, that is, from the substance of the father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father, through whom all things came into being, things in heaven and things on earth, who because of us men and because of our salvation came down and became incarnate, becoming man, suffered and rose again on the third day, ascended to the heavens, will come to judge the living and the dead. 3. And in the Holy Spirit. But as for those who say, There was when he was not, and Before being born he was not, and that he came into existence out of nothing, or who assert that the Son of God is of a different hypostasis or substance, or is subject to alteration or change these the Catholic and aposyttolic Church anathemitizes.

13 Monotheism II: Is the Holy Spirit God? The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed Third Article: And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and life-giver, who proceeds from the Father [and the son], who with the Father and the Son is together worshipped and together glorified, who spoke through the prophets; In one holy Catholic and apostolic Church. We confess one baptism to the remission of sins; we look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

14 Monotheism I & II: Trinity God is 1 ousia (substance) in 3 hypostaseis (persons)

15 The Person of Christ: More Heresies Problem: Given Nicea, how are supposed to understand, Jesus Christ, the person in the biblical stories? Crisis point: Theotokos Apollonarianism: In Christ the Logos took the place of the human rational soul. [Antiochenes stress the humanity of Jesus Christ] Nestorianism: Union (conjunction) of divine and human in Christ is like the union of husband and wife who become one flesh while remaining separate natures and persons. [2 natures and persons before, 2 after] [Alexandrines stress the divinity] Eutychianism: Two natures before, one after

16 Chalcedonian Definition Hypostatic Union Therefore following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at one complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a rational soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin (Theotokos); one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence...

17 Christian Monotheism God is 1 ousia (substance) in 3 hypostaseis (persons) Jesus Christ is two natures in one person