Highlights of Church History: Week 5 February 4, 2018 Wellford Baptist Church Main sources for this class: Gonzalez, Justo L.. The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation. HarperCollins. Kindle Ed, 2014. Dr. Michael Wren, Lecture Notes, Church History 1, Fall 2009, New Orleans Seminary Notes for this and other weeks available online at www.michaelastokes.net Last week 3 rd Century Teachers and Martyrs This week Constantine Arianism Crisis of Third Century Roman Empire From 235-284 AD, the Empire was in economic and political crisis. 26 claimants to the throne mostly military leaders Very unstable Some of the persecution of Christians mentioned last week were attempts to unite the Empire under the traditional Roman gods. Diocletian s solution Tetrarchy Empire ruled by four rulers (284-304) Diocletian (Augustus) in the East o Galerius (Caesar) in the East Maximian (Augustus) in the West o Constantius Chlorus (Caesar) in the West Great Persecution 303--Diocletian and Galarius initiated persecution (Galarius idea mainly) o Intense in the east not so much in the west o Christian property seized, removed from influential posts o Clergy imprisoned, sacred texts burned o Confessors became numerous 1 st Transition of the Tetrarchy In 304 (as planned), Diocletian and Maximian retired and abdicated Galerius and Constantius Chlorus were raised to Augustus Severus and Maximinus Daia were appointed as subordinates Statues and coins featuring the 4 tetrarchs showed all of them with identical features only the names were changed. 2 nd Tetrarchy Galerius (Augustus) in the East o Maximinus Daia (Caesar) in the East Constantius Chlorus (August) in the West o Severus (Caesar) in the West
The demise of the Tetrarchy The rise of Constantine 306 Constantius dies o Severus promoted to Augustus by Galerius o Constantine (Constantius son) proclaimed Augustus (in the West) by his father s troops o Maxentius (son of Maximinus) defeats Severus and has him murdered o Maximian (out of retirement) and Maxentius both claim the title August o Now we have 4 Augusti (Galerius, Constantine, Maximian, and Maxentius) and 1 Caesar (Maximinus) 308 Imperial Conference (Galerius, retired Diocletian, and supposedly retired Maximian) declared a new Tetrarchy o Galerius (Augustus) in the East Maximinus (Caesar) in the East o Licenius (Augustus) in the West Constantine (Caesar) in the West Maximian was to retire (again?) and Maxentius was declared a usurper Maxentius was the defacto ruler of Italy and N Africa even without a title 309 Constantine seized Spain 310 Constantine forced Maximian s suicide 311 Galerius died of natural causes 312 Constantine defeated Maxentius at the Battle of Milvan Bridge (Rome) o Constantine supposedly had a vision the night before the battle and had the Chi Rho symbol painted on the shields of his troops 313 Licinius defeated Maximinus who subsequently committed suicide at Tarsus o This left two emperors (Constantine in the West and Licinius in the East) 324 - Constantine defeated Licinius and ruled the entire Empire A Great Deliverance June 313--Constantine and Licinius issue Edict of Milan o Persecution of Christians to cease o Christian property to be restored o Freedom of worship for all o Granted numerous legal advantages to Christianity o Clergy exempt from taxation, allowed to adjudicate some civil cases, serve as military chaplains, receive legacies from wealthy individuals o Financed copying of Scriptures, numerous church buildings throughout empire Constantine the Christian Publically proclaimed his allegiance to the Unconquered Sun and still served as pontifex maximus Baptized on his deathbed, 337 Demonstrated little understanding of Christian doctrine Contrary to predecessors, saw Christianity as unifying force for empire Respected the power of Christ, but in many ways treated him like a pagan god Showed little interest in Jesus as a Savior for sinners
Reaction to Christianity under Constantine Eusebius of Caesarea Bishop of Caesarea and Christian Historian Wrote his Church History during the time of persecution prior to the Edict of Milan Probably half of what we know or Christianity during the first 3 centuries is due to the writings of Eusebius. Eusebius viewed the actions of Constantine as the direct intervention of God not unlike the Exodus History had reached its peak with Christianity under Constantine Monasticism A few Christians had chosen to life a life of self-denial and solitude in the desert during the 3 rd century With the changes in the church under Constantine in the 4 th Century, thousands retreated to the desert to escape the influence of the world. Monks became influential among the masses for their dedication and self-denial Many saw leaders in the church as too tied to wealth and influence Leaders such as Athanasius, Martin of Tours, and Augustine brought monastic ideals into mainstream Egypt provided fertile soil o Pachomius (286-346) established monastic commune and provided discipline o Life of St. Anthony, written by Athanasius, spread monastic ideals o Life of Paul the Hermit, by Jerome The Arian Controversy Developments prior to Arius Subordinationism present before 4th century o Origin understood Son as subordinate to Father, though clearly divine o Many (including Apologists) utilized Logos concept to speak of Son one who mediates divinity to humanity o Lesser theologians had offered unhelpful arguments in an attempt to clarify debated issues Modalism reminded churchmen of the need to articulate distinctions in the Godhead o God is one person who exists in different forms at different times Arius early teaching Around 318, Arius (256-336), presbyter of a congregation in Alexandria, got in trouble for teaching that the Son should not be called God in the same sense as the Father o Attempting to safeguard the uniqueness, otherness of God while still making sense of the importance of Jesus o What is the big deal that Christ was sinless if he is God? o Sought to anchor his understanding in biblical texts rather than in philosophical speculations o Taught that there was when He was not
Arius and Alexander The Bishop of Alexandria, Alexander, opposed Arius teaching and removed him from all church posts o Arius was an able preacher with popular appeal He composed a song, Thalia, that set his theological ideas in a popular medium o Arius garnered wider support by winning the confidence of some other bishops, most notably Eusebius of Nicomedia Alexander convened the bishops of Egypt and Libya and had Arius & supporters condemned (excommunicated) in 324 Constantine and Nicaea Constantine gained sole control of East in 324 o Desired to resolve the controversy and use Christianity to unite the empire o Previously, church debates were resolved (if they were resolved) through a process of discussion Constantine called a council of church leaders to convene at Nicaea (convenient for emperor, western bishops, and politically expedient)--convened 20 May, 325 Bishops gathered mostly from the East (220?), though two presbyters from Rome and Ossius of Cordoba were there All were transported fed and housed at Constantine s expense They met in an imperial building Many literally bore the scars of persecution just a few years earlier The meeting began with Constantine exhorting the delegates to reach agreement and then handed the proceedings over to Hosius of Cordoba The proceedings lasted for 2 months There were gathered the most distinguished ministers of God, from the many churches in Europe, Libya [i.e., Africa] and Asia. A single house of prayer, as if enlarged by God, sheltered Syrians and Cilicians, Phoenicians and Arabs, delegates from Palestine and from Egypt, Thebans and Libyans, together with those from Mesopotamia. There was also a Persian bishop, and a Scythian was not lacking. Pontus, Galatia, Pamphylia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Phrygia sent their most outstanding bishops, jointly with those from the remotest areas of Thrace, Macedonia, Achaia, and Epirus. Even from Spain, there was a man of great fame [Hosius of Cordoba] who sat as a member of the great assembly. The bishop of the Imperial City [Rome] could not attend due to his advanced age; but he was represented by his presbyters. Constantine is the first ruler of all time to have gathered such a garland in the bond of peace, and to have presented it to his Savior as an offering of gratitude for the victories he had won over all his enemies. (Eusebius of Caesarea, Life of Constantine 3.7.) The proceedings at Nicea The pro-arian party was led by Eusebius of Nicomedia The anti-arian party was led by Alexander of Alexandria, who brought along the young deacon Athanasius The (few) Westerners present were generally satisfied with the language of Tertullian -- three personas, one substantia Eusebius of Caesarea was present to clear his name (after having initially supporting Arianism) Constantine just wanted resolution
Eusebius of Nicomedia presented his own views clearly, assuming this would help resolve the situation- -it did. He was shouted down, His views were condemned, some say his notes were ripped from his hands A creed was issued condemning Arius position, using a word homoousios to describe the relationship of Father and Son (19 June, 325) Those who refused to sign were deposed Statement from Nicea We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of the Father, that is, from the substance of the Father, God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, of one substance [homoousios] with the Father, through whom all things were made, both in heaven and on earth, who for us humans and for our salvation descended and became incarnate, becoming human, suffered and rose again on the third day, ascended to the heavens, and will come to judge the living and the dead. And in the Holy Spirit. But those who say that there was when He was not, and that before being begotten He was not, or that He came from that which is not, or that the Son of God is of a different substance [hypostasis] or essence [ousia], or that He is created, or mutable, these the Catholic church anathematizes. Nicaea settled things, right? -- Wrong! Controversy Reemerges Eusebius of Nicomedia (among others) refused to bar from communion those excluded as Arians o Though exiled, he and Arius were soon allowed to return Alexander died in 328, succeeded by Athanasius Athanasius was so short and dark that his enemies called him the black dwarf Struggled against 4 Emperors over this issue of Arianism. He was known as Athanasius Contra Mundum (Latin for Athanasius Against the World). The Arians Strike Back Eusebius of Nicomedia won Constantine s confidence and used that influence to oppose Athanasius Athanasius accused of dabbling in magic and ruling as a tyrant over the church in Alexandria Eusebius (of N.) succeeded in having Athanasius charged at a Synod in Tyre, 335 There Athanasius was charged with killing a rival bishop named Arsenius and cutting off his hand to use in his magic spells. Athanasius brought a man into the courtroom covered in a cloak and made sure that several of those present claimed to know Arsenius. Then he pulled back the cloak to reveal that the man was Arsenius. They then claimed that Athanasius did not kill Arsenius but cut off his hand. Athanasius uncovered Arsenius s right hand, then his enemies said, The other hand! Athanasius then revealed his other hand and said What kind of monster must this Arsenius be? One with three hands?
Constantine exiled Athanasius to Gaul soon thereafter Upon Constantine s death (337), his son Constantius (a convinced Arian) assumed control in the East Constans (another son of Constantine who ruled Italy, N. Africa, Balkans) supported Nicaea and won over the bishop of Rome Key Events Council of Sardica, 343--East (Arian) and West (Nicene) fail in the attempt to reach agreement 346 Constantius allows Athanasius to return 353 (Arles), 355 (Milan)--Constantius persuades (bribes?) some western bishops to oppose Athanasius Sirmium, 357, western bishops (incl. Ossius of Cordoba pillar of orthodoxy) embrace a subordination position (supporting Arianism) Athanasius s Theology Given a period of roughly 10 years in Alexandria (following 1 st exile), Athanasius succeeded in articulating the logic of his position (The death of Constantius and rise of the pagan Julian the Apostate helped his situation) o Homo ousious (same substance) is necessary. The Son must be fully God in order to be sufficient to save o Homoi ousios (similar substance) is inherently flawed. Saying the Son is like the Father inevitably leads to subordination