Lecture 5 Flashcards
(70 cards)
1
Q
What was one of the main issues that came about after the Council of Nicea?
A
The trinity was almost impossible to define without drifting in to some kind of heresy.
2
Q
What factors led to the difficulty in defining the trinity between the church in the East and West?
A
- The “Jewishness” of Christians and their view of Christ
- The language of the Trinity embodied in the Logos Doctrine
- The subsequent heretical notions formed when theologians were too precise or too vague in their attempts to describe the trinity
- Differences in methods of biblical/theological interpretation (Antioch vs. Alexandria)
- Differences between Latin and Greek
3
Q
In the first 300 years of Christianity heresy came from the outside. What was different now?
A
The Church had to band together and form a defense against heresy, but this time the heresy came from within
4
Q
What did the Ebionites add to Christological heresies?
A
(ebionites) The “Jewish Christian” problem: Ebionites—Jewish Christians created problems for the apostle Paul (Gal 2:4; 2 Corinthians 3:1)
1. Jesus Christ was a prophet like Moses
2. Only Jesus had completely fulfilled the law, so God “adopted” him as his Son.
3. Jesus was capable of sinning
4. They were essentially monotheistic: Jesus was a man, and one dared not add to the Godhead
5
Q
What did the Logos doctrine add to Christological heresies?
A
Philo of Alexandria: saw the Logos as God’s Wisdom—a participant in the act of creation, and an intermediary between God and humanity.
Justin Martyr said that the universal logos became fully known when it became a human being, in the form of Jesus. This is the same rational principle who was with the Father and was begotten before other things and persons were created.
Irenaeus in Against Heresies, says that the Logos was preexistent with God at all times. Attaches the full divinity of God on Christ.
6
Q
Dynamic Monarchianism
A
a. “Non-Logos” adherents: Theodotus—Christ received “powers” (dynameis) from the baptismal Spirit for his special vocation, but he was not God
b. If he became God, it was after the resurrection
7
Q
Modalistic Monarchians (Sabellius or Patripassianism)
A
The one, single, and unified Monarch—the one God as appearing in 3 separate and successive “modes”
8
Q
What is the context that shaped how the School of Alexandria viewed theology?
A
Gnostic and Neoplatonic environment
a. In the tradition of Philo, Pantaenus founded the school for Christian instruction, to be followed by Clement of Alexandria and Origen.
9
Q
What impacted Origen’s hermeneutics?
A
He had a Hellenistic interpretation + Hellenistic philosophy.
10
Q
According to Origen, what is the relation of the Logos to Jesus?
A
o There are 2 separate natures in Christ
o The preexistent human soul of Jesus: Origen saw this in terms of a “substance” between deity and human flesh made it impossible for the nature of God to intermingle with a body without and intermediate instrument—the God-man is born.
11
Q
How is Origen perspective on Logos and Jesus pivotal in at least two ways?
A
o In the east part of the Empire, the debate on the Trinity and Christology for the next period was carried on in the terms that he had set forth. It was as if he had made the rules of the game (Allegory)
o Second, he promoted the deductive method in theology and it reigned supreme in the middle ages.
12
Q
What is the context that shaped how the School of Antioch viewed theology?
A
a. Connected with a literal adherence to the letter of the sacred texts
b. Gnostic and Greek speculative philosophy were less influential around Antioch
c. Christian thinkers in Antioch began with monotheism (makes sense, they were Jewish):
13
Q
How did the Jewishness of Antioch influence their Christology?
A
Christian thinkers in Antioch began with monotheism (makes sense, they were Jewish):
• To protect the unity and oneness of God
• They centered on the humanity of Jesus (as a divine member of the trinity)
14
Q
How did Paul of Samosata view the Trinity?
A
- The developing doctrine of the Trinity, including the eternal deity of the Son, threatened the monotheism of Jesus
- From his perspective, the Jewish Shema (“Hear, O Israel the Lord your God, the Lord is one. . .”) meant that the Logos-Son was a power of God so unified with him that it became a distinct existence only periodically—thus a limited experience
- Jesus-Christ was a man adopted by God as his special human son; he simply enjoyed this special relationship with God the Father beginning with his baptism in the Jordan River.
- Paul was condemned by a synod of bishops in Antioch (268)
15
Q
Homoousios
A
homo means same; for example, homogenized; homoi means like or similar.
Ousia, from fem. part. ousa of verb eimi, “to be,” means essence or substance.
16
Q
Christological problems were historically a consequence of what controversy?
A
The Christological problem is historically a consequence of the Trinitarian controversy.
The champions of orthodox doctrine both of the Trinity and the person of Christ were defenders of the mystery, not over-rationalists trying to figure them out and make them rationally intelligible to human thinking
Mere assertion of belief in the Trinity was not good enough if the way you explained it actually denies it! (Sabellianism, etc.)
1. The same was the case with Christology
17
Q
What did the first two councils address?
A
Trinitarian Controversies.
18
Q
What did the next four councils address?
A
Christological Controversies.
19
Q
What did the last council address?
A
Iconoclasm
20
Q
Homoousios
A
Jesus is divine, of the “same substance” as the Father.
21
Q
What was the same substance that Jesus shared with the Father?
A
His divine nature. The Trinity shares the divine in the same way.
22
Q
Hypostasis
A
A thing’s subsistence.
23
Q
How were ousia and hypostasis related before 350?
A
The General Way: The essence of particulars.
-The essence of particular dogs is their “dogness”.
The Particular Way: The essence of a particular individual.
-The essence of that particular bulldog is made up of the particular characteristics that make it a bulldog (and not a Beagle).
24
Q
When it came to differences in language, what got the East and Western church in trouble?
A
The Particular way of explaining ousia and hypostasis made it entirely proper to speak of the Trinity in three particular hypostasis (or traits).
25
How did the East and West understand hypostasis?
In the West, hypostasis tended to be understood only in the general sense of the shared essence (like Tertullian). Whereas in the East, hypostasis was understood in the particular sense.
26
How did the East and West hear each other when they spoke of hypostasis?
So, the East, in speaking of the three Persons of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—said there were three hypostases.
• Since the Westerner tended to think of hypostasis in the general sense, when the Easterner said three hypostases it sounded to the Westerner like three different essences.
• To the Western ear, this sounded like tri-theism.
• To the Eastern ear, when he/she heard the West speak of one hypostasis, it sounded like a form of monarchianism; it seemed to deny distinctions.
• The Easterner also feared homoousion denied any distinctions in the Godhead.
In a nutshell. The guys in the west thought that the guys in the east were not monotheistic. And the guys in the east didn't think the guys in the west acknowledged any distinction between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
27
The council of Nicea defined the Trinity. But what happened to Arianism after the council?
There was a resurgence of it, and it threatened Christianity. Many Christian, especially in the East, followed Arianism.
28
What was Athanasius' main concern as the Champion of Nicea?
a. He was primarily concerned with the salvation of humanity
| b. This was only possible when “true God” united with “true man.”
29
What were the four Arian groups that came about after the Council of Nicea?
a. Homoousians: supported the wording and theology of Nicea (Athanasius, etc.)
• The Son is “of the same substance as the Father”
• Support from the bishops of Rome
b. Homoiousions: Position of compromise with Nicaea, were concerned about modalism
• Also called Semi-Arians
• They were reluctant to use homoousios, because that approached Sabellianism. They claimed that the son would lose his individuality. So,
• They tried to appeal to the Nicenes and the Arians by claiming that the “Son was of similar substance with the Father”—thus retaining his individuality, while sharing in the substance of the Father
• An early supporter was Basil of Ancyra
c. Homoeans: (from homois, “like” or “similar”)
• Preferred not to use ousia at all
• Arian party which came into existence under the leadership of Acacius, Bishop of Caesarea (c.355)
• They repudiated both homoousios and homoiousios
• They sought to confine theological discussion of son to the assertion that he was like the Father
• Had the support of Constantius II
d. Anomoians: said the Jesus was unlike the Father, since he was generated and the Father was ungenerated
• Jesus was fallible and was able to sin
• Aetius and Eunomius, and the Meletians of Egypt were proponents of this view
30
Where was the question of language (homoousios and hypostasis) finally defined?
Council of Constantinople.
1. Ousia came to be regarded as the equivalent of the Latin substantia
2. Hypostasis came to be regarded as the equivalent of the Latin persona
The formulation distinguished between ousia and hypostasis:
• In God, there is only one ousia, in which the Father, Son and Holy Spirit share, but there are three hypostasis, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• This was the work of the Cappadocians, mostly against the Semi-Arians, and Apollinarius
31
Who are the Great Cappadocians?
These were Saint Macrina and her brothers, the three great Church leaders from Eastern Anatolia (present-day Turkey): Basil of Caesarea (Basil the Great); Gregory of Nyssa (Basil’s brother); and Gregory of Nazianzus.
32
Macrina (c.327-380)
Elder sister of Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa
a. She has often been overshadowed by her brothers (but should not be!)
b. Exercised a deep influence on her famous brothers, esp. Basil
33
Macrina's early life:
a. Born c. 327
• She and her brothers raised in a devout Christian home
• Grandparents had spent time in hiding during the Decian persecution
b. Arranged marriage and the result:
• Marriage arranged when she was twelve, as was the custom
• The groom-to-be died unexpectedly
• Macrina devoted herself to the monastic life
34
Macrina's Intervention in Basil's Life
Macrina’s “Intervention” with Basil and the result:
a. Basil was several years younger than Macrina
b. Basil was highly educated (see below)
• He returned from his education intending to pursue a legal career
• He had become rather arrogant because he was assured a place in Caesarean high-society
c. Macrina prevented Basil from pursuing a promising secular career, and helped him prepare for the ministry
• She bluntly told him that he was full of himself
• She told him he was better off studying theology, not pagan authors
35
At first, Basil ignored Macrina's words on joining ministry. What changed his mind?
• He ignored her until they received news of the death of their brother, Naucratius
o Naucratius and Basil had been very close
o Naucratius had followed the path of ministry; Basil the opposite
• Basil was shaken by the news, and he changed his life completely
36
Macrina's death
Death:
a. Macrina became ill with Asthma during Gregory’s visit
• Before she died, she counseled Gregory in his grief
• She then encouraged him one last time before she passed away
b. Died in peace at her monastic retreat
c. The best source to learn about her life is Vita Macrinae Junioris (Macrina, the younger, or my younger sister), by Gregory of Nyssa
d. Her competence as a theologian is found in the work, De Anima et Resurrectione, also by Gregory of Nyssa
37
Basil the Great (c.330-379)
Is the most famous of the Cappadocians for several reasons:
a. Besides being eloquent, learned, and statesmanlike, was possessed of great personal holiness
b. His nature was at once sensitive and pugnacious (always ready for a fight).
c. To these qualities he added an unusual talent for organization, and impressed on Eastern monasticism the structure and ethos which it has retained ever since.
38
Basil's early life:
* Father was also named Basil: an accomplished attorney and teacher of rhetoric
* Spent most of his childhood indoors, studying—was given the best education
* Father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and pursue law
* Studied in Caesarea (Cappadocia), Antioch, and then Constantinople
39
What did Basil do in his early years of ministry?
• After his father’s death, he went to Egypt to learn about the Monastic life
• He formed a monastery with his friend Gregory of Nazianzus
• His sister, Macrina had already founded a monastic community in Annesi; she influenced his decision to go
• Basic became known as the great teacher of Monasticism in the Greek church
o Since Macrina influenced Basil in this regard, she has been known (in some circles) as the founder of Greek monasticism.
• He lived as a monk for 6 years, until he was ordained against his will
40
Basil's "Monastic Rules"
• The core of monastic life is to serve others
o He undertook the most disagreeable tasks of the community
• He wrote down these rules and others like these.
• The Greek church has used these rules for the basis of their monastic orders, since that time
41
Basil’s Attitude
Basil’s attitude can be characterized as: tempestuous, inflexible, and even arrogant. After he was forced into being a presbyter, he soon began to clash with other bishops.
42
Basil’s “New City”
Basil arrived in Caesarea intending to help the people in the midst of bad crops and food hoarding (by the rich)
o Basil preached against the inequality
o He sold all of his properties to feed the poor
o He created a “New city” outside of town where the hungry were fed, the ill were treated, and the unemployed given jobs
o He called the city “Basiliad” (lol. Arrogant dude, this Basil)
o He collected money from the rich, imploring them to “invest in heaven”
43
When did Basil become bishop? And of what city?
Bishop of Caesarea (370-379). After death of the Bishop of Caesarea, Basil was elected despite Arian claims that he was not healthy enough (he had poor health).
44
Why did Basil clash with Emperor Valens? What happened?
Valen’s intended to visit in order to support the Arian cause.
Imperial officers were ordered to subdue Basil using bribes and threats
Basil did not relent, and the Prefect of the city threatened him with:
o Confiscation of his goods: Basil replied that all he had were rags and books and the Prefect was welcome to them
o Exile: Basil welcomed exile, explaining that he was “God’s guest” wherever he went
o Torture: Basil claimed that his body was “already dead” in Christ and any torture would lead him to God sooner.
The Prefect was astonished because no one had stood up to him in that way before: Basil said, “it is because you have never met a real bishop before” (arrogant bastard).
45
How did Basil further the Nicean cause against the Arians?
o Basil tried to reconcile the two formulas of Nicea, by trying to show that the word Homoiousios (‘like in substance to the Father’) had the same implications as the Nicene Homoousios (‘of one substance’).
o Similar to the Semi-Arians.
o Thus, Basil tried to reconcile the Nicene party with the Semi-Arians against the Arians.
46
Which one of Basil's works helped define Trinitarian theology?
On the Holy Spirit, a work about the trinity that helped solidify the Trinitarian stance of Nicea—and helped define the trinity in the East.
47
Eunomius
* Eunomius had abandoned Arius’ idea of God as being incomprehensible. God is therefore finite.
* Eunomius stressed the oneness of God: “anyone with an ounce of sense . . . would surely recognize that there was only one God . . . To predicate further personal distinctions within God’s being was to speak incomprehensible gibberish.”
48
Sabellius attacked Basil and other Trinitarian theologians for “worshipping three Gods.” (tri-theism). How did he resoond?
Basil responded in two general ways:
o He exhorted his opponents to turn to the scriptures in order to: “arbitrate between us, and the doctrines of whichever side is found to be in harmony with the words of God, to that side will surely go the verdict of the truth.”
o He defended the deity of the Holy Spirit by the character and activities of the Holy Spirit: “the good, the holy, and the eternal, the wise, the right, the supreme, the powerful” are possessed and exercised in common with the Father and the Son.
Basil (and the Cappadocians’) further response to charges of tri-theism: “All general terms (wisdom, power, goodness) refer to God in the singular: there is only one wisdom, one power, one goodness in God, not three
49
What did Basil say in On the Holy Spirit?
• If the Spirit does the kinds of things only God can rightly do (above) he must share in the divine nature with the Father and the Son
• Question: What does the Spirit do?
Basil’s answer: “Resurrection from the dead is accomplished by the operation of the Spirit. . . . He gives us risen life, refashioning our souls in the Spiritual life. If so, then ‘how can the Christian be afraid of giving the Spirit too much honor?’ We should instead fear that even though we ascribe to Him the highest titles, we can devise or our tongues pronounce, our ideas about Him might still fall short.” Selections from On the Holy Spirit ch. 19
50
Gregory of Nyssa (c.330-395)
Completely different temperament than Basil
a. He preferred silence, solitude, and anonymity
b. He had no desire to become the champion of any cause
51
Gregory's wife died when he was young. What did he turn to?
c. Marriage:
• Although Basil and Gregory of Nazianzus took vows of monasticism, Gregory was married at a young age
• Several years later, his wife died, and he then became a monk
d. Post-marriage monasticism
• The monastic life was a way for him to deal with the pain of the loss of his wife
• He became known for his mystical life and writings
• During his monastic tenure, he wrote On Virginity, which reflected his personality and feelings at the time
52
How did Gregory become bishop of Nyssa?
* He was soon forced into becoming the bishop of Nyssa by his brother, Basil
* Nyssa was a remote outpost of the area
53
Who was the leader of Nicean party at the Council of Constantinople (381)?
Gregory of Nyssa:
a. He took the lead at the Council of Constantinople, 381
b. His fervent writings about the Nicene cause influenced the orthodox outcome of the Council, when the trinity was affirmed (including the divinity of the HS in opposition to Apollinarius).
54
What did Gregory of Nyssa do after the Council of Constantinople?
Be became Orthodox Theological Advisor to Emperor Theodosius:
a. This was important since much of the empire was still Arian—but, Theodosius was orthodox
b. Travel’s under Theodosius
• Gregory was forced to travel with the emperor to many places including Arabia and Mesopotamia
55
What are Gregory of Nyssa's theological contributions to the unity of God?
a. His focus was on God’s unity: one ousia of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit must never leave one to the conclusion that the Trinity is in reality three Gods.
b. However, the divine union in the trinity cannot be named and is not truly graspable (at least in human terms)
• God cannot be defined: “We say that every name, whether invented by human custom or handed down by the scriptures, is indicative of our conceptions of the divine nature, but does not signify what that nature is in itself.” That is, God’s nature or (ousia) remains “unlimited,” “unnamable,” “unspeakable,” “incomprehensible,” and “infinite.” From Answer to Ablabius, in Christology of the Later Fathers, ed. Edward R. Handy, 259.
* God’s essence (ousia) is infinite: “it is not limited in on respect while it is left unlimited in another, but infinity is free from limitation altogether. That therefore which is without limit is surely not limited by name.” From On Three Gods
* Our understanding of God’s nature cannot be drawn from human nature or pagan pantheons. Both of these “possess one nature just as God is said to possess one nature, but are still counted as many “men” or “many gods.” From Answer to Ablabius
56
What influence did Gregory of Nyssa have on our understanding of the Virgin Mary?
• Since the 2nd person of the Trinity (Jesus) was truly incarnate in the womb, Mary is called Theotokos (“Mother of God”) since Christ is also fully God.
57
How did Gregory of Nazianzus (c.329-389/90) know Basil the Great?
* Spent most of his youth in study
* After time in Caesarea, he moved to Athens for 14 years, where he met Basil the Prince Julian (soon-to-be Julian the Apostate). These guys all studied together. Wow.
* At the age of 30 Gregory joined Basil in the monastic life
58
How did Gregory of Nazianzus become a presbyter?
* Gregory was forced to be ordained as a presbyter and bishop of Nazianzus, and basically administered the see for his father
* He fled back to Basil’s monastic community
* After a while, he returned, and even wrote sermons about the duties of a pastor
59
How did Gregory become a bishop?
• Basil forcibly ordained Gregory bishop of a small village (Sasima), in an effort to install orthodox bishops in the region (as opposed to Arian bishops)
o Their relationship became strained
o Gregory never oversaw the see at Sasima, but continued to run things for his father in Nazianzus until he took over after his father’s death
* After this event, and deaths of several friends, Gregory went into exile
* He never reconciled with Basil, and when the news of the bishop’s death reached him, he was in shock
60
Emperor Theodosius
Under the Orthodox Emperor Theodosius, 380
a. In 380 the Emperor Theodosius made his entry into Constantinople
• He expelled all of the Arian bishops
• He expelled all Arians in high political positions
61
How did Gregory become Patriarch of Constantinople?
* Theodosius asked Gregory to accompany him to Hagia Sophia
* During the visit, a single ray of sun shone on Gregory, and the crowd took this as a sign
* He was crowned the Patriarch (high bishop) of Constantinople
62
What progression of revelation on the Trinity does Gregory of Nazianzus provide?
* The OT proclaimed the Father openly, and the Son more obscurely
* The NT manifested the Son, and suggested the deity of the Holy Spirit
* Now the Holy Spirit dwells among us, and supplies us with a clearer demonstration of himself.
d. Why such a progression? Gregory suggests:
“. . .It was not safe, when the Godhead of the Father was not yet acknowledged, plainly to proclaim the Son; nor when that of the Son was not received, to burden us further (if I may use so bold and expression) with the Holy Ghost.” Fifth Theological Oration—On the Spirit
63
Gregory presided over the Council of Constantinople. What did he do during the council?
* He provided the final definition of the Trinity
* Reaffirmed the nature of Christ: “one essence—or ousia—in three persons—hypostases
* Affirmed the divinity of the Holy Spirit
* He did not like it, because he felt like bishops misbehaved during these councils
* During the Council of Constantinople, some of his opponents pointed out that since he was already bishop of Nazianzus, he could not be bishop of Constantinople
* Seeing this as his chance, he promptly resigned the position that he never wanted, and returned to Nazianzus
64
The Council of Constantinople (381)
Proclaimed a creedal confession that God is a single divinity eternally existing as 3 distinct subsistences or Persons
1. In 380, Emperor Theodosius had issued an edict on ecclesiastical affairs (which would also necessitate the Council)
a. He was from Spain and had been influenced by western theology
b. He was anti-Arian by heredity and conviction (according to Latourette)
c. He ordered that all of his subjects follow the faith which, “Peter delivered to the Romans,”—“The deity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit of equal majesty in a Holy Trinity.”
d. The edict was a refutation of Arian/Eunomian and Sabellian heresies
e. The edict was also an attempt to affirm the HS and deny the heresy of Apollinarius.
65
Who were the people involved at the Council of Constantinople?
a. Called by Emperor Theodosius I in order to unite the Eastern Church at the end of the lengthy Arian controversy
b. Presided over by Meletius, Bishop of Antioch—he died during the council
c. Attended by 150 orthodox bishops
d. Attended by 36 unorthodox (Arian) bishops.
e. Significantly, no western or Roman bishops came to the council
f. Gregory of Nazianzus—the main proponent of Orthodoxy
g. Apollinarius (c.310-c.390)—the main antagonist
66
Where did Apollinarius (c.310-c.390) go wrong?
• Become bishop of Laodicea c.360, and was a close friend of Athanasius
• However, he was condemned by a Synod in Alexandria in 362, and eventually left the church in c.375, and he was forbidden from attending the church from 381 on. Why? Because of his later theology:
o He fervently agreed with Athanasius, that only the unchangeable Divine Logos could be savior of humanity, since man was constantly changing and was thus fallible
o This, idea, then led Appollinarius to explicitly deny the presence of a human mind or soul in Christ
o He was also trying to defend orthodoxy from the Semi-Arians (homoiousious) in trying (too hard) to stress the divinity of Jesus
o Although this helped him defend the unity of the Trinity (against Arianism and the Semi-Arians) it led him to the conclusion that the humanity of Christ was not complete
o In other words, he believed: that Jesus had the body and soul of a man, but the spirit (mind) of the Logos.
o The humanity of Christ, then, was called into question
67
Apollinarianism
That the one person of Christ had a human body, but not a human mind or spirit, and that the mind and spirit of Christ were from the divine nature of the son of God.
• Both at the Council of Alexandria (362) and at Constantinople (381) it was rejected: it was not just our human body that needed salvation, but our minds and spirits (souls) as well: Christ had to be fully and truly human if he was able to save us (Heb. 2:17)
68
In basic terms, what did Apollinarius do that was wrong?
Apollinarius basically denied the human rational soul of Jesus and replaced it in him with the Logos.
69
The Assumptions and conclusions of Apollinarianism
• Salvation was only possible if the whole of Christ is thoroughly controlled by the divine will and power
• If he had a human, rational soul, he might have sinned and resisted the call of the Logos on his life and that would imply no true incarnation
o If he had a human rational soul, there would be two centers of consciousness: act and will in Jesus (one divine and one human)—This is a false union or incomplete union
• Apollinarius basically denied the human rational soul of Jesus and replaced it in him with the Logos
70
What was the result of the Council of Constantinople?
a. Apollinarianism was condemned by I Constantinople : not because it included the idea of “1 nature of the God-man after the union” (a common Alexandrian idea), but because it denied the whole & complete humanity of the Savior
d. Gregory also led the council in affirming the divinity of the Holy Spirit (in response to the Pneumatomachians)
• A summary of the decision against Apollinarius can be stated as follows—the Catholic Church still follows this premise today: If there is no complete manhood in Christ, He is not a perfect example for us, nor did he redeem the whole of human nature, but only the physical elements of it.
