The Church in Fourth Century : from Constantine to Augustine Class #14: The Battle for Orthodoxy – The Natures of Christ

Apollinarianism – Apollinaris, Bishop of Laodicea, Syria Distinguished for piety, classical culture, scholarly attention Defended Nicene Christianity against Porphyry and the emperor, Julian Highly esteemed by Athanasius

Apollinarianism – He adopted the trichotomy view of man (body, soul, spirit)

The Debate Over the Nature of Man Dichotomy More accepted in the Western Church, especially under the influence of Augustine Notable Scriptural passages suggesting Trichotomy – 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb.s 4:12 Scripture more consistently stresses Dichotomy Trichotomy More accepted in the Greek/Eastern Church Elaborates on the distinctions: Body – lower, material, earthly Soul – personality, demeanor Spirit – gift of God- consciousness

Apollinarianism – He adopted the trichotomy view of man (body, soul, spirit) He then attributed to Christ a human body & soul but not a human spirit. Rather, he taught Christ possessed the divine Logos rather than a human spirit (“the Word was made flesh” not spirit). As a result, the divine and the human attributes were merged in Christ.

Apollinaris: Bishop of Laodicea

“Some of our brethren, who are in high position, and who are held in great esteem with us and all the orthodox, have thought that the spirit should be excluded from the manifestation of Christ in the flesh, and have preferred to hold that our Lord Christ assumed flesh and soul, but not our spirit, and therefore not a perfect man. Epiphanius of Salamis

The aged and venerable Apollinaris of Laodicea, dear even to the blessed Athanasius, and in fact to all the orthodox, has been the first to frame and promulgate this doctrine. At first, when some of his disciples communicated it to us, we were unwilling to believe that such a man would put this doctrine in circulation. We supposed that the disciples had not understood the deep thoughts of so learned and so discerning a man, and had themselves fabricated things which he did not teach.”

Council of Alexandria, 362 A rejection of Apollinaris’ doctrine and asserted that Christ possessed a reasonable soul. “To be a full Redeemer, Christ must also be fully man.” Apollinaris formed his own sect, continuing to teach and write until his death in 390. None of his writings survive.

Apollinarianism (2 persons rather than 2 natures)  Monophysite heresy (Christ is a double personage)  Nestorianism

Nestorianism – Nestorius was first a monk and then a presbyter in Antioch, and a patriarch in Constantinople after 428. An honest man, of great eloquence, monastic piety, and the spirit of a zealot for orthodoxy; but harsh with those that he regarded as heretics. He first drew attention by his objection to the term “mother of God” for Mary along with the growth of Mariolatry.

Nestorianism – The personality of Christ resided solely in his divinity. Mary bore Jesus (man) (“Mother of Man”) but not the Logos (God) Nestorius proposed “Mother of Christ” Christ is the man who became the instrument of God. The incarnate God did not die. “I separate the natures but unite the worship.”

The Council of Ephesus Nestorius was seen as more of a threat to the worship of Mary than of Christ! Council held in Ephesus, where Mary was worshipped in place of the goddess, Diana. The atmosphere was combative and antagonistic.

The Council of Ephesus At first, Nestorius was soundly condemned. As the council carried on (2 years!) a compromise was affected. The two natures of Christ were retained But so was the title “Mother of God”.

The Eutychian Controversy Eutychias was a presbyter in Constantinople Opposed Nestorius at the Council in Ephesus (431) Advocated the polar opposite of Nestorius: Christ as a fusion of two previous natures

The Eutychian Controversy

Presbyter in Constantinople Opposed Nestorius at the Council in Ephesus (431) Advocated the polar opposite: Christ is a fusion of two previous natures He was deposed at a Council in Constantinople in 448, but reinstated a year later (in the midst of political turmoil)

The Council of Chalcedon Also very heated and divisive Remnants of Nestorianism and Eutychianism dismissed Issuance of the Confession of Chalcedon

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