The Nestorian and Monophysite Controversies, and the Triumph of the Church in the Roman Empire

The Nestorian Controversy Context and Question Context and Question –Nicaea I and Constantinople I had affirmed  Divinity, humanity of Jesus Christ  Divinity of Holy Spirit  Trinity –Next question: how do divinity and humanity in Jesus Christ interact?

The Nestorian Controversy Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria –“Pillar of the Church” –Patriarch of Alexandria (r ) –Wealthy –Would resort to violence, if necessary  Egyptian monks appealed to Nestorius against him  Nestorius promised to act  Cyril not pleased!

The Nestorian Controversy Cyril vs. Nestorius Cyril vs. Nestorius –Alexandrian Christology  Cyril’s perspective  “One incarnate nature of the God-Logos” –Antiochene Christology  Nestorius’s perspective  Sharp distinction between divine and human natures of Jesus

The Nestorian Controversy Cyril vs. Nestorius Cyril vs. Nestorius –Theotokos  “God-bearing one”  Nestorius rejected this term –God not capable of being born! –Mary gave birth to human Jesus –Suggested Christotokos –Cyril accepted Theotokos  Touchstone of orthodoxy  What is said of Christ refers to both divine and human attributes

The Nestorian Controversy Cyril vs. Nestorius Cyril vs. Nestorius –Cyril played upon popular devotion to Mary  Dignity of Mother of God is attacked by new heresy!  People were furious –Appealed to Pope Celestine I  Reported Nestorius believed Christ was “two persons”!  Celestine appointed Cyril his “deputy”

The Nestorian Controversy The Council of Ephesus The Council of Ephesus –Convened June-July 431 –Antiochene delegates arrived late –Council started without them –Nestorius excommunicated

The Nestorian Controversy The Council of Ephesus The Council of Ephesus –After Antiochenes arrived, convened separate synod –Cyril condemned –Imperial response: imprison Cyril and Nestorius –Cyril bribed officials  gained support –Nestorius resigned  monastery at Antioch –Cyril escaped  Alexandria

The Nestorian Controversy Aftermath of Ephesus Aftermath of Ephesus –Antiochenes kept controversy going  gained imperial support –Cyril compromised (433)  Antiochenes must accept resignation, excommunication of Nestorius  Cyril and Alexandrians must accept Christ is “union in two natures” –The Fate of Nestorius ( † ca. 459)  Deported to Egyptian desert  Reputation blackened

The Nestorian Controversy Questions? Questions?

The Monophysite Controversy Eutyches (b. ca. 378) Eutyches (b. ca. 378) –Archimandrite at Monastery of Job, outside Constantinople –Controversial beliefs  After Incarnation, Christ’s “two natures”  “one”  Christ’s humanity “absorbed” by deity –Belief concerned Flavian, patriarch of Constantinople

The Monophysite Controversy Eutyches Confronted Eutyches Confronted –Asked to come to synod at Constantinople (448) –Presented confession of faith, “in harmony” with Nicaea, Ephesus –Ordered to profess Christ’s “two natures” –Refused  excommunicated, deprived of priesthood and abbacy

The Monophysite Controversy Eutyches Strikes Back! Eutyches Strikes Back! –Set up placards in public –Contacted grand chamberlain Chrysaphius –Appealed to eastern bishops  Jerusalem  Thessalonika  Dioscorus* (r ), in Alexandria

The Monophysite Controversy Appealed to Latin West (449) Appealed to Latin West (449) –Letter sent to Peter Chrysologus  Grieved  “Submit to Roman see on these matters” –Letter sent to Pope Leo I (r )

The Monophysite Controversy Leo On the Case (449) Leo On the Case (449) –Contacted by Flavian, requesting doctrinal statement –Leo promised response –Sent Tome (Letter 28) in June  Accompanied by four legates

The Monophysite Controversy Synod at Ephesus (August 449) Synod at Ephesus (August 449) –Convoked by Theodosius II (r ) –Proceedings  Dioscorus presided  Roman legates not allowed to read Tome  Anti-Eutychian attendees not allowed to vote  Those in favor of Flavian forced to vote against him –Results: Monophysite victory!  Eutyches reinstated  Flavian deposed, imprisoned  died  Dioscorus installed Anatolius as patriarch of Constantinople  Leo was outraged: synod a “robbers’ council”!

The Monophysite Controversy Pulcheria Affairs in Constantinople Affairs in Constantinople –Influence of Pulcheria  Allied with Leo  Had Chrysaphius executed  Exiled Eutyches –Anatolius  Turned on Dioscorus  Defended authority of Constantinople –Marcian (r )  Called for ecumenical council

The Monophysite Controversy The Council of Chalcedon (October 453) The Council of Chalcedon (October 453) –Leo’s legate presided, Tome read –Repealed acts of Synod of Ephesus, deposed Dioscorus –Nestorianism and Eutychianism condemned –Doctrinal results  Jesus is fully human, fully divine  Jesus is consubstantial with the Father (deity) and humankind (humanity)  TWO NATURES, each preserved after union  Jesus is ONE PERSON

The Monophysite Controversy Questions? Questions?

The Triumph of the Church Recap of Religion in the Roman Empire Recap of Religion in the Roman Empire –Paganism  Options: gods, philosophy, mystery religions  Temples, cults –Christianity  Exclusive and intolerant of “false gods”  Persecuted under pagan emperors  Constantine launched Christianization of Empire

The Triumph of the Church Constantine and Paganism Constantine and Paganism –Acted slowly, prudently against paganism –Liberties permitted  No forced conversion, official suppression  Could still own, construct new temples –Actions against  Withheld state funds, except for cults in Rome  State officials may no longer sacrifice before official business

The Triumph of the Church Constantine’s Sons Constantine’s Sons –Harsher measures taken –Those caught sacrificing  sword! –Temples to be closed everywhere –Unimportant temples destroyed

The Triumph of the Church Julian (r ) and the Pagan Revival Julian (r ) and the Pagan Revival –Constantine’s nephew –Educated by Christians –Baptized –Curious about paganism, studied it –Publicly abandoned Christianity 361

The Triumph of the Church Julian’s Attempted Restoration of Paganism Julian’s Attempted Restoration of Paganism –Reopened, repaired temples –Preached about paganism in Greek East –Systematized paganism  Priestly hierarchy  Catechesis

The Triumph of the Church Julian and the Christians Julian and the Christians –Sought to ridicule them! –Wrote Against the Galileans –Did not choose them for civil appointments –Banned them from preaching classics –Considered reconstructing Jewish Temple

The Triumph of the Church The Reality The Reality –People no longer excited about paganism –Julian fatally wounded in Persia (363) –“Julian the Apostate”

The Triumph of the Church Theodosius I ( ) Theodosius I ( ) –Laws of  All pagan sacrifice is TREASON  Fines imposed on temple worshippers or shrines  Acts of pagan religion  confiscation of property where performed –Christianity now state religion (380)

The Triumph of the Church The Fading of Paganism The Fading of Paganism –Temple of Serapis dismantled, Alexandria –Last oracle at Delphi given to Julian –Olympian games discontinued (393) –The Parthenon, Athens  Became church to Virgin Mary  Image of Athena carried off Athena Parthenos (438 BC)

The Triumph of the Church Last Bastions of Paganism Last Bastions of Paganism –By fifth century, many commoners converted to Christianity –Cultured pagans were last resistance  Symmachus, et al., in Rome  Platonic Academy, Athens  Neo-Platonists, Alexandria –By Early Middle Ages, paganism lost battle against Christianity

The Triumph of the Church Questions? Questions?

The Triumph of the Church Christianity and the Roman State Christianity and the Roman State –State now guardian and protector of “true religion” –Emperors called councils –Emperor was petitioned in ecclesiastical crises –State punished heresy, etc.

The Triumph of the Church Church and State in the Greek East Church and State in the Greek East –Church’s belief: emperor should be orthodox –Greek society: Church and state were unified and harmonious –Relationship between Greek emperor and bishops  Left bishops to their own affairs  But involved in ecclesiastical affairs in Constantinople

The Triumph of the Church Church and State in the Latin West Church and State in the Latin West –State and Church cooperated –Became more “dualistic”  State had its own sphere  Church had its own sphere –Ambrose of Milan  Sought to protect Church’s independence  Held emperors “accountable”

The Triumph of the Church Ambrose and the Church’s Independence Ambrose and the Church’s Independence –Arian Controversy in Milan (385-86) –Emperor requested Portian Basilica for Arian worship –Ambrose refused –Imperial troops besieged Ambrose’s church

The Triumph of the Church Ambrose’s Response Ambrose’s Response –“It is neither lawful for me to hand [the basilica] over nor proper for you, O Emperor, to accept it. Under no law may you violate the house of a private person. Do you think that you may seize the house of God? It is alleged that everything is permitted to the emperor and that all things are his. I reply: Do not so burden yourself, O Emperor, as to believe that you have any imperial right to those things that are divine…The palaces belong to the emperor, the churches to the bishop…” (Letter 20.19) –Emperor is “son of the Church” –Emperor is in the Church, not above it

The Triumph of the Church Episode at Callinicum (388) Episode at Callinicum (388) –Monks set fire to synagogue –Theodosius demanded guilty rebuild at own expense –Ambrose disgusted  Those people are cursed by God!  Obligations of faith go before the law!  Revoke order for restitution!  Would not perform sacraments until Theodosius submitted –Theodosius yielded

The Triumph of the Church Massacre at Thessalonika (390) Massacre at Thessalonika (390) –Thessalonians rioted –Theodosius sought “justice”  Lured thousands into public theater  Had them slaughtered –Ambrose threatened excommunication, demanded Theodosius do penance –Theodosius willingly consented

The Triumph of the Church Anthony van Dyck, St. Ambrose Barring Theodosius from the Milan Cathedral ( ) Pierre Subleyras, St. Ambrose Converting Theodosius (1745)

The Triumph of the Church Questions? Questions?

Primary Source Leo the Great’s Tome Leo the Great’s Tome –Initial reactions? –What did Leo think of Eutyches, according to this document? –For Leo, what sources could be considered authoritative for Christians, doctrinally speaking? How do we know? –What were some of the ways Leo argued for Christ’s two natures being preserved after the Incarnation?

Primary Source Altar of Victory Controversy Letters Altar of Victory Controversy Letters –Initial reactions? –What were Symmachus’s arguments? –What were Ambrose’s? –How can we compare this episode to “Culture Wars” nowadays?