The Great Theological Controversies (325-451)

2002-09-21

Church councils met to decide particular issues, seven in all.

Dates to remember

Prior to these times, they were occupied with persecutions to survive. Now they had opportunity to deal with theological issues.

I. Relationship of Persons in the Trinity

Relationship of the Son to the Father.

Arius, a church official of Alexandria. Keep distinction of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Some had said the Father had died on the cross. He did an injustice to the Deity of Jesus. Fixed error with error. Nicea asked this question, what is this relationship of Son and the Father?

Arius said that Christ had a beginning, and was created, Christ was of a different essence of the Father. Lit. Heteroousios.

Athanasius came also from Alexandria, said the Christ is co-eternal with the Father. Because He is eternal with the Father, then homoousios. Same essence of the Father.

Eusebius said that Christ is as of a similar essence of the Father. Homoousios.

Results: adopted homoousios, of Athanasius.

Relationship of the Holy Spirit to the Father.

Macedonius, Bishop of Constantinople, believed that the Holy Spirit is a minister and a servant on the same level of the angels. The Spirit was created. He is subordinate to the Father and the Son.

The Council of Constantinople of 381 condemned these ideas. Stated the Holy Spirit deserves the same glory and worship as the Father and Son.

II. Relationship of the Two Natures of Christ

Jesus is both divine and human. Need a balance of presentation.

Apollonarius of Laodicea was a bishop. He said this, and had true body and soul, but did not have a spirit like other men. Instead the divine element, Logos. Deity is emphasized. Condemned by the Council of Constantinople.

Nestorius: Battling a man, Cyril of Alexandria. The latter called Mary the mother of God. Nestorius did not like this, saying she was the bearer of the Christ. There must be difference between humanity and deity. Sounds schizophrenic, a man with two natures. He stressed human side.

Eutyches: Said that Christ was with same essence of the Father, but not of man.

Council of Chalcedon in 451: Conclusions. Christ is truly God and truly man. Has two natures but is only one person. Incarnation did not obscure either nature. “Without any confusion, change, division, or separation.” They did not explain it. Careful wording.

III. The Manner of Man’s Salvation (Freedom or bondage of the will)

Pelagius: British monk. Said that each soul was created individually by God, no connection with Adam and his sin. Sin is universal only because of human weakness. Act of sin makes us sinners. Everybody has the freedom to choose good or evil. We can cooperate with God for the attainment of holiness. God provides Bible, human reason, example of Jesus. The rest is up to us.

Augustine: Opposite view. Man is corrupted because of Adam’s sin. Our wills are corrupted. We are born with sinful nature, with a will that is bound. The one choice we cannot make is to stop sinning and do God’s will. We cannot do anything to bring about our salvation. Salvation only comes to God’s elect, as God activates their wills.

Compromise? Semi-Pelagianism. Pelagius’ views were condemned, but Augustine was too radical for the time.

John Cassian: The human will is weakened by the fall of Adam, but not totally corrupted. Since our will is partially free, we can cooperate with divine grace for salvation.

This issue was never settled. Middle Ages were defined by Semi-Pelagianism. Also Calvin vs. Arminian.

IV. Overall impact

The church doctrinal unity was preserved through church councils. 1) Sometimes it was done at the expense of individual freedom. They did persecute people that did not agree. 2) Emphasis of theology hurt the personal spiritual life. Dead orthodoxy. Absence of love.