Post-Nicene Developments “History is written by the victors.”

Post-Nicene Post-Nicene DevelopmentsDevelopments

“History is written by the victors.”

ChristologyChristology

Once again, outside of scripture, Once again, outside of scripture, people started to speculate about people started to speculate about Christ’s nature.Christ’s nature.

Docetism

In the second century, the Gnostics taught docetism, the doctrine that Christ was a spirit being only. They denied that He was a man. All the early church leaders and writers rejected this view and emphasized the real humanity of Jesus Christ. They understood that if Jesus were not truly human then we do not have an atonement for our sins.

Apollinaris

bishop of Laodicea, (died A.D. 390) Apollinarianism states that Christ had an

incomplete human nature. He had a human body, but instead of a human spirit He simply had the divine Logos, which in trinitarian terms is the second person in the Godhead. The Logos took the place of the human mind, so that Jesus did not have a distinct mind as a man but only the mind of God.

Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople, from AD 428Bishop of Constantinople, from AD 428 Said that Christ is not really one person, but two.

Such a conclusion would undercut the Incarnation. Instead of God becoming flesh (John 1:1, 14), somehow God merely lived alongside a man. At least, this is what the his opponents concluded about the teaching of Nestorius, although he held the standard Antiochene position .

Nestorius compared the Logos residing in the man Jesus to someone residing in a temple or house. Appealing to John 2:19, He said Christ is both God and the temple of God. His opponents accused him of teaching two persons of Christ, but Nestorius denied the charge.

Nestorius One of the chief concerns of Nestorius was the

glorification of Mary by calling her theotokos, meaning “bearer of God” or “mother of God.” This title paid homage to Mary and was a significant step in the development of the worship of Mary

Nestorius argued for a clear distinction between the humanity and deity in Jesus. He did not insist upon a separation in reality, which would make two persons, but he wanted to make enough of a distinction so that he could refer to Christ’s humanity without automatically involving His deity.

Council of Ephesus, A.D. 431

Cyril, bishop of Alexandria persuaded Cyril, bishop of Alexandria persuaded Emperor Theodosius II to convene a Emperor Theodosius II to convene a council against Nestorius.council against Nestorius.

Nestorius was accused of dividing Nestorius was accused of dividing Christ into two persons and was Christ into two persons and was declared a hereticdeclared a heretic

Cyril of AlexandriaCyril of Alexandria

Took the polar opposite position Took the polar opposite position against Nestorius.against Nestorius.

Instituted the idea of the GodManInstituted the idea of the GodMan For this reason, Orthodoxy disagrees For this reason, Orthodoxy disagrees

with oneness theology (calling it with oneness theology (calling it NestorianNestorian) because it points out the ) because it points out the truth that Christ speaks from both his truth that Christ speaks from both his divinity and his Humanity.divinity and his Humanity.

The Biblical Humanity of The Biblical Humanity of JesusJesus

You cannot separate Him, but He had You cannot separate Him, but He had two natures: Divinity and Humanity two natures: Divinity and Humanity in one. in one. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our

Lord, which was made of the seed of Lord, which was made of the seed of David David according to the fleshaccording to the flesh; and ; and declared to be the Son of God with declared to be the Son of God with power, power, according to the spirit of according to the spirit of holinessholiness, by the resurrection from the , by the resurrection from the dead:(Romans 1:3-4)”dead:(Romans 1:3-4)”


He is fully man He is fully man ““For we have not an high priest which cannot For we have not an high priest which cannot

be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).”yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).”

He is fully GOD He is fully GOD ““And without controversy great is the mystery And without controversy great is the mystery

of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1Timothy 3:16)”received up into glory. (1Timothy 3:16)”


He had a body He had a body ““.. Destroy this temple, and in three days I will .. Destroy this temple, and in three days I will

raise it up…. But he spake of the temple of his raise it up…. But he spake of the temple of his body. (John 2:19,21)”body. (John 2:19,21)”

He had a soulHe had a soul ““Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding

sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. (Matthew 26:38)”watch with me. (Matthew 26:38)”

He had a human spirit He had a human spirit ““And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice,

he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. (Luke 23:46)”ghost. (Luke 23:46)”


Subordinationism or Humanity?Subordinationism or Humanity? “…“…. for my Father is greater than I. (John . for my Father is greater than I. (John

14:28)”14:28)” ““And Jesus said unto him, Why callest And Jesus said unto him, Why callest

thou me good? none is good, save one, thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. (Luke 18:19)”that is, God. (Luke 18:19)”

““But of that day and that hour knoweth But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. (Mark 13:32)”(Mark 13:32)”

Eutyches

a monk in Constantinople He insisted that after the Incarnation

Christ had only one nature. His human nature was impersonal, and it was absorbed into and deified by the Logos. Even His body is not the same as ours, but a divine body. According to him, God was born, God suffered, and God died.

This was declared heresy.

Council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451

[Christ] is known in two natures, [which exist] without confusion, without change, without division, without separation. The distinction of the natures is in no way taken away by their union, but rather the distinctive properties of each nature are preserved. [Both natures] unite in one person and one hypostasis. They are not separated or divided into two persons but [they form] one and the same Son, Only-begotten, God, Word, Lord Jesus Christ.

Council of Chalcedon, A.D. 451

Unfortunately, it also declared Mary the Mother of God.

The Monophysite Controversy

from Greek words meaning “one nature.” Believed Christ did not have two natures

but only one. They held that after the Incarnation there was only one dominant nature, the divine. Humanity and deity were combined in such a way that Christ is fundamentally a divine being. One of the rallying slogans of the Monophysites was “God has been crucified.”


Condemned as heresy in 553 at Constantinople, explaining that the doctrine of two natures does not mean two persons or two faces as theMonophysites alleged.


This caused a church split that subsequently split into: Coptic Church of Egypt the Ethiopian Church (also called

Coptic), The Jacobites (dissenters in Syria) the Armenian Church.


In recent years, a strong Oneness Pentecostal church has arisen in Ethiopia from missionary efforts of the United Pentecostal Church International. Drawing from their Monophysite heritage, at least some leaders in this group reject Chalcedonian terminology, equating it with trinitarianism, and teach that Christ has a unique, divine flesh of heavenly origin.

The Monothelete Controversy

from Greek words meaning “one will.”

It is difficult to see how this belief harmonizes with Christ’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He said to the Father, “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).

Views of Human Nature The Bible proclaims that

all have sinned (Romans 3:23). all are “under sin” (Romans 3:9; 7:14; Galatians

3:22). This nature of sin comes from the disobedience

of Adam (Romans 5:19) individuals receive it at conception (Psalm 51:5). The unsaved are slaves to sin (Romans 6:20). Christians are not to live in sin, but the nature of

sin remains in them (I John 1:8; 2:1). All humans have the law (principle) of sin

dwelling in them, but they can overcome it by the law of the Spirit (Romans 7:14-8:4).

The Atonement The Epistle to Diognetus described Christ’s

death as a ransom. Irenaeus also spoke of Christ’s death as our

redemption. Clement of Alexandria said the Logos

became man so that we might become God (partake of the divine nature). Athanasius reiterated this concept of “deification,” and it became an important theme in the Greek church. Athanasius also spoke of Christ’s death as a substitute for our own.

The Atonement

Hilary was the first writer to call Christ’s death a “satisfaction” offered to God. Origen described it as a ransom paid to the devil, which the devil was not qualified to keep.

Pelagius

From the British Isles in the 400s He taught that humans have an absolutely

free will. They are free to do whatever they wish. They can live righteous lives even without divine help, or they can lead sinful lives.

If they choose the latter, then they need salvation from God. Even then, however, they turn to God by using their natural ability to choose.

Humanism

Augustine

bishop of Hippo Regius in North Africa.

First of all, Augustine taught the doctrine of original sin quite strongly. Every human being inherits both the nature and the guilt of sin from Adam. Adam’s sin is imputed to all. When a baby is born, he is destined for eternal damnation.

Augustine

God’s grace is necessary for salvation.

application of God’s grace to a person’s life begins with water baptism, which is essential for salvation.

Augustine

Ultimately baptism is not effective without a conversion of heart, but the inward conversion can occur later. As children grow up and embrace the truth, they do not need to be rebaptized but simply need to step into conscious possession of forgiveness and the Spirit.

Augustine Regarding justification, Augustine took what

became the standard Catholic approach, saying that justification is the transformation of the natural man into the spiritual man.

In Protestant theology, justification is simply the act of God in counting the sinner as righteous, but according to Augustine justification also includes the gradual process by which a person actually becomes righteous.

In Protestantism, this latter work is called sanctification. Augustine considered the whole process to be part of justification.

Augustine Unconditional Election

Salvation is Only from God and no human choice is necessary.

Double-predestination Some are destined to be saved and some are

destined to be damned. The result is an emphasis on works. Since

justification is a gradual process, not instantaneous, there is no point at which a person can conclude that he has been justified, is definitely one of the elect, and therefore has no further need to live a holy life.

The Semi-Pelagians

The Semi-Pelagians taught that a person cannot overcome sin by his own will. He must have God to free him.

If this is so, who initiates the salvation process? Does God take the first step or does man? The Semi-Pelagians said it could happen either way.

Grace does not have to precede salvation

Synod of Orange, A.D. 529

First, the synod firmly rejected Pelagianism. It held that all humans are born as sinners.

Second, the synod rejected Semi-Pelagianism on the ground that God’s grace always precedes and initiates salvation. No one ever begins the process on his own

Third, the synod rejected double predestination, particularly the idea that God predestines certain people to damnation.

Who is God’s Elect?

Predestination God’s Foreknowledge

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)”

What about evangelism?

Pagan InfluencesPagan Influences

The Romans allowed each nation in the empire to worship its own gods as long as no one interfered with the worship of others. As a matter of civic duty and loyalty to the empire, everybody had to participate in the worship of the Roman deities. Eventually the Romans promoted worship of the emperor as a means of pledging allegiance to the empire.


Since Christians refused to cooperate with this system, they were seen not only as religious heretics but, more importantly, as political subversives.


For most pagans, the solution was simple: they changed their religion. Most did not see it as a crisis of conscience to abandon their former religion, for they never thought of their religion as the only way or their gods as the only gods. For many, the very triumph of Christianity was sufficient proof that the God of the Christians was superior to their old gods.


The problem was that in most cases they did not undergo a genuine spiritual conversion. Instead of recognizing the error of their ways and renouncing their old beliefs and lifestyle, they merely added Christianity to their beliefs or translated their pagan ideas and practices into the new Christian context.


The way to convert was to change one’s opinion, make a verbal profession, and submit to water baptism.


Statues of pagan gods received the names of Christian saints and were consecrated into the church. Many pagan priests converted and were immediately pressed into service as Christian priests. In many ways and places, this flood tide of paganism overwhelmed the structure of the church.

Pagan InfluencesPagan Influences “While Christianity converted the world, the world

converted Christianity, and displayed the natural paganism of mankind.” Church historian Walter Nigg concurred: “As soon as Emperor Constantine opened the floodgates and the masses of the people poured into the church out of sheer opportunism, the loftiness of the Christian ethos was done for.” Philip Schaff similarly observed, “By taking in the whole population of the Roman Empire the church became . . . more or less a church of the world. . . . Many heathen customs and usages, under alleged names, crept into the worship.” Thus paganism dramatically influenced Christianity,

PolytheismPolytheism

Polytheism also contributed to the cult of saints that began to develop. The ancient Greeks had prayed to the dead; now many Christians began to pray to departed saints and martyrs.


Many people also began to pray to angels.


Even the halos depicted around medieval saints have their origin in sun worship. Along with prayer to saints and martyrs came worship of their statues, pictures, and relics—body parts, bones, clothing, and other items associated with the saints.

People who formerly prayed to the statue of a pagan deity now bowed before the same statue, only now it was the statue of a Christian saint.

PolytheismPolytheism Constantine’s mother, Helena, supposedly

discovered by miraculous means the cross of Christ, which became an object of worship. She built the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on the spot where she found it, allegedly the site of Christ’s crucifixion and burial.

Many other people boasted “splinters of the True Cross”—so many, in fact, that theologians claimed the cross had the miraculous ability to multiply itself without diminishing.

Goddess WorshipGoddess Worship The ancient Babylonians worshiped Ishtar

as their principal goddess. To the Phoenicians and Philistines, she was known as Astarte (Greek) or Ashtoreth. The plural form of this name, Ashtaroth, appears in the Old Testament, where it refers to the many local fertility goddesses of the Canaanites. (See Judges 2:13; I Samuel 7:3-4.) Similarly, the Egyptians had Isis, the Greeks had Aphrodite, and the Romans had Venus. In the Middle Eastern religions, the fertility goddess was associated with a consort or lover, emphasizing her fertility.

Goddess WorshipGoddess Worship In Babylonian mythology, Tammuz was the

consort of Ishtar. He died, but Ishtar rescued him from the underworld, and he came back to life again. This story supposedly explained the change of seasons, with the death of Tammuz causing winter and his rebirth bringing spring. Annually the Babylonians mourned the death of Tammuz and then celebrated his resurrection. Ezekiel 8:14 describes “women weeping for Tammuz.” Similar consort gods were Osiris in Egypt, Baal in Canaan, and Adonis in Syria and Greece.

Goddess WorshipGoddess Worship

In the Ecumenical Catholic Age, many people began to worship Mary the mother of Jesus just as they had formerly worshiped goddesses. They applied many of the same titles to her, such as mother of God, queen of heaven, and our lady. They made statues and pictures of mother and child much like earlier pagan representations. As chapter 16 discusses, the worship of Mary eventually become one of the dominant features of the medieval church.

Goddess WorshipGoddess Worship The goddesses were given extravagant titles of

devotion. For example, the Egyptians called Isis the “great mother, mother of God, queen of heaven,” and the Babylonians called Ishtar the “holy virgin, virgin mother, mother of God, queen of heaven.”7 Similarly, Cybele was the “great mother” and “our lady.” According to the mythology, these goddesses were quite promiscuous; the adjective of “virgin” simply meant that they were not married and that they were considered sacred. The Old Testament alludes to the worship of the mother goddess as the “queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18; 44:18-19, 25).

Decline of the EastDecline of the East

For the most part the East was the For the most part the East was the last remaining stronghold of last remaining stronghold of Arianism.Arianism.

It was severely brought to naught by It was severely brought to naught by the savage Goths and what remained the savage Goths and what remained was gobbled up by the Islamic Arabs.was gobbled up by the Islamic Arabs.

Documents

Post-Nicene Developments “History is written by the victors.”