Constantine

 

§         Decius (249-51); Diocletian (284-305)

§         306: Constantine's father dies: Constantine proclaimed Augustus of Western Empire

§         Begins Civil War-next 18 yrs.-Milvian Bridge: Summer, 312--decisive battle; Constantine's vision

§         313: Edict of Milan: religious toleration--ends persecution of Christians

§         324: Constantine controlled complete Roman Empire; began construction of Constantinople (capital from 330)

§         337: Constantine was baptized only on his deathbed

 

Arius (250-336) & The Trinity

 

§         Early Christologies: Logos; Doceticism; Adoptionism; Modalism

§         318: Arius offers explanation of Trinity at council in Alexandria: the Son is a created being

§         Athanasius of Alexandria (296-373): Arianism's main opponent

§         Council of Nicea (325): 1st Ecumenical Council--addressed Arius & the Trinity

§         Debate over homoousias ("of the same essence") & homoiousias ("of like essence")

§         Nicea decides for homoousias; many still favored homoiousias--failed to resolve the issue

 

Arianism after Nicea

 

1.        325-37: Nicea to deat of Constantine--most visible unity

2.        337-61: Rule of Constantius--Arianism favored

3.        361-81: Revival of Nicene thinking

§         Holy Spirit added to discussion

§         Formula: 3 hypostases (entities/persons) in 1 ousia (essence/substance)

 

Cappadocian Fathers

 

·         Basil of Caesarea (d. 379); Gregory of Nyssa (d. 394); Gregory of Nazianzus (d. ca. 390)

·         Julian the Apostate (emp. 361-63); Against the Galileans

·         Liturgy of St. Basil; Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom; To Young Men on the Value of Greek Literature

·         Catechetical Oration; Ransom Theory of Atonement

 

The 1st Council of Constantinople (381; 2nd Ecumenical Council)

 

§         379: Theodosius becomes Emperor: makes Christianity official religion; paganism outlawed; favors Nicene Christianity--Arianism outlawed

§         Theodosius calls Council of Constantinople to reaffirm Nicea: adds Holy Spirit and clarifies

§         Council also decides first Christological controversy: how is Christ both human and divine?

§         Appollinaris: humanity= flesh; no human soul--replaced by word of God: not sufficiently human

 

The Council of Ephesus (431; 3rd Ecumenical Council)

 

§         Five Patriarchates: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem

§         2nd Christological controversy: Nestorius (Patriarch of Constantinople, 428)

§         Nest. strongly separated Christ's divinity & humanity: a split personality

§         Titles for the Virgin Mary: "Theotokos" (God-bearer) vs. "Christotokos" (Christ-bearer)

§         Opponents of Nestorius: Empress Pulcheria & Cyril (Patriarch) of Alexandria

§         Third council condemns Nestorius, endorses Theotokos: unity of subject in Christ emphasized

 


The Council of Chalcedon (451; 4th Ecumenical Council)

 

§         Eutyches: Christ's divine nature absorbed his human nature: not sufficiently human

§         448: local council condemns Eutyches; 449: Dioscorus (Patriarch) of Alexandria has a council at Ephesus defend him; declared doctrine of one divine nature in Christ="Monophysitism"

§         Pope Leo opposed, but emperor Theodosius II supported

§         28 July 450: Theodosius dies; Pulcheria obtains power; calls council of Chalcedon

§         Chalcedonian Definition: "two natures joined in one hypostasis (entity/person)"

§         Many in Egypt, Syria, & elsewhere did not accept: first enduring division in the Christian tradition

 

Christian Monasticism and Asceticism

 

§         Monachos—single or solitary; Monasterion

§         Antony (ca. 250-356): becomes the "first monk" in 269

§         Anchoritic vs. Cenobitic monasticism: Pachomius (ca. 286-346); Lavra; Coenobium

 

Justinian and Early Byzantine Christianity

 

·         “Monophysites” (“Miaphysites”/“Henophysites”); “Diophysites”; Neo-Chacedonians

·         Zeno (emp. 474-75; 476-91); Basiliscus (emp. 475-91); Henotikon

·         Anastasius (491-518); Justin (emp. 518-27); Justinian (emp. 527-65); Procopius; Theodora

·         Nika Riot – 532; Hagia Sophia – 533; Plague – 543-70

·         Theopaschism – 533; 2nd Council of Constantinople (5th ecumenical council); condemns “3 Chapters”

·         Theodore of Mopsuestia (ca. 350-428) – impt. influence on Nestorius

·         Theodoret of Cyrrhus (393-460); Ibas of Edessa (bp. 435-457) – later sympathizers with Nestorius

·         Aphthartodocetism; Jacob Baraddeus (active 542-78)

 

Syriac Christianity & Christianity in the Persian Empire

 

·         Ephrem the Syrian (ca. 306-373); 363 Nisibis to Persia

·         Arbela; Adiabene

·         Parthians; Sassanids; Zoroastrianism; Seleucia-Ctesiphon; Catholicos

·         Aphrahat (d. ca. 345); Adiabene

·         Nisibis; Edessa; Rabbula, Bishop of Edessa (d. 435); Ibas (bp. of Edessa 435-457)

·         Narsai (d. 503); Bar Sauma (bp. of Nisibis 470-496)

·         Henanamonophysite leader (d. 610)

·         Chaldeans

 

Christianity in the Caucasus & Northeast Africa

 

·         Armenia: Axidares (d. 113); 300-310—adopts Christianity; Gregory the Illuminator;

·         Tiridates III (d. ca. 314); Etchmiadzin; Dvin; Catholicos; Meshrob Mashtots (d. 440)

·         Georgia: converts 330; Nino; Mtskheta; Peter the Iberian (409-488); 430 to Palestine; leader of monophysites; Bishop in Gaza–453

·         NE Africa: Coptic; Ethiopia: Axum; Solomon & Ark of Covenant; Sheba (Saba); converts mid-4th cent: Aeizanes; S. Arabia/Yemen;

·         Nubia (Sudan): mission in 543; end of Christianity ca. 1500

 

Heraclius (575-641), Monothelitism, and Maximus the Confessor (580-662)

 

·         Heracliusemp. 610; 622 begins reconquest; 627 invades Persia; 628 captures Persian capital

·         Monothelitism – “one will” – officially adopted as orthodoxy in 633

·         3rd Council of Constantinople (6th ecumenical council); condemns Monothelitism; Maronites

·         Maximus: 655 tried for treason, mutilated; exiled to Lazica (Georgia)

·         Deification / Theosis: John 10:34-5; 2 Peter 1.4; John 17.21; Romans 8.19-22

 

Islam and Eastern Christianity

 

§         Muhammad (570-632): Mecca; Medina; conquests, jihad; 644: Persia destroyed;

§         635-Damascus; 638-Jerusalem & Antioch; 646-Egypt

§         Christians under Islamic Rule: Mansur ibn Sarjun / John of Damascus (675-750), The Fount of Knowledge

§         Abbasids (750-1258); Covenant of ‘Umar