Roman Holiday Or How We Stopped Worrying about Being Jewish amp Learned to Love the Pagans The Ecumenical Councils Nicaea 325 to Chalcedon 451 A Council is a gathering of ID: 745420
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "The Ecumenical Councils “Christianity..." is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
The Ecumenical Councils
“Christianity’s
Roman Holiday,
Or,
How
We
Stopped Worrying about Being Jewish
&
Learned to
Love
the Pagans”Slide2
The Ecumenical CouncilsNicaea (325) to Chalcedon (451)
A “Council” is a gathering of
all
bishops to discuss important question of church teaching and practice.
The Councils are
the culmination of a move toward unanimity rather than multiplicity of
interpretation
The early Councils
focus on the “being” of Jesus as Christ rather than on his actions (teachings, ministry, or death)Slide3
They are part and parcel of the changing status of Christianity in the Roman Empire: from illegal to indispensable and from “Jewish” to “Greek”
Their language and concepts must be addressed by all Christian theologies that followSlide4
They draw on Greco-Roman philosophical ideas that contradict some and support other key aspects of Jewish thought
They establish the fundamental doctrines of:
Jesus Christ as
fully divine
(Nicaea 325)
Jesus Christ as
fully human
(Constantinople 381)Slide5
TIME LINE
Canonical Gospels written Ecumenical Councils
(“redacted”) 300's - 400's CE
70-100 CE (1
st
century) (4th & 5th Centuries)
70+ 80’s 90’s 314
318
324 325 381 [431] 451_|__|___|___|150-300ish|___|__|_ |_ |____|_____|____|___Mark Matthew John [Pre-Nicene | Arius’ | NICAEA CONSTAN- [EPH- CHALCEDON Luke Controversies] | pamphlet | TINOPLE E SUS] | | | | EDICT CONSTANTINE’S of MILAN Defeats LiciniusSlide6
REMINDER: (Small but Growing) Communities of the GospelsSlide7
Political Aspects of the 4
th
Century Councils: Part I
CHRISTIANITY & EMPIRESlide8
Setting the Stage: Time and Place
The Roman Empire – 1
st century CESlide9
Question: How did a
tiny Jewish
sect move from being first, ignored, then persecuted, to become the official religion of Rome, brutal ruler of the most powerful empire on earth?
A.
Political Backdrop (broad background)
1. Internal political instability
(So, you want to be
emperor
????)2. External threat of foreign invasion(Hordes of Huns)Answer: “It’s complicated.“ Harry Potter to Griphook; Griphook to Harry Potter “Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows,” film versionSlide10
REPERCUSSIONSFor the Empire: The desire for stabilityUnity grounds stability
For Christianity: Use as a point of shared unity
Push for “uniformity”Constantine: One God, One Emperor, One Church.Slide11
B. Theological & Philosophical Background
1
.
Church traditions
already in
place:
a. Baptizing in the name of F, S & HS
b. Praying to Jesus
c. Jesus as "Logos" in
Gospel of JohnImage source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OransFresco from catacombs showing Noah in the traditional “orans” or “orante” prayer posture.Slide12
2. Monotheism
Brought forward into Christianity from its origins in Judaism
The
SHEMA
:
"
Hear O
Israel, the
Lord Our God is One."
Image sources: http://worldreligionsslocomb.wikispaces.com/file/view/judaism.jpg/202060486/judaism.jpg ‘ ;ttp://api.ning.com/files/va8JWydWri1p6V3eH4CDTj*7MZeouoVT5Xwurbs7OGn1ltceLCAG5P8nXwwwnkk3jWMfhR1JxFZgGoVeZU0VcUC4EpdjTuZ3/TheShema.JPGSlide13
3. Greek Ideas of Divinity and Humanity
a. Greek idea of "being“ = essence
The “Platonic Tradition” –
a theory of
knowledge (aka, an epistemology)
ousia
(GK)
Contrast with:
hypostasis (GK), persona (LT)
Wow! We’re all horses!Hmm..How do we know that?Slide14
Greek Ideas of Divinity and Humanity (cont.)
Hierarchy of being
Some “essences” are better than others!
Spirit
Mind
Immortality
Rationality
male
Body
Death
Irrationality
Emotion
femaleSlide15
Greek Ideas of Divinity and Humanity (cont.)
Idea of God: Negative Attribution
Human characteristics Divine characteristics
(known) (inferred)
Mortal _____________
Weak _____________
Limited in
knowledge _____________
Located, in only 1 place _____________
Multiple , divisible _____________Slide16
Greek Ideas of Divinity and Humanity (cont.)
Logos
: a shared word; different meanings
1
) Greek: Divine Mind (Mind of God)
; Reason
2
) Jewish: Pre-existent Wisdom
3) Near Eastern: Heavenly PersonImage Source: http://www.colindye.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Logos-is-the-greek-word-for-reason-or-for-word.jpgThe word “logos,” written in GreekSlide17
4. Pre-Nicene Controversies
a.
Justin
Martyr
(2nd century
)
Christ , the Logos, is a bridge between God and humanity (a
demiurge
)
b. Monarchians (3rd century)1) Modalist Monarchians (e.g., Sabellius)(See following slides)2) Dynamic Monarchians, aka, Adoptionists (e.g., Paul of Samosata) (See following slides)Slide18
Modalist Monarchianism Version I: God(the)father’s Pizza Pie
Modalist
Heresy #1:
The Trinity is like a pizza with 3 equal slices! The 1 God is represented by the 3 members of the Trinity – Each is 1/3 of God. No conflict with monotheism!
The Church REJECTS
Modalism
#1
because: God cannot be divided. God is one.Each member of the Trinity is God-entire, not just a “part” of God.Each member of the Trinity is a separately-existing entity, not part of a larger whole.The logical problem with monotheism remains.
God the
Father
God the God the
Son Holy
Spirit
Slide19
Modalist Heresy #2 :The Trinity is like God with three different Halloween masks. God appears in different masks or
modes at different times and places. That is, God has 3 aspects or “faces.” But, God can only wear one mask at a time or be in one
mode
at a time. No conflict with monotheism.
Modalist
Monarchianism
:
aka,
Patripassianism or Sabellianism Version II: God Visits the Halloween Adventure StoreGod the Father? God the Spirit? God the Son?The Church REJECTS Modalism #2 because: All 3 members of the Trinity co-exist at the same time and eternally.Each member of the Trinity makes God fully present to creation, not just one aspect or mode of God.Suggests that God suffers when Christ suffers on the cross. God cannot suffer.The logical problem with monotheism remains. Slide20
Dynamic Monarchianism, aka Adoptionism
God the Adoptive Father
Image Source: http://www.globalserve.net/~yuku/pics/bapt.jpg
Types of
Adoptionism
Version 1
: God adopts Jesus
as his “son” at his baptism
because of his exemplary life Version 2: God adopts Jesus as his “son” at his birth In both versions, “sonship does not equal “being divine”. “Logos” is an honorary title.Slide21
The Council of Nicaea:
Prelude
Constantine the Great,
c
. 274-337
Immediate
Political
Context
& EventsSlide22
The Road to Nicaea:
Constantine and Christianity
Credits the “God of Christ” with his military victory over Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge (312)
With Licinius, issues the Edict of Milan (Edit of Toleration (313)
Defeats Licinius (324)
Looks to Christianity as the “glue” to unite his Eastern & Western empire
Calls the Council of Nicaea in 325 to stop inter-church fighting and force a decision on the status (“essence”) of Jesus Christ in relation to God the FatherSlide23
Supplementary: Constantine’s
“Conversion”
Eusebius: The Conversion of Constantine
[Eusebius of Caesarea (4th century) was a Christian bishop and author of the
Ecclesiastical History
, from which this is an excerpt.]
BEING convinced, however, that he needed some more powerful aid than his military forces could afford him, on account of the wicked and magical enchantments which were so diligently practiced by the tyrant, he sought Divine assistance. . . . He considered, therefore, on what God he might rely for protection and assistance.
ACCORDINGLY he called on him with earnest prayer and supplications that he would reveal to him who he was, and stretch forth his right hand to help him in his present difficulties. And while he was thus praying with fervent entreaty, a most
marvelous
sign appeared to him from heaven, HE said that about noon, when the day was already beginning to decline, he saw with his own eyes the trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, and bearing the inscription, CONQUER BY THIS. Slide24
Arch of Constantine, c. 315
built in
honor
of his victory
SupplementarySlide25
Supplementary: The Edict of Milan (313 CE)
When I,
Constantine Augustus
, as well as I,
Licinius Augustus
fortunately met near Mediolanurn (Milan), and were considering everything that pertained to the public welfare and security, we thought, among other things which we saw would be for the good of many,
those regulations pertaining to the reverence of the Divinity
ought certainly to be made first,
so that we might grant to the Christians and others full authority to observe that religion which each preferred
; whence any Divinity whatsoever in the seat of the heavens may be propitious and kindly disposed to us and all who are placed under our rule And thus by this wholesome counsel and most upright provision we thought to arrange that no one whatsoever should be denied the opportunity to give his heart to the observance of the Christian religion, of that religion which he should think best for himself, so that the Supreme Deity, to whose worship we freely yield our hearts) may show in all things His usual favor and benevolence…. we have also conceded to other religions the right of open and free observance of their worship for the sake of the peace of our times…. In all these circumstances you ought to tender your most efficacious intervention to the community of the Christians, that our command may be carried into effect as quickly as possible, whereby, moreover, through our clemency, public order may be secured. Let this be done so that, as we have said above, Divine favor towards us, which, under the most important circumstances we have already experienced, may, for all time, preserve and prosper our successes together with the good of the state. Slide26
The Church Declares the Divinity
of Jesus
The Council of Nicaea – 325 CE
The Council of NicaeaSlide27
A Short Timeline …
…and Locations
Map insetSlide28
If we want to know who Jesus, the Christ, is….If we want to know what it means to says that he is the Logos, the Word of God, the Son of God is….
We have to know his “essence”! Therefore, the theological question of the Council of Nicaea is:
“What is the essence of Jesus Christ, the Logos, Son of God?”
Does he have A DIVINE essence?
Does he have A HUMAN essence?
Is he SOMETHING IN-BETWEEN?
The Road to Nicaea:
The BIG Theological QuestionSlide29
The Council of Nicaea (
325): Key
Players And Their
Points
ARIUS (the loser)
Starting point: monotheism
"There was when he was not."
There is only one God: God, the FatherThus, the Son (the Logos) cannot be GodThe Son (the Logos) is created perfect, but not divine.Son does not have same essence as the Father. Not homo (Grk: same) + ousios (essence)How Jesus saves us: he teaches us the path to God.
Christ is
NOT Homo-
ousios
with God the Father
(Not same essence;
NOT Fully Divine)Slide30
SUPPLEMENTARY
The
Council of Nicaea (325):
Key
Players And Their Points:
ARIUS
Concern:
RATIONAL monotheism
:
God cannot be divided. This God = God theFather.Thus, Son = Logos = a creature (perfect).Created from nothing before time by the Father: "There was when he was not." Subject to physical and moral change.Draws on Scriptures such as Prov. 8:22, Acts 2:36, Romans 8:29, and Colossians 1:15.Son does not have same ousia (essence) as Father.
Titles given to Jesus are courtesy titles. NOT homoousios.How Jesus saves us: teaches us the way to get to God. Slide31
ATHANASIUS, Alexander & Friends (winners)
Starting Point: human salvation
If Jesus is not God, then we are not saved
.
Athanasian
syllogism
(if “a” and “b,” then “c”):
a. Only God can save us
b. Christ (the Logos) is the Savior
c. Therefore, Christ , the Logos, is divineSon and Father are of the same essence Homo (Grk: same) + ousios (essence)How Jesus saves us: he reconnects humanity to God The Council of Nicaea (325): Key Players And Their Points
Christ ISHomo-ousioswith God the Father(Same essence= Fully Divine)Slide32
Concern:
REDEMPTIVE monotheism
If Jesus is not God, then we are not saved.
Christianity is a monotheistic faith:
Accuses Arius of polytheism: Jesus the Logos a
demiurge
(demigod)
Says Arius undermining the Christian doctrine of God by saying Father, Son and Holy Spirit aren't eternal
Says Arius undermining Christian liturgical custom: baptism and prayer in Jesus' name.Son and Father ARE of the same ousia (essense)--ARE homoousiosHow Jesus saves us: by reconnecting us to God, Godself.SUPPLEMENTARY
The Council of Nicaea (325): Key Players And Their Points: ATHANASIUSSlide33
Supplementary: The Creed of the Council of NicaeaSlide34
RESULTS
Arius condemned.
Language of
homoousios
adopted.
The Nicene
Creed
begins its development, based on an earlier creed, and adding anti-Arian language.Slide35
From Nicaea to Constantinople
Review: At Nicaea (325 CE):
Jesus Christ, the Logos, is declared to be fully divine (homoousios
with God the Father)
Roman emperor is now
Theodosius I
(who makes Christianity the “official”
religion of the empire)After Nicaea, 2 new questions for the bishops:Is the divine Christ also fully human? How can a being have two identities?Review: Is the Holy Spirit also fully divine? (See Doctrine of God slides)Emperor Theodosius I(378-395)Slide36
The Council of Constantinople (381)
The
Humanity
of Christ
(also featuring, The Doctrine of the Trinity!)
Detail from “The Supper at Emmaus” by Rembrandt van Rijn (1648)
STARTING POINT OF AGREEMENT:
All
participants in the Council of Constantinople agree that the decision made about Christ’s fully divinity is
CORRECT!Slide37
The Council of Constantinople (381)
Part I: The Trinity
Declaration on the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit is also of the same essence as God the Father and Christ the Son: fully divine
THE TRINITARIAN FORMULA
God is ONE ESSENCE
in THREE BEINGS:
Father, Son, & Holy Spirit
Co-equal and Co-existingQ: But what about MONOTHEISM? Doesn’t Christianity have 3 Gods now, instead of 1 ? A: No, see the Council of Nicaea!Slide38
The Council of Constantinople (381)
PART II
AGREEMENT ENDS
Apollinarus
:
Jesus’ body is human; but the “divine Logos” (the Word of God) takes the place of his human mind. Thus, he is one person with only one essence (one nature) – a fully divine one.
Gregory of Nazianzus (representing the
Cappadocian
Fathers)
: “What is not assumed (taken on) is not redeemed.” In order for us to be fully saved, Jesus as Christ must assume (take on) our whole humanity, not just part of it. By doing so, all of our humanness (body, mind and soul)– which has been separated from the divine – is reunited with God in one person with two essences (two natures): fully human and fully divine.Gregory of Nazianzus at ConstantinopleSlide39
Nicaea + Constantinople =The Christological Formula:
“
Jesus Christ is one person with two natures
(2 essences, 2 ousia, 2 natures):
full divinity & full humanity.”
Christological Results of Constantinople:
1. Nicaea
re
-affirmed: Christ is
fully divine. 2. New affirmation: Christ is ALSO fully human.(GO FIGURE!!) Jesus Christ’s full humanity is affirmed. Slide40
Supplementary: The Creed of the Council of ConstantinopleSlide41
What does the Christological Formula do?Names the status of the Christ in relationship to God and to human beingsIdentifies Jesus as the definition both of what God is like and what human beings can become like (Karl
Rahner, SJ)Claims that God experiences human joys and sufferings with usAffirms that the path to the divine is through our own humanity and the human relationships around us Slide42
Constantinian Church at Trier
The First Four Ecumenical Councils:
The Limits of Appropriate Speech
God is a
Trinity
:
One God (monotheism) = one divine essence, undivided, in Three distinct Beings: Father, Son, Holy Spirit
(
Constantinople 381)
Jesus Christ is fully divineHomoousios (of one essence) with God the Father (Nicaea 325)Jesus Christ is fully human In all things like us (but without sin) (Constantinople 381)The Final Formulae: from Greek to LatinJesus Christ is two natures in one person.God is one nature in three persons.(Chalcedon 451)
Mary is the Mother of God:Theotokos -- God-bearer (Ephesus 431)Slide43
The Language of Christology in the West: From Greek to Latin
Greek Terms
ousia
hypostasis,
prosopon
homoousios
homo
i
ousios- rejected)Theotokos Latin Termsnatura, substantia personaEnglish
essence, natureentity, person, beingsame substancelike substanceMother of God (God bearer)The Language of Mystery
The Council of Chalcedon (451):
Mystery
is that which we cannot
understand, but accept on faith.
Karl Rahner, S.J. (20
th
-c.):
Mystery
is
not
that which we cannot
understand, but that which
we cannot exhaust.Slide44
ALL SLIDES FROM THIS POINT ARE SUPPLEMENTARYThe declaration of the doctrine of the Trinity (God is 3 in 1, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, 3 co-equal persons with the same (divine) nature) is the other major Christological issues that emerges from the Council of Constantinople. The slides that follow are from my THE 154 class’ study of the Trinity. You may find them interesting and useful.Slide45
God as Trinity:
A Singular
Christian Claim
Father = Son = Holy Spirit
Creator = Redeemer = Sanctifying Spirit Slide46
A Wee Bit of History
Canonical Gospels written
Ecumenical Councils
70-100 CE 300's - 400's CE
(1
st
century) (4th & 5th Centuries)
70+ 80’s 90’s 150-300ish 324 325
381 451_|__|___|__|_________|________|___________|_____________|___Mark Matthew John [Pre-Nicene Constantine Council of Council of
Council of Luke Controversies] NICAEA CONSTANTINOPLE CHALCEDON | |
Divinity
Doctrine of the
of Jesus X
TRINITY
declared
formulated
Slide47
Jewish traditions of the Spirit, Wind, Breath of God: Ruach
,
The NT witness to the experience of Jesus’ early followers
Early church experience – Jesus as revelation of God
Baptism in the name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit
Jesus promise of the
Paraclete
(the Comforter)
The presence of Christ after his ascension
God’s spirit alive and always new in the worldThe Council of Nicaea (325)Jesus is “divine,” of the same “divine” essence as God the FatherThe Holy SpiritThe next logical question: what is the relation of the Holy Spirit to God the Father and Jesus the Christ?Some Historical BackgroundSlide48
The Church’s Theo-Logical ClaimThe doctrine of the Trinity
(God is 1 essence in 3 persons):is not arithmetically logical (1 + 1+ 1 = 3), but…is logical
in a different kind of way:It is theo-logical
.
That is, in order for early orthodox Christians to express their experience of Jesus and his importance for their lives, they find it
necessary
to understand him as God-truly-with-them in the world. The same goes for the Holy Spirit as the presence of God within and around them in all times and places
.
Its monotheism is:
not about there being 3 members of the Trinity…but about each member of the Trinity: (Creator, Redeemer, Spirit) fully expressing the one essence of God’s infinite love multiplied throughout creation (1 x 1 x 1 = 1)Slide49
Two Aspects of Trinitarian Relationship
The
Economic Trinity
– the members of the Trinity in relationship to the world
The
Immanent Trinity
– the members of the Trinity in relationship to one another Slide50
God and Christ as male and female
Julian of Norwich
(1342-1423)
English Benedictine mystic
God as Mother and Father
The nature of God is goodness
Jesus as our Brother and Savior
Jesus as our true Mother
We as children of God and Jesus
The Trinity as moving beyond only male imagesto embrace new images of GodImplications for Justice ISlide51
The Trinity as moving beyond
only
male images
to embrace new images of God
God as Creator, Teacher, Mother, Artist, Friend
God as Redeemer, Child, Teacher, Guide, Model
God as Spirit, Comforter, Sanctifier, Presence, Newness
Contemporary Feminist Philosophers & Theologians:Mary Daly, Rosemary Radford Ruether, Elizabeth Johnson, CSJMeinrad Craighead, “God, the Mother”Implications for Justice I (cont.)Slide52
Implications for Justice II
Catherine
Mowry
LaCugna
:
The Trinity as a model of hospitality and openness
Abraham and Sarah visited by Yahweh
and two angels in disguise.
(Gen. 18:1-15)
Rublev’s icon of the Trinity based onthe Abraham and Sarah storyGod may be among us as a strangerGod is among us in communityGod is revealed “in the breaking ofbread
” with others. (Luke 24:13-35)Icon: Andrei Rublev, early 15c, Russia. Three angels at Eucharistic table, inspired by Genesis 18:1-15.Slide53
Implications for Justice III
Leonardo
Boff:
The Trinity as a model of equality and
inclusivity for human relations
All persons should be treated as
of equal value: the poor & oppressed
have the right to life’s basic needs:
food, shelter, safety, meaningful work
All persons should have the power of participation: the voices of the poor and the oppressed must be listened to and heard Slide54
Source Notes for Trinity SlidesBackground image for all Trinity slides: http://metrobibleblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/cathedra-holyspirit1.jpgThe mathematical formula: 1 x 1 x 1 = 1 as an analogy for the Trinity was suggested to me by one of my former students.
Slide “Implications for Justice I “(cont): Image, http://greencanticle.com/2008/08/11/meinrad-craighead-god-the-mother/Slide “Implications for Justice III”:
http://www.aangirfan.blogspot.com