An Absurdly Short History - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

AnAbsurdlyShortHistoryofChristianityPart 2The Conciliar PeriodSlide2

The story so farJewish -> Christian identity shiftFormation through persecutionInstitutionalizationFirst signs of official public roleSlide3

OrthodoxAuthorized or generally accepted theory, doctrine, or practiceHeresyBelief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrineSlide4

OrthodoxyCorrect belief (Meaning of ritual)Orthopraxis/orthopraxyCorrect conduct (Form of ritual)These often get confused in the story we are tellingSlide5

Constantine in chargeEdict of Milan (313) gives religious libertyto all, including ChristiansChristianity did not become the statereligion of Rome until 380Constantine himself did not convert untilhe was on his deathbedSlide6

CaesaropapismModern termMany meanings, some more, some less benignBasic idea is the way the church and the statecan come to be interconnectedImportant to note that this probably was notseen as a clear problem in antiquitySlide7

Besides, they hadother fish to fry…Remember the questions thatpersecution brought up last time?Slide8

CarthageSlide9

CarthageIn about 311 CaecilianSlide10

CarthageIn about 311 Caecilian

MajorinusSlide11

CarthageIn about 311 Caecilian

Majorinus

Donatus (313)Slide12

CarthageIn about 311 Caecilian

Majorinus

Donatus

ConstantineSlide13

CarthageIn about 311 Caecilian

Majorinus

Donatus

Constantine

TrialsSlide14

DonatistsSurvived until at least the 7th CenturyOpposed “traditors”Held their sacraments to be invalidBroke the wall between church and state

Precedent of parallel, competing churchesSlide15

Now for something easier…the Nature of God!Slide16

Now for something easier…the Nature of God!As early as the 1st CenturyDocetism

The humanness of Jesuswas an illusion

His spirit could not dieSlide17

Now for something easier…the Nature of God!In the 2nd CenturyMarcionismWrathful God of theOT a lesser being thanthe loving God of the

Gospels

יהוה

<

θεόςSlide18

Now for something easier…the Nature of God!By the 3rd CenturySabellianismPatripassianism

Father

Son

Holy

SpiritSlide19

Now for something easier…the Nature of God!By the 3rd CenturySabellianismPatripassianism

Father

Son

Holy

Spirit

One nature,

t

hree “masks,”

a

s perceived by

t

he believerSlide20

AriusPriest in AlexandriaMay have been in conflict withvarious bishops for a long timeBetween 313 and 325, began to teach that the Son is less than the FatherSlide21

FatherSon

“…begotten of His

Father before all

w

orlds…”Slide22

FatherSon

“…begotten of His

Father before all

w

orlds…”

Must be lesser

Otherwise, it is

SabellianismSlide23

FatherSon

“…begotten of His

Father before all

w

orlds…”

Must be lesser

“There was a time

w

hen he was not”Slide24

Why do we care?Judaism  MonotheismHow do we know God?How should we know God?Who is Jesus if not an equal part of God?

If God is all an illusion, what else is too?Slide25

Enter AthanasiusDeacon in AlexandriaVigorous TrinitarianDenounced Arius  everybody chose sidesReligious tension  civil/political tensionSlide26

Constantine calls a councilSlide27

Constantine calls a councilFirst Council of Nicaea (325)Called to address many issues:Miletian Schism (Donatism)Date of EasterFormat of the liturgy

Structure of church leadership

Standards for priestsArian controversySlide28

318Bishops

Constantine

a

ttendedtoo

First Council of NicaeaSlide29

First Council of NicaeaArius & Athanasius debateAthanasius uses homoousios (same substance)Term also used before by SabelliansArius can’t accept itOthers try

homoiousios (similar nature) as a compromise

Nobody likes it enough to fight for itSlide30

First Council of NicaeaAthanasius winsCouncil drafts the Nicene CreedWe believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father.Slide31

First Council of NicaeaAthanasius winsCouncil drafts the Nicene CreedWe believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

Spoiler alert!!!Slide32

First Council of NicaeaArius banishedNot everyone is on boardEusebius – bishop – relative of ConstantineConstantine probably an ArianEusebius sends a missionary to the GothsSlide33

But the nature of Jesus is a theologicalzombie…In 428, Nestorius chosen as Archbishop ofConstantinopleHis teachings about the nature of Jesuscause controversy – but not clear exactlywhat he taughtAnother group – Monophysites

– also inthe mixSlide34

Two

Unified

NaturesChalcedonian

Two

SeparateNaturesNestorian

One

Divine

Nature

MonophysiteSlide35

Why do we care?How can God suffer?How can a human soul “cohabitate” withthe Divine?If Jesus was a “split personality,” how can weknow which part was speaking at any time?Slide36

Rumble in the Church Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria, disputes with Nestorius Cyril appeals to the Pope (Archbishop of Rome)Cyril excommunicates NestoriusNestorius excommunicates Cyril

?Slide37

Council called at Ephesus (431)Slide38

Council(s) of EphesusFirstCyril takes controlSome delegations lateExcommunicates NestoriusSlide39

Council(s) of EphesusThenAntiochian delegation arrivesForms rival councilExcommunicates CyrilSlide40

Council(s) of EphesusAnd everythingis settled……Not!Slide41

Second Council of Ephesus (449)The “Robbers’ Council”Announced and begun too soon for delegations from the West to attend

Eastern-dominated quorum

upholdsMonophysitismSlide42

Two

Unified

NaturesChalcedonian

Two

SeparateNaturesNestorian

One

Divine

Nature

MonophysiteSlide43

Third Council – at Chalcedon (451)Slide44

Council of ChalcedonDeclared Monophysitism to be heresyAccepted the idea of two unified natures of Christ as doctrineCatholic

(Universal)Church

Coptic

EthiopianArmenian

Syriac

Orthodox

MonophysiteSlide45

PelagiusFirst Council of Ephesus also condemned theteachings of Pelagius British priest~360-418Well known in RomeSlide46

PelagianismHe is reported as saying:There is no connection between Adam’s sin and thestate people are born into. People are born innocentwithout sin.People have the free will to choose good or evil.The grace of God is active in the world, but it is only

“illuminating,” and can be resisted.Slide47

Which brings us to St AugustineDisciple of Ambrose of MilanBishop of HippoCame to the faith after a wild youthMonica, his mother,was very influential in his conversionSlide48

AugustineHe wrote:“It is certain that we will when we will, but Godbrings it about that we act, and that without hishelp we neither will anything good nor do it.”What he is getting at:People do not save themselves, because theycannot; and are not saved against their will, because they will not.Slide49

Why do we care?Why do some believe and others don’t?Do we decide to be Christian or does Godchoose us?Why is sin so persistent and pervasive?Can we strive to be better people?Slide50

Biblical CanonIn the East – Athanasius (same as in the Anti-Arius movement) describes it in 367In the West – Synod of Hippo Regius (ledby St Augustine) in 393 may be the earliestSlide51

GnosticismStarted early – still exists in some formKey ideas:True wisdom is hiddenand available only toa privileged fewSlide52

GnosticismKey ideas:God is transcendentJesus revealed HimCreation came througha lesser being (the Demiurge)Wisdom (Sophia) is also a separate being of some sortSlide53

GnosticismKey ideas:Dualism Spiritual=good Material=evilAscetic excesses combinedwith indulgenceManichaeismSlide54

That’s not all…Antinomianism Audianism Circumcellions Euchites / Messalians Luciferians Montanism Johannites

Mandaeism Priscillianism

Naassenes

Notzrim Sethians

Ophites Valentianism

Adoptionism

Apollinarism

Macedonians

Melchisedechians

Monothelitism

Psilanthropism Slide55

Things continue after this,but get quieter…why?Slide56

Things continue after this,but get quieter…why?ٱللهُ أَكْبَرأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللهُأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رُسُولُ ٱللهSlide57

Things continue after this,but get quieter…why?Jerusalem falls to Muslim forces in 637Egypt, Libya, and Syria fall by 661All of North Africa and Spain are underMuslim control by 750Slide58
Slide59

And the stage is set for the next chapter…