Historical Christological Heresies
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Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Faculty Publications 2021 Historical Christological Heresies Trevor O'Reggio Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs Part of the History of Christianity Commons Historical Christological Heresies Dr. Trevor O’Reggio Viewpoints of the Ebionites Docetists Arians Basilides Arius, Presbyter of Valentinus Proponents Judaizers Alexandria Patripassians Origen (?) Sabellians Time 2nd century Late 1st century 4th century Denial Genuine deity Genuine humanity Genuine deity Christ was the first Christ had the Spirit Jesus appeared and highest created Explanation after his baptism; he human but was being, homoiousia, was not preexistent really divine not homoousia No official No official Council of Nicea, Condemned condemnation condemnation A.D. 325 Evil of the material world and oussian Associated with Legalism divinity of man as generation=creation taught by Marcion and Gnostics Viewpoints of the Ebionites Docetists Arians They teach that They are They affirm Christ’s Argument for Christ is subordinate monotheistic deity to the Father Only a divine Christ is If Christ were not worthy of worship; Only a divine Christ human He could not this view tends is worthy of worship Argument against redeem humanity toward polytheism. (John 1:1; 20:28 (Heb. 2:4; 1 John 4:1- Only a divine Christ Heb. 13:8) 3) can save (Phil. 2:6; Rev. 1:8) Irenaeus Hippolytus Irenaeus Athanasius Major Opponents Origen Hippolytus Ossius Eusebius Viewpoints of the Appollinarians Nestorians Eutychians Represented by Appollinarius, bishop Represented by Nestorius, 5th-century Proponents of Laodicea Eutychius bishop of Justin Martyr Theodosius II Constantinople Time 4th century 5th century 5th century Completeness of Denial Unity of person Distinction of natures humanity Union was moral, not Monophysitist; the organic-thus two human nature was The divine Logos too persons. The human swallowed by the Explanation the place of the was completely divine to create a human mind controlled by the new third nature- divine tertium quid Council of Antioch, Council of Chalcedon A.D. 405; defended by A.D. 378, 379 Synod of Ephesus, “Robber Synod” of Condemned Council of A.D. 731 Ephesus, A.D. 449; Constantinople Condemned by A.D. 381 Chalcedon, A.D. 451 Viewpoints of the Appollinarians Nestorians Eutychians “Word-man” (Antiochene) not Concern for the unity “word-flesh” Logos=reason in all and divinity of Christ; Associated with (Alexandrian) people Alexandrian Christology; opposed (minimized humanity) to using theotokos of Mary If the death of Jesus If Christ did not have If Christ were neither was the act of a a human mind, he a man or God, he human person, not of Argument against would not be truly could not redeem as God, it could not be human (Heb. 2:14; 1 man or as God (Phil. efficacious (Rev. John 4:1-3) 2:6) 1:12-18) Vitalis Flavian of Pope Damascus Constantinople Basil, Theodosius Pope Leo Major Opponents Cyril of Alexandria Gregory of Theodoret Nazianzen Eusebius of Gregory of Nyssa Dorylaeum Gnosticism Gnosis=knowledge Services in Jewish Alexandrian Philosophy-Philo ◦ Influenced by Buddhism and Zoroastrianism Aim of Gnosticism ◦ Intellectual enlightenment not moral regeneration ◦ Freedom from bondage of matter rather than from corruption of sin Gnosticism Main characteristic ◦ Syncretism combined with mystical, magical, and philosophical Three main types ◦ Earliest In Syria Simon Magus Menander Saturninus Alexandrian Tradition Basilides ◦ Godhead- non-existence Valentinus ◦ Greatest Gnostic Aim ◦ Attain superior knowledge of invisible world ◦ Cosmic return to God ◦ Assert freedom of soul deny power of the flesh Marcion Main idea ◦ Law and gospel incompatible ◦ God of O.T. inferior ◦ God of N.T superior Influence in Christian thought and life ◦ Widely defused throughout Christian churches during the 2nd and 3rd centuries ◦ Led to amalgamation of Christian and pagan thought.