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): 1^st 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 1^st Council of Constantinople (381; 2^nd 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; 3^rd Ecumenical Council)

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

§ 2^nd 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; 4^th 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; 2^nd Council of Constantinople (5^th 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)

· Henana – monophysite 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-4^th 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)

· Heraclius – emp. 610; 622 begins reconquest; 627 invades Persia; 628 captures Persian capital

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

· 3^rd Council of Constantinople (6^th 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