Ecumenical Councils Crisis & Response Model Crisis & Response Model Example: Nicaea, 325 Example:...

Ecumenical CouncilsEcumenical Councils

Crisis & Response ModelCrisis & Response Model Example: Nicaea, 325Example: Nicaea, 325 The Logic of Conciliar ChristologyThe Logic of Conciliar Christology Five Interpretations of ArianismFive Interpretations of Arianism SeminarSeminar

Central Issue: Central Issue: ‘Who do you say that I am?’‘Who do you say that I am?’

What is Jesus’ relationship to God the Father?What is Jesus’ relationship to God the Father?

What is Jesus’ relationship to human beings?What is Jesus’ relationship to human beings?

Councils: Crisis and Councils: Crisis and Response modelResponse model

1.1. Crisis.Crisis.

2.2. Preliminary discussion.Preliminary discussion.

3.3. Council.Council.

4.4. Reception.Reception.

Council of NicaeaCouncil of Nicaea

1.1. Crisis:Crisis: Arius goes public with his Arius goes public with his teaching in 318.teaching in 318.

2.2. Preliminary discussion:Preliminary discussion: exchange of exchange of letters between the protagonists (e.g. letters between the protagonists (e.g. Arius, Alexander of Alexandria, Eusebii).Arius, Alexander of Alexandria, Eusebii).

3.3. Council:Council: Summoned by Constantine I, Summoned by Constantine I, produces a creed.produces a creed.

4.4. Reception:Reception: the controversy goes on for the controversy goes on for the next 50+ years.the next 50+ years.

What makes a council What makes a council ecumenical?ecumenical?

““[N]o synod should be cited in the [N]o synod should be cited in the Catholic Church save only that which Catholic Church save only that which was held at Nicaea, which was a was held at Nicaea, which was a monument of victory over all heresy.”monument of victory over all heresy.”

--Athanasius, --Athanasius, Ad EpictetumAd Epictetum, 1., 1.

Really?

And why is that?

What factors make a What factors make a council ecumenical?council ecumenical?

1.1. Reductionist view: Historical luck Reductionist view: Historical luck & Power-hungry bishops.& Power-hungry bishops.

2.2. Non-reductionist view:Non-reductionist view:1.1. Broad representation. Broad representation.

2.2. Importance of issues.Importance of issues.

3.3. Later approval by the mind of the Later approval by the mind of the Church.Church.

‘‘Ziggurat’ Conciliar Ziggurat’ Conciliar ChristologyChristology

1: FULL DIVINITY

2: FULL HUMANITY

3: UNITY OF DIVINITY AND HUMANITY

4: DISTINCTION OF DIVINITY & HUMANITY

5: UNITY-IN-DISTINCTION

6: DISTINCTION OF WILLS

7: UNITY IN ICONOGRAPHY

?

Gavrilyuk (gently) deconstructing Gavrilyuk (gently) deconstructing GavrilyukGavrilyuk

What about the theological What about the theological ‘losers’?‘losers’?

Hegel Hegel redivivusredivivus?? What about pre-Nicene What about pre-Nicene

christologies?christologies? Enter your objections here…Enter your objections here…

Pablo Picasso, The Poet (1911)

Five interpretations of ArianismFive interpretations of Arianism

1.1. Eclectic ‘Platonist’ subordinationism.Eclectic ‘Platonist’ subordinationism.

2.2. Strict monotheism. (J. H. Newman; Strict monotheism. (J. H. Newman; Thomas Kopecek).Thomas Kopecek).

3.3. Literalist biblicism (Maurice Wiles).Literalist biblicism (Maurice Wiles).

4.4. Exemplarist soteriology (Robert Exemplarist soteriology (Robert Gregg and Denis Groh).Gregg and Denis Groh).

5.5. The passibility of the Logos (Maurice The passibility of the Logos (Maurice Wiles and Richard Hanson).Wiles and Richard Hanson).



2.2. Strict monotheismStrict monotheism. (J. H. Newman; . (J. H. Newman; Thomas Kopecek).Thomas Kopecek).




Thomas Kopecek on Thomas Kopecek on Arianism:Arianism:

Arianism “emerged from and was Arianism “emerged from and was nourished by a conservative nourished by a conservative eucharistic liturgical tradition which eucharistic liturgical tradition which was pronouncedly Jewish-Christian was pronouncedly Jewish-Christian in character.” in character.”

Kopecek, “Neo-Arian Religion: the Evidence of Kopecek, “Neo-Arian Religion: the Evidence of the the Apostolic ConstitutionsApostolic Constitutions”, ”, Arianism: Historical Arianism: Historical and Theological Reassessments and Theological Reassessments (1985),(1985), 155 155




3.3. Literalist biblicism Literalist biblicism (Maurice Wiles).(Maurice Wiles).



Select NT textsSelect NT texts

‘The Father is greater than I.’ Jn 14: 28.‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.’ Mk 10:18.‘Of that day or that hour no one knows, …nor the Son, but only the Father.’ Mk 13: 32.‘Then the Son himself will also be subjected to Him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to everyone.’ 1Cor 15: 24.‘For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus’ 1Tim 2: 5.

‘In the beginning was the Word… and the Word was God.’ Jn 1: 1-2.‘No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.’ Jn 1:18.The words of ‘unbelieving’ Thomas: ‘My Lord and my God.’ Jn 20: 28.‘In him (Christ) the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.’ Col 2: 9.

The range of arguments The range of arguments deployed in the Arian deployed in the Arian

controversy:controversy:1.1. Theories of analogy, meaning, reference and the limitations of Theories of analogy, meaning, reference and the limitations of

religious language. religious language. --example: what is meant by “begotten”?--example: what is meant by “begotten”?

2.2. Interpretation of the Bible: titles of Jesus; consideration of Interpretation of the Bible: titles of Jesus; consideration of individual passages; the overall individual passages; the overall purposepurpose of scripture. of scripture.

3.3. The logic and meaning of the local baptismal creeds.The logic and meaning of the local baptismal creeds.4.4. The appeal to the precedents of conciliar agreements (after The appeal to the precedents of conciliar agreements (after

Nicaea).Nicaea).5.5. Large scale metaphysical presuppositions & “fittingness” Large scale metaphysical presuppositions & “fittingness”

arguments.arguments.6.6. The implicit theologies of the sacraments of baptism and The implicit theologies of the sacraments of baptism and

Eucharist.Eucharist.7.7. The implications of worshipping Christ and addressing prayers The implications of worshipping Christ and addressing prayers

to him. to him. 8.8. The ascetic experience of liberation from the power of evil by The ascetic experience of liberation from the power of evil by

means of the invocation of the name of Jesus.means of the invocation of the name of Jesus.9.9. The logic of salvation (i.e., what kind of Savior is needed to The logic of salvation (i.e., what kind of Savior is needed to

accomplish reunion between God and humanity).accomplish reunion between God and humanity).10.10. Reductio ad heresimReductio ad heresim, , ad hominem ad hominem arguments, mutual arguments, mutual

accusations of immorality, political pressure.accusations of immorality, political pressure.

Five Interpretations of ArianismFive Interpretations of Arianism





5.5. The suffering of the divine Logos The suffering of the divine Logos (Maurice Wiles and Richard Hanson).(Maurice Wiles and Richard Hanson).

Hanson-Wiles Hanson-Wiles interpretationinterpretation

Richard Hanson: “at the heart Richard Hanson: “at the heart of the Arian Gospel was a God of the Arian Gospel was a God who suffered.”who suffered.”

Maurice Wiles: “The Maurice Wiles: “The mainspring and primary mainspring and primary motivation of the [Arian] motivation of the [Arian] movement should be seen in movement should be seen in its determination to safeguard its determination to safeguard the presentation of Christ’s the presentation of Christ’s passion and crucifixion as passion and crucifixion as unequivocally the passion and unequivocally the passion and crucifixion of God.” crucifixion of God.”

Gregory of Nyssa against later Gregory of Nyssa against later Arians:Arians:

““Both sides believe in the economy of the passion. Both sides believe in the economy of the passion. We [the Orthodox] hold that the God who was We [the Orthodox] hold that the God who was manifested by the cross should be honored in the manifested by the cross should be honored in the same way in which the Father is honored. For same way in which the Father is honored. For them [the Eunomians] the passion is a hindrance them [the Eunomians] the passion is a hindrance to glorifying the only-begotten God equally with to glorifying the only-begotten God equally with the Father who begot him… For it is clear that the Father who begot him… For it is clear that the reason why he [Eunomius] sets the Father the reason why he [Eunomius] sets the Father above the Son, and exalts him with supreme above the Son, and exalts him with supreme honor is that in the Father is not seen the shame honor is that in the Father is not seen the shame of the Cross. He insists that the nature of the Son of the Cross. He insists that the nature of the Son is inferior because the reproach of the Cross is is inferior because the reproach of the Cross is referred to the Son alone, and does not touch the referred to the Son alone, and does not touch the Father.” Father.” Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nyssa, Contra EunomiumContra Eunomium,, 3. 3. 691-696 (3. 3. 691-696 (JJ ii. ii.

118-120). 118-120).

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