~220: Heresy of Millenialism

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220 Heresy of Millenialism
- Revelation 201-6 - Commodian the main
proponent - A 1,000 year period of paradise is
imminent - Condemned at the Council of Iconium in
230. - Nicea (325) included whose kingdom shall
have no end in Creed to comdemn it. - Condemned
again at Council of Constantinople in 381.
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230 Alexander Severus
249-251 2nd worst period of persecution
June 250 All must call on the gods by
sacrificing to them, obtaining certificates that
they have so done
250 Cyprian of Carthage
There is no
salvation outside the ChurchHe can no longer
have God for his Father who has not the Church
for his motherThere is one God, and Christ is
One, and there is one chair founded upon the rock
by the Word of the LordTo depart from the bishop
is to depart from the Church, the Ark of
Salvation.
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250 Heresy of Novationism
A reaction to intense persecution under Decius,
towards those who had apostisized. Started by
priest Novatius, who opposed the newly-elected
head of the church in Rome and declared himself
head. 1. Baptized Christians who had denied their
faith or sacrificed to pagan gods cannot be
readmitted. 2. Second marriages are unlawful. 3.
The Church is corrupted. Roman church quickly
excommunicated Novatian and condemned his heresy.
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250 Heresy of Manichaeism
Mani of Persia wrote his own version of
Scriptures and claimed to be the Holy Spirit.
This Iranian gnosticism was a synthesis of
Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism.
Decius ordered that Mani be burned.
1. Creation is by the kings of light and dark.
Christ represents light, Satan dark. 2. The
Apostles modified Christs teaching Mani
corrected it. 3. Christs body is an illusion.
In 381 Patriarch Theodosius stripped Manichaeans
of their rights in 387 Augustine converted from
Manichaeism to Christianity.
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Origen (185-254)
- Christian family in Alexandria - Embraced
martyrdom - Lawyer disciple of Clement of
Alexandria - 204 Bp. Demetrius appoints him
head of school - greatest theologian of
Alexandrian school - one of the most influential
pre-Constantine Fathers - Matthew 1912
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Origen, to pupil Gregory Thaumaturgos
I wish you to use all the strength of your mind
for the advantage of Christianity, which should
be your highest goal. To achieve this I desire
you to take from the Greek philosophy those
spheres of knowledge which are potentially an
introduction to Christianity, and whatever
information from geometry and astronomy may serve
to explain the sacred books.
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Origen (185-254)
- Prolific writer lecturer brought many to the
Faith - Frequent prayer sanctifies, unifies to
God helps avoid sin - Origens definition of
salvation as growth into unity with God, or
deification, has become standard in the Orthodox
Church. - Archpriest John Morris - Used
Hellenistic philosophers to expresss Biblical
content was called the Christian
Platonist. -The only way to wisdom is through
prayerful exacting study of Scripture - concept
of Sola Scriptura
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Origen
- The fleshly existence of Gods Son enables us
to rise through the faith to a knowledge of
eternal truth, which is always the same, yet
always adapting to the varying needs of its
recipients. - In His relation to God, the Word is
God in the same way no real differences can be
made between a thought and its thinker. - The
Word gives life and knowledge to rational
beings. - Christ is the Mediator and High Priest,
who represents humanity to God and God to
humanity. - Ultimately Gods providence will be
able to draw everyone to Him so that we may all
exercise perfect freedom by choosing Him. I.e.
Ultimately all will receive salvation, even
Satan. - Our souls pre-exist and our earthly
bodies will not resurrect.
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Origen
- Origen also said that the Son was generated by
the Father. - He so emphasized the unique
oneness of God that he left little place for the
equality of the Son with the Father. -
Archpriest John Morris - Soon, the Arians would
take this further to the subordination of the
Son, concluding that the Son was a creature.
Although Origen had great influence on the
Cappadocian Fathers, they and Athanasios would
insist on the sameness of the Father and Son. -
Provoked creation of the Antiochian catechetical
school by Bp. Lucian in 312 - Condemned in 400 by
Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria, by a synod in
Constantinople in 543, and by the Fifth
Ecumenical Council
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- 260 Emperor Valierian defeated by the
Persians - Successor son revokes edict of
persecution 44 years of peace for Christians -
Persians overrun Syria capture Antioch - Goths
cross Danube ravage Balkans, Greece Asia
Minor - Franks cross the Rhine into Spain
North Africa
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275 Heresy of Arianism
- Started by Arius (250-336), a priest in
Alexandria - Position based upon John 1428 -
Christ is the first created being. He was created
by the Father and therefore distinct from and
inferior to the Father. - First great doctrinal
dispute in the Church lasted over 100 years. -
Preached against by Athanasios, Hilary, Basil the
Great, Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of
Nazianzus. - Repeatedly in and out of favor with
various emperors. Condemned at Nicea (325).
Exonerated at Synod of Tyre in 335. Recondemned
at Council of Constantinople in 381.
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- 275 Emperor Aurelian dedicates great temple to
Sol Invictus Christians respond by choosing that
day to celebrate the birth of Christ - 280
appearance of monasticism in Nitrian desert of
Egypt - rapid growth of the Church means tares
are growing so rapidly they are choking out the
wheat - security and comfortable living are
enemies of the Church - take to the desert as
basketweavers, shunning books and teaching each
other orally - initially heremetic, I.e.
living alone
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