Explore the Primitive Age (700-1050) in the Middle Ages. The focal point of this time period was the inferiority of Western Europe to its Greek and Moslem neighbors. The West was in serious trouble due to Moslem invasions and the fact that the Christian church was feeble. Poverty kept the whole region in a state of constriction. The Church was in its “Benedictine Age” (named after Benedict of Nursia). There was strict observance of “The Rule”. Relics became important which were physical demonstrations of the spiritual significance of a person or thing and God’s promises. There was also a sense of priestly kings. They were crowned with a great deal of pomp and circumstance. At this time there was confusion between civil and spiritual authority. It was said, “Always remember, my king, that you are the deputy of God, your king. You are set to guard and rule all His members and you must render an account of them for the Day of Judgement.” In the Age of Growth (1050-1300), there was a radical change from the Primitive Age. This was a time of massive expansion, development, and economic growth. With this successful time came a bloodthirsty sense of superiority. People became specialists in certain fields. This was the time of entering into the Age of Scholasticism and the Crusades. Consider the rise and limits of clerical superiority. There was a demand for specialized knowledge. The Church developed schools of theology, which led to universities. Gilds and societies were formed to preserve the interests of the people from outsiders. The Church became a huge society. View the Bayeux Tapestry of the Battle of Hastings in 1066 AD and William the Conqueror. Church leaders can be seen in the storyline in the tapestry. Consider that history is important and its consequences are important. The church was also involved in taxation.

CH502 Lesson 56

Semi-Pelagianism is an attempt to reconcile the views of Augustine and Pelagius and finding a middle ground. Man is born sinful and man comes to free will alone. Sanctification is actually the work of God, grace is what effects the salvation and is still necessary. This holds on to the view of free will as earning salvation. Explore Augustine’s view on the Trinity. The Trinity was central to Augustine’s thought. He spent over 20 years writing his work, De Trinitate and held there is one God who is Trinity. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct and coessential. These are united in one substance. For Augustine, the starting point of our understanding is faith, not reason. Explore what he states in the beginning of his De Trinitate. Augustine started with the Divine Nature, not the Father’s nature. God is absolute being, simple and indivisible, and above all forms. In practical terms, the Father, Son, and Spirit are not three individuals. Whatever is said of God should be said in the singular. A later example is the Athanasian Creed. Christ is fully human and fully divine. All the attributes apply to each Person of the Godhead. The Trinity possesses a single, indivisible action and will. There is unity in their purpose, rule and relationship to humanity. Consider the distinctions in the Trinity: The Father “begets the Son”. The Son “is begotten”. The Spirit is “bestowed by the Father and Son”. What do we call these members of the Trinity? Persons? What is the role of the Holy Spirit? His role is the mutual love of the Father and Son. It is the consubstantial bond that unites them. Consider the human understanding of the Trinity. There are attempts at explaining (not proving) the mystery of the oneness in three. Consider sense perception: the object (what we see); the mind’s representation of what we see (memory); and intention or act of focusing the mind on it (will). These all happen in unity. In the idea of love, there is a lover, the object loved, and the love that unites them. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

CH502 Lesson 53

Explore the views of Augustine and Nestorius. What did Nestorius believe? He believed Mary was not theotokos (God-bearer) but she was christotokos (Christ-bearer). He did not want the humanity of Jesus to be overcome by His divinity. He held that Jesus had two natures and two persons – divine and human. Nestorius was refuted by Cyril of Alexandria. Explore historical events during and after Augustine in a short video showing the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. From 376-382 AD there was the first war with the Germanic Visigoths. Theodosius I reigned from 379-405 and was the last to unite the eastern and western empires. He made Christianity the official religion of the empire. In 410, Rome was sacked by the Visigoths. In 455, Rome fell to the Germanic Vandals who were Arians. The Ostrogoth Kingdom emerged in 493.  The Papacy maintained some sense of consistency and normalcy during this time. It was an important aspect of continuity and stability in the Middle Ages. Explore the evolution of the term “pope”. How did the popes rise in authority? The pope gained the greatest authority with the invasions of Rome. The Bishop of Rome became a symbol of unity. There was stability in the middle of turmoil and there was consistent authority – the Church claimed to be the one “true state”. Explore what Thomas Hobbes stated in Leviathan (1651). During the entire Medieval Period, the Papacy was the single continuous spiritual and temporal authority. The Middle Ages can be understood in terms of the rise and decline of the Papal monarchy.

CH502 Lesson 54

Explore the period of the Arab conquests. Mohammed claimed to see a vision from the angel Gabriel. Mohammed held that God is one, he is just and merciful, and requires obedience from all. Jesus, for Mohammed, was from a long line of prophets. In the 7th Century, conquests included Syria, Jerusalem, Damascus, Egypt, etc. In the 8th Century the Arabs made their way into Europe. They were defeated by Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours in 732 AD. Who was Charlemagne? He revived the ancient Empire. He was crowned Emperor on Christmas, 800 AD by Pope Leo III. View a map of the expanding Empire. Charlemagne’s territory and reign was extensive. Those conquered were forced to become Christian. He believed in an educated society. Consider that there were three major divisions of the Middle Ages. The first was the Primitive Age (ca. 700-1050). The second was the Age of Growth (ca. 1050 -1300). Lastly, there was the Age of Unrest (ca. 1300 -1550).

CH502 Lesson 55

Explore the Donatist controversy. During the Great Persecution, those Christians who handed over the texts were the “traditores” or “handers over”. Those who did not were the “Confessors”. Afterward, some traditores wanted to be readmitted to the Church. Donatus was a confessor and believed that the Lapsi (those who decided to be lapse in their faith) should not be readmitted. A major issue came up. Can official acts by unworthy bishops be effectual? If not, all the acts are invalid. The true church was made up of those who suffer. Donatus advocated resistance to the government. There were two extreme deviations. One was the Circumcelions and the other was Monasticism. Augustine’s view was that the Lapsi should be readmitted to the Church. This eventually led to Augustine’s just war theory.  This also led to Augustine’s views of the Sacraments. Holiness is not bound with the person enacting the Sacrament but is within the Sacrament itself. It is inherent in the Sacrament itself.

CH502 Lesson 52

In the 360’s and 370’s there is a return to the Nicene Creed. Many were disillusioned by Constantius’ creed. This was a period of rapprochement. What was the uniting factor? Athanasius pointed to the Nicene Creed. No one wanted to divide God’s material being. There was no division, no confusion of persons. Results were the development and clarification of terminology. “God is one in nature, power, glory, or essence; three ‘hypostases’”. In the last quarter of the 4th Century the Council of Constantinople was held (381 AD). There was general harmony that God is mysteriously three in one. These theologies were not identical but all held to monotheism. There were not degrees of divinity or (subordinationism), God was comprised of three persons, and incapable of being understood by men. Explore final thoughts and questions. Was Nicaea really about Christ’s divinity? Was there a long-lived group of “Arians”? Ousia and homoousios were non-technical terms at the time. Various readings include Arius, Eusebius, and Marcellus. The traditional narrative of Nicaea, Constantine, Athanasius, and Arius tended to be correct in some areas but needed to be nuanced in other areas. The Council of Nicaea did little in establishing a uniform proper understanding of Christ’s relationship with the Father. The Rule of Faith defined orthodoxy previously in a broad way. Here was a beginning to try to define orthodoxy with precision. By and large the Christian community was being brought back together which was a work of the Holy Spirit.

CH502 Lesson 47

Augustine is the only early Church Father who remains an intellectual powerhouse today. He was a genius and a major contributor to western dialogue. He was born in 354 AD and was well educated. His mother had a huge influence on his life and introduced him to the customs of Christianity and Scripture. He became a teacher and rhetorician. He was enamored with philosophy. Augustine’s philosophical background was Manicheism, which taught a radical dualism. It was Gnostic-esque. It taught that Redemption is allowing the divine spark within to become part of the greater Divine essence up above. It is quite different from Irenaeus who believed all creation was to be redeemed. One of the outcomes of Manicheism was a strict aestheticism. It also mocked Christianity for taking the material world seriously. Manicheism was a “hodge-podge” of many long-dead heresies. Augustine, in the end, objected to Manicheism by finding the system incoherent, having outlandish cosmic theories about how the world began, and he did not feel the spirituality promised came true for him. In 384 AD, Augustine traveled from Africa to Milan. His father had died and he wanted to be rid of his mother but eventually was reconciled. There was also maternal pressure to lose his mistress so to elevate his social status.  Explore what he states in his Confessions. Augustine was into the world but it was in Milan where Augustine met Ambrose and was introduced to Christianity. Ambrose was an intellectual powerhouse also and is the counter part to Augustine.

CH502 Lesson 48

Explore Athanasius and Arius. Athanasius branded his opponents under Arius’ name as “Arians” or “Arianism”.  The East-West divide was not just Christological. There was a personal battle due to many not liking Athanasius. There was also an ecclesio-political as the church and state were intertwined.  Consider the general timeline. In the 340’s, in the East, there was a basic distinction between Father and Son, yet they were ineffably close (Heb. 1:3). In the early 350’s, Constantius and “Homoian” (similar) theology argued that the Son is “like” the Father, but ontologically inferior and distinct. In the late 350’s, there was Extreme Subordinationism.  Heterousians (“Anomoians”) held that the Son is “unlike” the Father. This emerged out of Homoian theology. The key figures were Aetius and Eunomius. Heteroiousians believed the Son was of a different substance than the Father. If God was not created, homoousious does not make sense as a term to describe an act of generation. The Son is generated from the Father’s will. Explore Basil of Ancyra and the Homoiousians. Consider the Epistemological approach (What can we know?). The Father and Son are alike in essence, but that is unknowable. Consider Basil, Constantius, and the “homoian” creed. We benefit from those engaged in these conversations from their careful exegetical work. Consider that God allowed His church to wrestle through these ideas through the lens of Scripture and then come up with a theological proclamation that does justice to what Scripture teaches.

CH502 Lesson 46

Explore Ambrose and Augustine. Ambrose was called “the golden-throated one”. In many ways, Ambrose was the opposite of Augustine. Augustine moved on to a new philosophical interest – Neo-Platonism. This philosophy holds to the “One” or source of all, which is able to be reached through study, discipline, and mystical contemplation. Evil is the absence of good or the True One. For Augustine, Neo-Platonism had similarities with Christianity. He was reluctance to accept Christianity but finally assented. It meant self-denial. Augustine used to pray this prayer, “Lord, Give me chastity and self-control but not too soon.” He knew Christianity meant denial. Explore the conversion of Augustine as recorded in his Confessions. As a result, Augustine shook off his own self-gratification and began to have a much better understanding of the Christian faith.

CH502 Lesson 49

Explore Augustine’s response to Pelagius. On human freedom, Augustine used the example of Adam and Eve (pre-Fall). It was not an inability to sin (non posse peccare) but it was an ability not to sin (posse non peccare). For Augustine, man’s will pre-Fall was good and devoted to doing the commands of God. In the Fall of mankind, Adam and Eve are to blame, not God. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Adam substituted himself and his desire for those of God. In the sin and post-Fall, mankind is wretched “massa damnata”. The main points are that sin is a matter of the will and the result of sin is that human nature is terribly scarred. Augustine did not use the term “total depravity” – he wanted to retain the nobility of man’s creation as good. He stated, “…the spark, as it were, of reason in virtue of which he was made in God’s likeness has not been completely extinguished.” Due to sin, mankind lost the ability to do good. It is “non posse non peccare” – it is not possible not to sin. What changes this? Grace. Grace for Augustine was an absolute necessity. He stated, “… without God’s help we cannot by free will overcome the temptations of this life.” There are different kinds of grace. Prevenient grace can be seen in Psalm 59:10, “My God of mercy shall come to meet me; God shall let me see my desire on my enemies.” There is also Cooperating Grace, Sufficient Grace and Efficient Grace. Grace is a free gift of God no matter what kind it is. How do we reconcile free will and the concept of predestination? For free will, it is God who stirs mankind’s heart for the destination of the good. For predestination, grace is the ultimate expression of God’s will. In free will, mankind is always free to choose. God’s omnipotent will is irresistible. Consider the relationship of free will and freedom – freedom is free will put to good use. For predestination, God determines who will or won’t receive grace. How does God decide who He will justify? We cannot know the answer to that question. God has mercy on those he wishes to save and hardens those he does not choose to show mercy. His choice to save some shows His compassion. Augustine stated, “Therefore, if He has mercy on whom He pleases and hardens whom He pleases, it is in keeping with His secret and inscrutable justice.” God is merciful but is also just. Christ suffered the justice of God for our sin.

CH502 Lesson 51

Why does Augustine stand as a pivotal figure? The theological background of Western Christianity pre-Augustine had a more legalistic character. Post-Augustine we see more of a “Pauline” character – we see “righteousness by faith”. Latin thinking did not tolerate philosophy. Tertullian’s famous phrase was “What does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?” Origen was an advocate of philosophy but was a Greek writer. Up to this point there was negativity towards seeing the role of philosophy for being a guide for Christian theology. Explore controversies during this time such as the Pelagian Controversy. Pelagian was an austere British monk who moved to Rome and then to Carthage. Augustine and Pelagius held differing views on sin. For Augustine, humanity was a “lump of sin”. For Pelagius, it was the opposite – he was a moralist and believed that man was capable of not sinning. He believed that mankind has total free will as did Adam and Eve in the garden. In Deuteronomy 30:19 we read, “Today I invoke heaven and earth as a witness against you that I have set life and death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live!” In any action, power comes exclusively from God. Secondly, the will is what belongs to mankind as does the action or choice the will makes. Mankind may have free will but God is still sovereign. Grace only applies to capacity or God’s action in our life. Mankind is not automatically sinful at birth and when born our souls are in no way connected to Adam but have a new clean soul. Mankind is not pressured or drawn to do good (posse non peccare). It is not what Christ has done for us. Christ’s moral example is for us to live a perfect life. Pelagius stated, “A Christian is he who is one not in word but in deed, who imitates and follows Christ in everything, who is holy, innocent, unsoiled, blameless, in whose heart there is no malice, but only piety and goodness.” Salvation is not by grace alone by faith alone. It requires strenuous perfection. Explore a diagram on Pelagianism through a soteriological chart. Soteriology is the whole concept of salvation.

CH502 Lesson 50

What was to happen after the Council of Nicaea was just as critically important as the events which lead up to it.  Post Nicaea, Arius was of little significance and so also homoousios. The Creed was not seen as an authoritative statement of faith by most mid to late 4th Century writers. What were some of the Post Nicaea controversies? There were strong Unitarian tendencies. A key person was Marcellus of Ancyra who wanted to preserve the unity of God. A big part of the focus was on Genesis 1:26, “Let us make man in our image…” He spoke of a Monad expanding into a Triad. We read in John 16:13, “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears, and will tell you what is to come.” Is Marcellus a Manachian (Modalist)? Yes, except he believed that the Son was eternally with the Father and that the Son was generated and not a person – only the incarnate Christ is a person. Explore his eschatology. 1 Corinthians 15:28 was a key verse for him - the end of the redemptive process when Christ’s kingdom ends. “And when all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subjected to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.” The Word or Son then returns to his pre-“going forth”.  A collision began between theology and reason or philosophy.  Marcellus and his followers were eventually condemned and exiled. In Tertullian’s Treatise Against Praxeas he stated, “Thus Praxeas at Rome managed two pieces of the devil’s business: he drove out prophecy and introduced heresy: he put to flight the Paraclete and crucified the Father.”

CH502 Lesson 44

Scholasticus stated in his Ecclesiastical History, “[Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria] . . . attempted one day in the presence of the presbytery and the rest of the clergy to explain, with perhaps too philosophical minuteness, that great theological mystery, the unity of the Holy Trinity. A certain one of the presbyters under his jurisdiction, whose name was Arius, possessed of no inconsiderable logical acumen, imagining that the bishop was subtly teaching the same view of this subject as Sabellius the Libyan, from love of controversy took the opposite view to that of the Libyan and as he thought vigorously responded to what was said by the bishop. ‘If,’ said he, ‘the Father begot the Son, he that was begotten had a beginning of existence: and from this it is evident, that there was a time when the Son was not. It therefore necessarily follows, that he had his substance from nothing.’” How did we get to Nicaea? It began with the question, who is Jesus? Review the terms, ousia, homoousia, and hypostasis and understand how the terminology grows in meaning. Constantine called the Council of Nicaea in order to deal with a number of controversial issues including Arius.  Arius was condemned, exiled, and eventually reinstated but the night before it formally happened he died. The Council of Nicaea demonstrated various theological trajectories that existed at the time. The overarching issue was the Son’s relationship with the Father. Some emphasized the closeness or unity and others the distinctions between the Father and Son. In the end, the Council of Nicaea produced no resolution.

CH502 Lesson 43

Athanasius followed Alexander as bishop of Alexandria (328 AD). He was a staunch defender for homoousios among eastern bishops. His life had major swings as he was at one point accused of black magic and murder, and accused of interfering with the sailing of corn ships from Alexandria to Rome. He was exiled by Constantine and eventually returned to the western empire after Constantine’s death. Constantine’s son Constantius was in the East and was an Arian sympathizer. His other two sons reigned over the Western Empire. Constans in the West was a pro-Nicaea leader. From 340 AD, the two halves of the empire and the Church were divided along Arian doctrines. In the East there were pro-Arian supporters and the West was not Arian. Eventually Constans convinced Constantius to reinstate Athanasius as bishop of Alexandria. Constantius later became the sole ruler of the empire and Athanasius was deposed again at the Council of Milan in 355 AD. He died in 373 AD. What defined his theology? In the Greek Church he is known as the “Father of Orthodoxy”. He advocated for faith over reason and had very little speculative theology. Consider his view on the Father and Son relationship as stated in The Letter to Serapion. For him, Christ is on the Creator side of the Creator/creature distinction. The Logos was not created, but “begotten” eternally. Athanasius believed the Son is of the Father’s substance (homoousious, not homoios). Redemption through the Logos was the root of Athanasius’ theology. The Logos was made man that we might be made God. True redemption does not work unless Christ is fully divine. His Pneumatology included that the Holy Spirit is also Divine and Consubstantial (homoousios). He stated, “For the Son does not merely partake of the Spirit, that therefore he too may be in the Father; nor does he receive the Spirit, but rather he supplies it himself to all; and the Spirit does not unite the Word to the Father, but rather the Spirit receives from the Word . . .” The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father.

CH502 Lesson 45

Explore the Nicene Creed (325 AD). Consider the use of the word “begotten”. The 4th Century was marked by controversies, dialogues, and disputes. There was also a sharpening of exegetical strategies and a clearer understanding of the nature of the Trinity and nature of Jesus Christ.  What is our own understanding of Jesus and how does it relate to the 4th Century conversation? Who were the important people and for what reasons? Where was the impact of the Council of Nicaea felt? When did the instances occur -  when did the sequences occur? Why does it matter to our faith and witness? How would we summarize the events of the 4th Century and their impact? Consider a reassessment of the traditional narrative of Nicaea. What was Nicaea really about? The traditional view is too simplistic. The focus of the debate was on the generation of the Son or Logos from the Father and the grammar used to talk about the Divine. The nature of Jesus is soteriologically relevant. Are the Father and Son distinct and if so, are they two separate beings? Come to understand that the 4th Century is extremely complex. We need to keep history and theology together. There are three overlapping lenses through which we can view Nicaea. First, it can be seen through the legacy of Origen.  Origen had influence on both sides of the debate but no one fully accepted his view. Origen believed that the Son was the product of the Father’s will. A second lens to view Nicaea is through theology and reading of Scripture. The two main strategies were the grammatical-literal and the allegorical-figurative. The third lens is through the Arius-Alexander debate. Ousia is the essence or being – a category. Hypostasis is a circumscribed individual reality or broadly as a nontechnical term meaning existence or nature. In review, the controversy in Alexandria between Arius and Alexander was in 318 AD.  Alexander believed that the Son was between created and uncreated yet the Son was always with the Father and eternally generated. Arius held that the Son existed by the Father’s will “before all ages” but was not an eternal existence. He also held that the Son does not share in the Father’s eternal existence or being. For Arius, Christ is the Son only by adoption and holds a mediatory place between man and God. He held that the Holy Spirit was the first of the creatures from the Logos. His was an overly rational theological approach. Constantine urged reconciliation and wrote a letter to Arius and Alexander. Constantine felt it was “futile irrelevance” which showed his inability to recognize that it was a significant theological issue.

CH502 Lesson 42

Explore Constantine’s practical legacy to the Christian faith. He commissioned new copies of the Bible and built new churches. He authorized tax revenues to be partially given to church charities. There was also a Christian influence on laws and there was no work on Sundays. Constantine was not baptized until on his deathbed in 337 AD. Despite his affinity for Christianity, Constantine never made Christianity the official or established religion of the Empire. His influence drastically shaped church-state relations. Students discuss the context of the Council on Nicaea and actions of Constantine at this time. Constantine was a politician and a Christian with a very rudimentary understanding of the Christian faith.

CH502 Lesson 41

Unity was desired by Constantine to keep the Empire together. The Donatists arose in part from the Diocletian persecution. They believed that Christians who handed over the Christian banned texts in 303 AD should not be able to participate in the sacraments. A conflict arose in the Eastern part of the Empire between Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria, and Arius. Alexander disagreed with Arius’ views on Jesus’ divinity. Arius taught that the Son was not unbegotten nor in any way part of the unbegotten God. He believed that the Son did not exist before being created. Arius stated, “There was when he was not.” Arius held that the Son had an origin and God is unoriginated. He believed Jesus is a “perfect creature”. Part of this came from Proverbs 8:22, “The Lord possessed/created me at the beginning of his work; the first of his acts of old.” Alexander taught that the Son eternally coexisted with the Father. Those who supported Arius included Eusebius of Caesarea and Eusebius of Nicomedia. The Eastern church was quickly becoming divided. Constantine called for a council in 325 AD which initially met in Antioch, affirmed the views of Alexander, and excommunicated Eusebius of Caesarea pending formal proceedings to be held at Ancyra. Constantine moved the location to Nicaea. This is where the Nicene Creed was formed.

CH502 Lesson 40

Explore the background of the 4th Century in which there was chaos. The Great Persecution happened under Diocletian (284-305 AD) around 297-301 AD. Explore the Tetrarchy with the Eastern Empire ruled by Diocletian and Galerius, and the Western Empire ruled by Maximian Augustus and Constantius. Galerius provoked Diocletian into persecuting the Christians. Diocletian retired in 304 AD and insisted that Maximian retire as well. Galerius took over for Diocletian and Constantius took over for Maximian. Galerius continued the persecution. Constantius did not think Christians should be persecuted so did not pursue Christians. Eventually Galerius concedes defeat since the public was not unifying but actually dividing. Galerius issued the Edict of Toleration. Consider Eusebius’ response. Christianity became a religio licita (a legal religion) once again. Constantine was in Britain when his father died and he claimed to be the rightful successor to the throne. Maxentius also claimed the throne. There was a political and physical battle going on but also a spiritual battle. Constantine had a conversion experience in which the Labarum symbol (Chi-Rho) appeared and so it was used on the shields of his men during the battle at Milvian Bridge where he defeated Maxentius. Constantine was theologically confused from the start. Consider Henry Chadwick’s description of Constantine. Constantine never left this syncretic faith. The Arch of Constantine marks the spot of the Battle of Milvian Bridge. Constantine took control of the Western Empire, formed an alliance with Licinius, and agreed to no more persecution of Christians through the Edict of Milan. Was all well and everyone living in peace? Not exactly. Distant rulers such as Maximinus Daia who ruled the furthest eastern part of the Empire carried on the persecution but was eventually overthrown by Licinius. Constantine and Licinius had a complex friendship or relationship. There was distrust between them and in 324 AD Constantine overthrew Licinius. Constantine became the sole ruler of the entire Empire and desired unity.

CH502 Lesson 39

Origen’s theological views are greatly influenced by his exegesis and textual criticism.  His book, On First Principles, lays out the views of his theology and hermeneutics. He believed that Scripture and Tradition are the sources of Christian doctrine. The truths were given by apostles but not explained, thus the goal of theology is to discern greater truths. Two elements to Origen’s theology are Tradition and progress and positive and speculative theology. The source of all theology is God the Father. Origen was familiar with the concept of the Trinity. The concept of the Trinity refutes Modalism and Monarchianism. Consider the relationship of the Father and Son. The Son proceeds from the Father by a spiritual act.  There was never a time when the Son was not. Origen is the one who coined the term “homoousious”. He felt that “ousia” was not suitable to describe the Divine substance and chose instead to use the term Hypostasis to mean “individual real circumscribed existence”. The Son mirrors the Father and is a product of His will. Explore Origen’s views on Christology and Pneumatology. He viewed the Son and Spirit as intermediaries between the Father and creatures. There is a Creator-creature distinction within theology. Origen had a very hierarchical view of the Trinity. For Origen, Jesus is a “secondary” God and his soul is eternal. Origen spoke of Christ as being “created” although not in the same way as the world. Why use the term “created” at all then? It is a concession to Proverbs 8:22, “The Lord created me as the beginning of his works, before his deeds of long ago.” Colossians 1:15 states, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation . . .“ Origen’s Trinity was not just three distinct beings – monotheism must be preserved. They are distinct things through pragmata. There is a Fountainhead of Deity. In his eschatology or apokatastasis, Origen believed in the universal restoration of all things. All sinful souls must be purified and good souls will enter paradise. There is no fire or hell. All things including Satan will be saved and purified by Logos. This is where his idea of the pre-existence of souls comes from. His view was closely connected to his eschatology. He believed Christ’s soul was preserved from the Fall and remained in the spiritual realm until the Incarnation.  Epiphanius stated, “It is disgraceful that Origen teaches the Son is less than the Father.” Origen was a major Greek writer in the 3rd century. In summary, many see early inter-pretations as reckless, but we must see how their approach differs from ours. Patristic writers saw scripture itself as the subject, not its underlying history. Irenaeus’ Rule of Faith is the central hypothesis of Scripture with the central point being Jesus. Scriptural authority comes from divine inspiration, the Holy Spirit, and apostolic heritage. The apostolic heritage facilitates, not provides, that authority.

CH502 Lesson 38

Origen was the successor of Clement of Alexandria and was trained theologically by his father. He was funded by a generous woman. Origen is probably the most divisive figure in Christian history. Explore Origen and the allegorical method. Allegory is “other speak” and therefore the controversy. Allegories are interpretations that claim the plain sense of text do not provide the true or at least the full meaning. In allegory, the words, events, and characters stand for something else. Critics believe allegory betray the true meaning of the text and is based more on imagination rather than evidence. Consider what Paul tells us in Galatians 4:21. A contemporary example of allegory is the song “American Pie.” Origen stated, “Now what man of intelligence will believe that the first, second, and third day, and the evening and the morning existed without the sun, moon, and stars?” The first aspect of allegory is making sense of nonsense. The second aspect is adding to the sense. An example of this is The Chronicles of Narnia. The third aspect of allegory is saving the sense of Scripture. Origen also suggested the Old and New Testaments related to one another allegorically. Origen’s threefold exegetical approach corresponded to the body, spirit and soul. There is the literal aspect (body), moral sense (spirit) and spiritual (soul) but the literal and spiritual are mostly emphasized. Origen believed that Scripture is not meant to be read literally all the time. There were critics of Origen’s exegetical approach. Epiphanius felt that all heresies had one common point with Origen. He stated, “All draw from the pure water of Scripture, all ignore its original sense and twists its meaning and they make scriptures mean what they do not mean at all.” He believed Origen’s Greek education and philosophy were to blame and stated, “Thus you, Origen, your mind blinded by your Greek education, have vomited poison for your followers and have become noxious food for them, by which you yourself have been harmed while harming more people.“

CH502 Lesson 37

History of Christianity I

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