HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT – WEEK SEVENEARLY/ORTHODOX CHURCH HISTORYWEEK SIX: A SURVEY OF THE EARLY CHURCH HERESIES (PART 2)Review and research the following documents and then answer the following questions. Please keep in mind spelling and grammar do count towards grading. If you have any questions, please forward them to ApostleLeeAnn-talmud@endtimearmy.orgDocuments to read: Letters on the Apollinarian Controversy (http://mb-soft.com/believe/txuc/nazian48.htm), On The Incarnation Of The Word, Chapter 4 (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/athanasius/incarnation.v.html), Marcion’s Text: To The Galatians (http://www.gnosis.org/library/marcion/Galatian.htm), St. Ephraim: Prose Refutations, I (http://www.gnosis.org/library/marcion/Prose1.htm), The Gospel of Peter (http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/gospelpeter-brown.html), Eusebius H. E. 5.16-17, from an “anonymous Anti-Montanist” (http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/antimontanist.html), Nestorianism (http://mb-soft.com/believe/txc/nestoria.htm), Pelagius (http://www.tlogical.net/biopelagius.htm). HeresiesMost heresies so-classified by the early church (especially after Nicaea in 325) related to the nature of ChristEven though Trinitarianism was accepted by the majority of the church by 381, defining this understanding and comprehending exactly what it meant continued to expand and delve into different areas of doctrineApollinarianism (form of Monophysitism, meaning, “one nature”: Christ had only one nature, with His humanity absorbed by His divinity)Teaching set forth by Apollinaris of Laodicea (d. 390)Jesus could not have had a human mind Believed Jesus had a human body and human emotions (called “lower soul”) but a divine mind, a divine thinking principleConsidered an opposition to ArianismCondemned by a synod in 362; declared a formal heresy at the Council of Constantinople in 381; accused of creating a “third thing,” neither God nor man Taught (as did Tertullian) that the souls of men were birthed by other souls, as well as their bodiesArianismConsidered the greatest controversy in the church, second only to the Protestant ReformationFirst major doctrinal confrontation within the church after the legalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire by Constantine I and LiciniusAffected and involved everyone from church hierarchy to new believersTeaching attributed to Arius (c. 250-336), a local pastor from Alexandria, EgyptTaught the Son of God to be a distinct and subordinate entity to God the FatherJesus was a created being, not existing eternally with the FatherPre-incarnate Jesus was a divine being created by God the Father (and therefore inferior to Him) at some point in time, with God the Father existing without the SonDenounced as an heretic at the First Council of Nicaea in 325; exonerated in 335 at the First Synod of Tyre; pronounced a heretic again at the First Council of Constantinople in 381Arianism dominated as a theological position within the family of the Emperor, the Imperial nobility, and high-ranking clergy in the Roman Empire for many centuries; it was not until the eighth century that Arianism fell out of doctrinal vogue It is difficult to discover the totality of Arian beliefs as most writings we have are written by opponentsWritten by Arius himself: “Some of them say that the Son is an eructation, others that he is a production, others that he is also unbegotten. These are impieties to which we cannot listen, even though the heretics threaten us with a thousand deaths. But we say and believe and have taught, and do teach, that the Son is not unbegotten, nor in any way part of the unbegotten; and that he does not derive his subsistence from any matter; but that by his own will and counsel he has subsisted before time and before ages as perfect God, only begotten and unchangeable, and that before he was begotten, or created, or purposed, or established, he was not. For he was not unbegotten. We are persecuted, because we say that the Son has a beginning, but that God is without beginning.”—Peters, Heresy and Authority in Medieval Europe, p. 41MarcionismTeaching set forth by Marcion of Sinope around 144 (arrived in Rome right after the Bar Kokhbah Revolt); writings arose in the wake of his excommunication over threatening to start schismsUsed his own personal funds to start a church systemContinued in the west for 300 years, and for the eastern church significantly longerA dualist system (teaching on two natures) Taught Jesus was the savior sent by a spiritual entity (Monad), denying humanity within, and Paul of Tarsus was His chief Apostle, believed to have correctly relayed Jesus’ universal messageRejected the Hebrew Bible, parts of the New Testament, and the God of Israel, believing the Hebrew deity was a separate, lower entity (demiurge) than the true, all-forgiving deity (a Gnostic-Christian theology)Scriptural canon contained eleven books:A ten-chapter Gospel of Luke edited by Marcion himselfTen of the Pauline epistlesChristianity was distinct from and in complete opposition to Judaism, and based this on the premise that the interactions and teachings of Christ were in opposition to those of the Old TestamentLabeled as a Gnostic by Eusebius and written extensively on by TertullianAll of his writings are lost, although they seem to have been widely circulatedAlogi or AlogoiFlourished around 170 Only records we have from them are found in their opponentsName is suggested to be a word-play: that they were both illogical and anti-LogosDenied continuation of spiritual gifts (in contrast to other groups deemed ‘heretical’)Deny the Logos doctrine found in John 1Deny the Gospel of John and the authorship of the Gospel by John, arguing its differences with the other three Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke)Some question as to whether or not they existed, as one of their prime opponents, Epiphanius, had a history of exaggerating or creating heresiesDocetism (from the Greek, meaning “to seem)Developed around 70, and often seen in Gnostic sects or variantsHistory is obscure; appears to have been a variant in early ChristianityMight have come out of an off-color Jewish sect or from Greek or Eastern philosophyEmerged to help pagans understand Christian doctrinal ideasTeaches that Jesus’ physical body and crucifixion were both illusions He only seemed to have a physical bodyWas really a body-less, pure spirit incapable of physical death Undermines the teaching on the resurrection of the deadThe material body is considered to be the evil creation of a demiurge, to prevent humanity from discovering its divine originCriticized by Ignatius of Antioch in 110 Dontanism Taught by Donatus People who betray or give up on the faith of Christ are forbidden to returnMontanism (Originally called “New Prophecy,” also called Cataphrygian)Taught by Montanus, 2nd century (135-177)Originated in Phrygia, in Asia MinorNothing about the doctrine of Montanists was hereticalEmphasis on prophecy Spontaneity of the Holy SpiritMaintaining personal ethicsRaised up two female prophets: Prisca and Maximilla who also walked in prophecyPopularity exceeded MontanusSpoke visions, encouraged fasting and prayerClaimed a prophetic line all the way back to the daughters of Philip the EvangelistNever a full-spectrum excommunication for New Prophecy adherents, but various bishops called for excommunication and claimed they were possessed by evil spirits (some believe Tertullian was an advocate/adherent of parts of New Prophecy)Inspiration from the Gospel of John and RevelationDon’t know much about them, what we do know comes from opponentsReferred to themselves as “spiritual people”Recognized female leadersBelieved their teachings fulfilled the doctrines of the apostlesRigorous in conducts and beliefs about marriage, prayer, and fastingProphets supposedly dyed their hair, stained their eyelids, lend money with interest, and play games Believed in the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; differing accounts exist as to their specific theological positionMonarchismThe Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all one being, and are essences or extensions of that one beingNestorianism (Nestorian Church, Church of the East; between the 9th and 14th centuries, the largest Christian church in geographical expanse)Teaching by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople (428-431)Disunion between the human and divine natures of JesusRejected the title “Theotokos” (Mother of God) for the Virgin Mary (was not considered controversial until publically challenging this title) Argued the title denied Christ’s full humanityBelieved Christ had two loosely joined natures: the divine Logos and the human JesusProposed the term “Christotokos” (Christ-bearer)Uses the Peshitta (Syriac Bible translation from the Aramaic), revised with missing books added Deemed heretical by the First Council of Ephesus (431)Opponents included Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria Nestorian label was originally theological, but the term grew to be used with all associated churches, regardless of theologyPelagianismTeaching by Pelagius (354-420/440), although he denied the teachings associated with him at some point in his lifeUnsure of details on his life; some suspect he might have been British, Scottish, or IrishWell-known in the Roman Empire, known and lauded for his conduct, power, and convincing nature of speech; lauded by Augustine for theseOriginal sin did not taint human natureMortal will is still capable of choosing to do good or evil without special divine interventionAdam’s sin served to set a bad example for those after him, but his actions did not impute with them original sin to all other peopleJesus, inversely, set a good example for all of humanity (counteracting Adam’s bad example) and provided atonement for sinHumanity has full control and full responsibility to obey the Gospel in addition to full responsibility for all sinsHumans are sinners by choice (criminals) in need of the atonement of Christ; sinners are not victims, but criminals, in need of God’s divine pardon; human will (created with divine capabilities) was enough to live a sinless lifeOpposed by St. Augustine; Pelagius retorted by insisting the doctrine of original sin was a part of Manichaeism (which Augustine once was); teaching that the flesh was evil, and therefore, Jesus could not have been incarnate in fleshCondemned at the Council of Carthage in 418; ratified at the Council of Ephesus in 431Differing viewpoints on Pelaganism exist throughout the ages, including by Early Church Fathers, some of whose writings seem to support, and others seem to contradictHOMEWORK STUDYResearchResearch THREE of the heretical sects found in the reading assignment above. Report the following:Founder (if any) and any information on the founder’s lifeHow we have information about the sect todayWhat is notable about the sect?Why were they relevant?Some of their basic beliefsShort Answer VocabularyDefine the following words and terms in 1-3 sentences.Monophysitism Dualist AlogiDocetism TheotokosChristotokosPeshitta Essay Questions (minimum one half side of a sheet of paper, typed – 3-6 sentences)Taking one of the assigned reading works, summarize its contents in essay form, what you learned from it, and what, now that you have studied it, how it has helped you to understand more about that specific early church heresy.Recognizing Montanism was not doctrinally unsound, and given the information we have about the Montanists, why do you believe they were labeled as “heretical?” Draw on the past several lessons of Early Church Fathers, their writings, their attitudes about many things, and the general withdrawal of the church hierarchy from Biblical things. What do you think their experience was like as believers? Do you believe it was fair to label them as heretical? Why or why not?In what you have seen and learned about the various heresies (excluding Montanism), why do you believe the Early Church Fathers were so concerned about them in general? Do you believe it was a matter of doctrine, control, or both? What do you think would have happened had these heresies gained further momentum? How do you think the Roman Catholic Church would have been different? Do you think we would be different today? Why or why not?