The Christological Controversy (Sources of Early Christian Thought) | William G. Rusch

The Christological Controversy (Sources of Early Christian Thought) | William G. Rusch | Review of The Christological Controversy

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The Christological...

	The Christological Controversy (Sources of Early Christian Thought) William G. Rusch Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 1980 - 162 pages average customer review:based on 4 reviews view larger image
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In Defense of Orthodoxy: Patristic Fathers on Christology

"In Alexandria, there is reason to believe now from the discovery of Didymus the Blind's 'Commentary on the Psalms' written circa 390, that the question of Christ's nature was already being discussed a generation before Nestorius appeared on the scene." L.Gesche, in 'Early Church', WHC Frend

Christological Controversy:
The patristic texts in this fine book, are meticulously chosen, well translated literature, a collection of documents relevant to early christological doctrine of the patristic church. Professor Richard Norris elaborated an informative introduction narrating the development of Christian thought about the person of Christ in the era of the church fathers. Starting with early christology, he explained its initial problems, and introduced the patristic authors, and their thought on Christology and the related subjects. He gave due attention, and space to the impact of Origen's view of the Logos and how his neo Platonic language was interpreted by his disciples, both orthodox and heterodox.
The earliest text translated comes from Justin Martyr. When the ideas and problems which were to dominate christological thought were first crystallized, Melito of Sardis, whose writing introduced here, were discovered lately. An excellent translation of the work of Irenaeus, the most important of the second century fathers, is an effective refutation of Gnosticism, whose sects and doctrines dominated the pagan intellect. The first confrontation between Athanasius and the Alexandrine Orthodoxy with Antiochene teaching in Lybian Presbyter Arius, who resided in Alexandria.
The latest text is the known 'Definition of Faith' of the Schismatic Council of Chalcedon ( 451). Chalcedon has been enforced by Marcian and Pulcheria, it was 'generally' accepted as defining the guidelines of christology in the west but caused the separation of Alexandria, and later Antioch, the two major churches in the empire.

Christological meddling:
"Rome commissioned John Cassian to write a refutation of this new version ...and in August 430 sent a formal letter, to be forwarded on to Nestorius, demanding recantation...-Cyril accompanied it with a strong dogmatic letter (his third letter) tersely demanding Nestorius' assent to 'Twelve Anathemas'.... These formidable documents were handed to Nestorius eleven days after Theodosius had issued a summons for a council.." (Henry Chadwick, The Early Church, pp 194-200)
The prominent ecclesiastical historian, John Meyendorff (Past President of NA Patristic society) meticulously states about Leo that : "He reacted by expressing his opinion without taking the time to inform himself, with real thoroughness of the circumstances, the vocabulary and the problematic involved in the debates. He held undoubtedly, a conviction that Peter spoke through him, as gifted as Janus with both hindsight and foresight."

Theological Definitions:
+ Christology: this branch of theology, answers the questions about the person of Christ, in relation to the Father, to Jesus of Nazareth and to humans.
+ Soteriology: (soter: salvation) the reflection upon salvific activity of Jesus Christ, it answers the questions," Whom & from what has J.Christ saved the creation & humanity?' Soteriology was a sacramental mystery linked with the Euchrist in Alexandrian Cyrillic Christology.

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Review of The Christological Controversy

Excellent inital review of an important theological & historical subject. Concise and covers most of the important early church writings of pertinence to said subject. Readable and contains some good referneces for further study.

Person of Christ Doctrine; A Patristic approach

Christological Controversy:
Christology is the theology of the person of the Christ. What is known today as the Christological Controversy consumed the Church energy and spirit since Ephesus(431), and would not fade away for centuries. Few years after the Trinitarian Controversy was to a close, it was the person of Christ that would cause theological debates and ecclesiastical turmoil. Was Christ God in hypostatic union with the man Jesus, or was God dwelling in him? Did he have one person, of united nature or two in a composite man-God, with human and divine attributes? How would these natures been related?

Debating Theologies:
Such questions constituted the core of the debate, in which the main two philosophical schools of Alexandria and Antioch established their contradictory theologies, within the eastern Church, giving rise to Schismatic views. Apollinarius, who put forth these extremes views that the human nature of Jesus was overrun by the divine, misrepresented the Johannine Sarx-Logos expression of one divine unity in the Christ. Nestorius, who represented the Antiochene two natures; divine plus human, in Christ, pushing forth their existence in two unique persons, joined together in harmony. Thus he could say, for example, in regards to Christ's birth from the Virgin Mary, separating the divine from human, that she was mother only to the human. So Nestorius' 2nd Epistle to Cyril states that, "Holy scripture, wherever it recalls the Lord's economy, speaks of the birth and suffering not of the godhead but of the humanity of Christ, so that the holy virgin is more accurately termed mother of Jesus rather than mother of God.

Church Remedial action:
Ecumenical Church position was clarified through the labor of two Councils in AD 431, and 451. They proclaimed Christ as the Word of God Incarnate, thus the proper title of Mary is the bearer of God (Theotokos) and that Christ is fully God and true human, that the two natures in Christ, were united though distinct. In the last decades, with renewed study, has led many scholars of all denominations to suggest that the Oriental 'miaphysite' churches, though appear monophysite may be more the result of confused linguistic and philosophic terminology rather than true belief in a single diffused nature in Christ, deleting any actual contradiction in belief.

Patristic Studies& Unity:
Such a long journey of fifteen centuries into unity is hardly believable to many, is in fact, a fruit of studies represented by similar scholars who promoted translation, examination and study of primary documents. Yet it must be made clear, in accord with the same Fathers and the Councils, that the Bible was and is still the ultimate true teachings of the One Church of Christ. Very soon, when by God's grace the true Faith is properly embraced by all, it is instructing to look back and see how the schism so long ago began and persisted before finally coming to an end, through earnest study.

Book, Series& Editors:
This book is an early fruit of the American patristic Society, the eminent theologian, and editor/translator of Christological controversies followed a systematic cause root historical and theological presentation reflected in the fine selection and miticulous translation to a good conclusion. The charm of Patristics is its discerning of the thought, social and political milieu which promotes or resists church doctrine.

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Well Written and Concise

The matter is of course theological and historical - does a good job of dealing with main elements of early Christological controversies. Book is from an orthodox Catholic perspective. Can seem a bit dry if early Church history is not your cup of tea!

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