“But when some Christian thinkers began to investigate these seemingly simple, straightforward elements of their faith, orthodox Christianity was torn apart for generations, for century, even to the present day.” This quote by Lynch does an excellent job at summarizing the events that are rising up in the early… Continue reading Jesus God/Man
Lynch frames the ‘god-man’ issue and prefaces that this wasn’t the only controversial issue that has come about. There have been controversies surrounding theology as early as the third century. For example, the issue of Mary being the Theotokos, or “God-bearer” was a reoccurring issue as Marian devotion was beginning to become popular. Many argued,… Continue reading Theotokos or Christotokos?
Lynch in his introduction moves us from the fourth century Trinitarian controversies, into the fifth and sixth century when the unrest centered over the “Humaness” of Jesus and/or God. Lynch points out that philosophers and educated people of Rome found it difficult to digest the idea that God could be human. Humans suffer and endure… Continue reading “ek” and “en”: Defining Christ in Words
To examine this very controversy, the first question to be understood is “how does it make sense?” By which means, how can God be One, but identified with three. The controversy of Trinity is not that simple. Rather than using the word “identified”, it is better to understand that Holy Spirit, Holy Father and Holy… Continue reading Trinitarian Controversy: the Divine and the humanity
Arius, a presbyter during the early fourth century held the belief the controversial belief that Jesus was a divine creation of God going against the orthodox belief of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity comprising of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit all encompassing the same God was the ultimate… Continue reading The Trinitarian Controversy
Theological issues are a part of history of Christianity. Since Jesus, theological matters divide christian community. And these theological issues result in divisions since the early christianity. Remember Paul who wanted to accept gentile into jewish christian community, this problem led to the separation. From a persecuted group at the beginning of the fourth century… Continue reading Arius and the Nicene Creed
During this time in the history of Christianity, one of the biggest topics under debate in the church was the topic of the Trinity and the relationship between God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The church argued that the Trinity was three equal entities, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,… Continue reading Arius and the Nicene Creed
The church tried to assert that the Holy Trinity consisted of three separate but equal parts of God. Arius however disagreed with this theory claiming that God was the almighty Father and therefore would be superior to the other two points of the trinity. Since God was almighty and superior he has no equal in… Continue reading Arius and Alexander
Despite the Church’s doctrine holding that the Trinity was three equal entities making one fully divine being, Arius took an alternative view of the subject. Arius asserted that God was the almighty, and therefore his son Jesus was “subordinate to or less than the Father” (Lynch 164). After much theological study and reflection, Arius concluded… Continue reading Alexander and Arius: The Trinity Controversy