The Development of the Orthodox Christology

The development of Orthodox Christology, which is the theological understanding of the nature of Jesus in Orthodox Christianity, can be traced back to the early centuries of the Church. Here is a brief overview of its development:

Arius and the Council of Nicea (325 A.D):

Arius was an important controversial figure; he was a presbyter of Alexandria. He taught that God is Eternal, who is one.

His teachings: Jesus Christ was not eternal, he had a beginning, and there was a time he was not. The Son was a created being with the Father, and through whom God created the other things. (Similar with Gnostic teachings). He said, Christ is the highest ranking of all created beings. He was inferior to God or secondary God, he was neither fully God, nor fully man. The Son was not of the same substance as the Father (homoousios: homo-same, ousios-substance).

Arius was opposed by Alexander the bishop of Alexandria and his secretary Athanasius who was the deacon. Athanasius, he stressed the “oneness of God” while maintaining three distinct persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) within the Godhead. He said that Jesus Christ was eternal. Jesus was not created being but same substance with the father. Athanasius stands in the history of the church as one of the brilliant defenders of the orthodox. Because of Arius controversy the emperor Constantine called the council of Nicea in A.D 325 to deal with the problem. So Athanasius was the chief spokesman of the council.

Council of Nicea: Three hundred bishops attended this council. The council condemned Arius and rejected his teachings and with the approval of the emperor adopted the following creed known as the Nicene Creed. God the Father: we believe in one God, the father almighty, maker of all things visible. And the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten of the Father, that is of the same substance of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made of one substance with the father. Through whom all things came to be- who came down for our salvation and was made man, suffer, rose the third day, ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit.

In the Nicene Creed the following formulas were stressed: Homoousios- same substance of the father, not like the father or like the substance of the father, but same substance. God from God, true God from true God- these terms emphasized the duty of Christ. Begotten, not made and came down: these term stress his eternality. Following the council of Nicaea the controversy continues on the term Homoousios, and Arius was banished to the island of Illyria still controversy continue. The western Church supports Athanasius, whereas the Eastern Church want a modified statement. Therefore, in 381 A.D emperor Theodosius called a council at Constantinople 381 A.D and reaffirmed. After the council of Nicaea, Arius sided with pagan and Jews (the enemies of Christians) and attack orthodox leader. The province of Illyria becomes strong Arianism. The conservatives dissatisfied with the decision of the council and the influence emperor to change his mind. Athanasius also banishes five times from Alexandria due to opposition or Arius. But Athanasius stood firm in his viewpoint.

Constantine reign ended with Arianism. Jerome said, the whole world groaned in astonishment and finding itself Arian. But Athanasius lived long enough to see the new reaffirm creed and the Cappadocian fathers. The Cappodocian fathers, Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nizianzus finally formulated the doctrine of trinity by using the term homoousios and hypostaseis. The Cappadocian fathers established ousios, Greek equivalent to the Latin substantia by giving precise meaning to this term while talking about the trinity. Basil paves the way for the council of Constantinople 381 A.D. Basil was the first to fix the accepted formula for trinity by using the term ousia (one substance) and hypostaseis (three persons).

Apollinarianism: 

Apollinarius was the bishop of Laodicea. He over emphasized the deity of Christ. Apollinarius taught that Jesus had a human body and a human soul, but not the human spirit. (So he denies the humanity of Jesus Christ, because he removes the human spirit from Jesus Christ. It was so because he considered human spirit is evil, and making Jesus a sinless one he replace with Logos to the place of the human spirit). He over emphasized the divinity of Jesus. Divine Logos took the place of Spirit in Jesus, because he believed that the spirit of man was the seed of sin. Therefore, he wanted to remove from Christ any possibility of sin. Thus he denies the full humanity of Christ and fall into heresy.

Council of Constantinople (381 A.D): Theodosius became the Eastern Roman Emperor in 379 A.D. He was a keen supporter of Nicaea. It was he who conclusively established Christianity as the official religious /state religious of Roman Empire. Theodosius destroyed pagan temples. He banned sacrifices to pagan Gods and he stops pagan festival. He made famous decree in 380 that require all people to adhere to the religion that is followed by Pope Damasus and Peter the bishop of Alexandra.

Theodosius called the council of Constantinople 381 A.D to reaffirm the faith of Nicaea and discuss about Apollinarian teachings. 150 bishops attained the council all from East not one from West. Decision of Council: Reaffirm the faith of Nicaea: this council mark the end of Arianism in Roman Empire. He added to the creed of Nicea- Was crucified under Pontius Pilat and was suffered, died and buried-and resurrected and seats at the right hand of the father. This emphasized the perfect humanity of Christ which condemned the teachings of Apollinarius. Third decision was against the teaching of Macedonus, regarding the Holy Spirit. In Nicene creed, it was stated “we believe in the holy ghost. There was no clear doctrinal formulation concerning the person of Holy Spirit. Arius taught that the Holy Spirit was the first creation of the son. Macedonus, the disciple of Arius or Arian bishop of Constantinople. He taught that a Holy Spirit was a created being and subordinated to the son. He taught that the Holy Spirit was not of the same substance of Son or Father but only a created being. (Therefore, it has to be discussed). But Athanasius emphasized that the Holy Spirit was also of the same substance (homoousios) as the Father and the Son.

Filioque Controversy: In the council of Constantinople in 381 A.D, it adopted the following statement about the Holy Spirit, “we believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord, and the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, spoken by the prophet. This statement emphasizes that the Holy Spirit is not subordinate to the Son, nor to the Father, but was of the same substance as Father and Son. Later there was a controversy on the phrase/statement “proceeds from the Father”. Ambrose, Jerome and Augustine taught that the spirit proceeds not from the Father alone but also from the Son. This is so called as the Double Procession of the Spirit. “Double procession of the Spirit found its way by adding the word filioque (a Latin word, meaning: “and the Son”) it was accepted in the third council of Toledo (Spain) in 589 A.D.

Nestorianism: 

After settling the deity and humanity of Christ in Nicea and Constantinople councils, there arose another controversy about the great mysteries of the incarnation, the union of deity and humanity in one person. Nestorius the presbyter of Antioch denied the union between the nature (divinity and humanity) in one person. He held that in Christ there were two natures and two persons (God and Man). He taught that while Christ suffers in his humanity on the cross, his deity was uninvolved. His teaching was the denial of the real incarnation instead of affirming Christ as two persons God and Man, with no union between them.

Another statement that Nestorius dislikes was describing Mary as the mother of God. During this time devotion to the Virgin Mary has greatly increased at the church and the title “theotokos” (Bearer or Mother of God) was given to her. Nestorius strongly objected the used of this title, and he claimed that the proper title is „christokos‟ (bearer of Christ). So Nestorius opposed the statement “the mother of God” that led to the worshipped of Mary and he resisted Mariolatry (worship of Mary). But Nestorius was condemned in the council of Ephesus in 431 A.D.

Council of Ephesus 431 A.D: Theodosius II, the next emperor called the council at Ephesus to discuss the teaching of Nestorius. Cyril of Alexandria, the patriarch headed/presided the council of Ephesus. The council deposes Nestorius and Nestorianism was condemned. The emperor banishes Nestorius to Upper Egypt. The following are the change brought against Nestorius: In Christ there were two persons who denied two natures in one person. But his followers like Arianism did not accept the defeat, but established their own churches.

Eutychianism: 

Eutyches was the head of a monastery near Constantinople. In reaction to Nestorius he founded the Monophysites heresy or single nature heresy. He declared that Christ has only one nature. He claimed his humanity was so absorbed in his divinity. So there was only one nature in Christ, united without distinction. (The e.g. like milk and water) the human nature was so modified and change by assimilation to the divine nature. The result of Eutychian teaching was the creation of a third nature. His view was condemned at the council of Chalcedon 451 AD Council of Chalcedon 451 A.D: A general council was called at Chalcedon in A.D 451 by consulting Valentinian III (Roman Emperor) and Leo the Pope. 630 bishops were present. The legate of bishops of Pope proceeded over the council. 

The following were the decisions of the council: First, the proceedings of the council of Ephesus are annulled/cancelled. Second, a new statement of doctrine was prepared by the council, which contains a clear account of the orthodox position regarding the mystery of the incarnation of the nature of Christ. Third, the creed of Nicea and Constantinople were ratify/approve and became the authorized used of Christendom. Fourth, the council condemned Eutyches but he appealed to the bishop (Pope) of Rome Leo I. Leo the Pope prepared treaties called “Tome of Leo” in which he set forth the following orthodox view “that in Christ there were two complete natures (divine and human) which were united in one person. Leo stated that Christ has both a fully human nature and fully divine nature united in one person.