difference between alexandrian and antiochene christology pdf

[1] The Alexandrian tradition thus placed a heavier emphasis on the trans-historical, spiritual meaning of Scripture, while the Antiochene tradition stressed the primacy of the literal, historically situated meaning of Scripture. Nestorius was enthroned as archbishop on April 10th 428. May 30, 2018 by Kyle Dillon 2 Comments. Quite the contrary, Origen believes that the letter of the Mosaic Law brought the beginnings of life to humanity. The goal of this paper will be to evaluate the life and work of one representative of the Alexandrian tradition, Origen of Alexandria. First, it is a mistake to simply say that for Origen, ceremonial laws are literal, and moral laws are spiritual. But rather than undermining the doctrine of biblical inspiration, Origen saw these inconsistencies as divinely intended pointers to the deeper, spiritual meaning. In other words, Jesucristo era plenamente humano y plenamente divino. graduation. THE ALEXANDRIAN AND ANTIOCHENE SCHOOLS Christology I Rather than being a prison house, our bodies give us the opportunity to exercise virtue and grow into the likeness of God. Alexandria had it's own form of Christology, that defined the Human Nature in the Hypostatic Union to be a generic human nature, and this was in contrast (although not incompatible) with the Antiochene Christology that define's Christ's Human nature as a specific human being. This desire to avoid both the Scylla of Judaism and the Charybdis of Gnosticism (or better, Marcionism) set the stage for a multiplicity of Christian approaches to Mosaic Law. Theodore of Mopsuestia prefers to speak of the perfect union of Christs natures rather than synthesis. As a result, the Alexandrians tended to see Mosaic Law in terms of continuity, and the Antiochenes tended to see it in terms of discontinuity. For Ariu s Christ was a creature, generated On the other hand, Gnostic interpreters often denigrated Mosaic Law by ascribing it to an inferior deity, compelling Christians to defend the inspiration and authority of the Old Testament. "Abstract. [2] Henning Graf Reventlow, History of Biblical Interpretation, trans. [13] Origen, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Books 1-5, trans. I strongly Cirilo insiste en que Mara, la madre de Dios, debe ser llamada Theotokos. 0000001508 00000 n Cirilo insiste en que, si bien por s misma la propia naturaleza humana no es poderosa, sino pasible, en su unin con la divinidad, como en el dinmico acto de la Encarnacin, la naturaleza humana del Logos se convierte as en un instrumento del poder omnipotente, y, por tanto en un sentido real, aunque mentalmente paradjico, en un instrumento omnipotente. In fact, Philo goes so far as to say that Greek philosophers must have appropriated their thought from Moses himself. There is no record of a formal school such as apparently existed at alexandria, although lucian of antioch directed his didascalion and Diodore of Tarsus his 0000001237 00000 n The Letter and the Spirit: A History of Interpretation from Origen to Luther (New York: Peter Lang, 1995), 16. [22], Second, Origen believes that the letter of the law is unattainable. i.e, word became flesh. Note: this paper was previously written for a class on the History of Biblical Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. Origens chief target was Marcion (ca. We follow a systematic approach to the process of learning, examining and certifying. HVr6j.qR q}|HHOil$!R3Bok2'?ad #BHQ"Z7+:sGi iU`cVAwy2ZDOKu*&4Yd? Philo used this allegorical approach to Scripture to prove that Moses was superior to any pagan philosophers. However, it is not the final step. Alexandria and Antioch had developed very different views on the matter: The Alexandrian school leaned towards Christs humanity and divinity being absorbed into each other while Antioch leaned towards maintaining the human and divine in Christ as two separate beings. Then, by way of comparison, I will examine in briefer compass the work of one representative of the Antiochene tradition, Theodore of Mopsuestia. WebAlexandrian and Antiochene theologians were expedient hermeneuts, meaning they utilized whichever exegetical practice (allegory, typology, literal, historical) that would supply them with their desired theology or interpretive conclusion. have discontinued my MBA as I got a sudden job opportunity after The goal of this paper will be to evaluate the life and work of one representative of the Alexandrian tradition, Origen of Alexandria. program which is essential for my career growth. For instance, Wai-Shing Chau writes that Origen was operating on a Middle-platonic scheme, as is evident in his notions concerning the Father as the supreme mind, the existence of intermediaries between mind and the material world, and the pre-existence of the soul. I was in search of an online course; Perfect e Learn Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses 78 (2002), 57-78. Alexandrian The Alexandrian Christology is usually referred to as Christology from above, orLogos SarxChristology. Palabras clave: Theotokos, Anthropotokos, Cristologa, Mariologa, Cirilo de Alejandra. Due to the papers original length, I will split it into two parts (Part 2 can be read here). In other words, This article questions the value of the categories the school of Antioch and Antiochene christology on the basis of the significant theological differences between the two central figures in the school: John Chrysostom and Theodore of Mopsuestia, both of whom studied together at the school of Diodore of Tarsus in the late fourth century. Nestorius argued that Theotokos did not do justice to the fact that, strictly speaking, Mary was not the mother of God but rather the mother of the man whom Christian faith recognizes as divine and thus calls God. 0000008977 00000 n Against this backdrop, it would be tempting to claim that Origen himself must have imbibed too much of Platonic thought. Thanks to Moses and the ceremonial laws, a certain part of humankind began to be liberated from the kingdom of sin and death, and cleansing of sins began to be ushered in.[26] Origen even goes so far as to say that the Mosaic Law is a life-giving Spirit for those who understand it spiritually.[27] He argues that it is precisely on this point that both Jews and Marcionites fall into error. WebThe Alexandrian and Antiochian Christological Thoughts1 Many scholars attribute the problem of the Christological formula concerning the nature of Christ "Mia-physis and Dyophyses" to the controversy between the Alexandrian and the Antiochian theology. At the same time, Origens eschatology suggests that the body is a mere stepping stone to a higher reality, one in which we enjoy immediate communion with God unencumbered by carnal habits like eating and drinking.[10]. Christology En una carta a Cirilo, Nestorio sostiene que Cirilo tena razn al ensear que las dos naturalezas de Cristo se unieron en una sola persona, y que tambin acertaba al decir que la divinidad no puede sufrir en s misma, pero que cuando contina diciendo que la deidad participa en el sufrimiento, l echa a perder toda su buena obra. In these works, Origen describes a threefold distinction in the meanings of Scripture, which correspond to body, soul, and spirit. Externally, the schools are not as distinct as they have been made out to be: the Alexandrians do not allegorize away the OT as much as has been thought, and the Antiochenes are not necessarily more literal in their methods than the Alexandrians. This sets up another important distinction in Origens conception of Mosaic Lawnamely, that between the ceremonial law and the moral law. WebAlexandria as they had his teacher Origen, but Arius almost single-handedly ushered in an era in which the church was well-nigh intoxicated with Christology, though he did so from a Trinitarian perspective and did not waste much time on the articulation between Christs disparate natures. Antiochene theology Quick Reference A modern designation for a style of theology associated with the Church at Antioch, contrasted with Alexandrine theology. The contemporary historian Socrates called Nestorius a proud and ignorant man whose innate and undisputed oratorical power masked a weakness of incisive thought. 0000000867 00000 n ALEXANDRIAN Therefore, Origen understands the contrast between law and gospel not as one of judgment versus mercy, but rather imperfect religion versus perfect religion. 0000004309 00000 n My childs preference to complete Grade 12 from Perfect E Learn was almost similar to other children. Further, Origens treatment of the literal sense of a given passage sometimes led him to reject its historicity. Alexandrian El misterio de la Encarnacin segn Cirilo de Alejandra, From Philosophy to Pastoral: A Theological Review and the Pastoral Explications of the Doctrine of the Two Natures in Christ -Chalcedon and Luther, Cyril, Nestorius, and the Logos: A Re-Examination of Early Church Epistles, The Practical Christology of Philoxenos of Mabbug, E. Artemi, The Christological Controversy between Nestorius of Constantinople and Cyril of Alexandria, A Critical Assessment of St Cyril of Alexandrias On the Unity of Christ, and its Significance for Patristic and Modern Theology, Christological Controversies of the First Four Ecumenical Councils, Cyril of Alexandria and Gregory Nazianzen: Tradition and Complexity in Patristic Christology, The Early Christological Controversy: Apollinarius, Diodore, and Gregory Nazianzen. [4] The difference between the two non-literal senses is that the psychic concerns day-to-day ethical living, while the pneumatic concerns higher theological and christological truths. [9] Mark Edwards, Origen against Plato (Hampshire, England: Ashgate, 2002), 160-1. Then, there were many different viewpoints of the doctrine proposed by Alexandrian School (ex: Arius, Athansius, and Apollinarius) and Antiochene School (ex: %PDF-1.3 % [7] Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski, Clement of Alexandria on Trial: The Evidence of Heresy from Photius Bibliotheca (Boston: Brill, 2010), 40-43, 75. In scriptural exegesis it placed more emphasis on the For Nestorius, the language of the exchange of properties was generally suspect, and often odious. Alexandria WebCompatibility of Antiochene and Alexandrian Christology - Read online for free. Part 1can be readhere. 0000007720 00000 n !CYf} qC%/f9 jhA4i4OMUA\:>v'E3 {yhPVQgllY+5p}`NW. But the relationship between these two senses is like that between an earthenware vessel and a treasure hidden inside. John Anthony McGuckin (Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004), 140-41. More often, however, Origen makes use of a merely twofold distinction between the literal sense and the spiritual sense, in accordance with Pauls terminology of letter and spirit (2 Cor. Origens Hermeneutic in Historical Context. Finally, I will conclude by arguing that the Reformed traditions approach to Mosaic Law contains both Alexandrian and Antiochene elements. But, our concern was whether she could join the universities of our preference in abroad. [6] Karlfried Froehlich, Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984), 15-16. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Si Jess era humano, argumenta Cirilo, y si Dios estaba en otro lugar, la Encarnacin, la Palabra hecha carne, carecera de sentido. According to Edwards, the most that can be inferred from Origens extant writings is that the human soul is created in the hand of God immediately before embodiment, but this does not entail any supposed punitive fall from heaven, as Platonists contend. For example, his refutation of Gnostic ideas like the permanent, intrinsic goodness or wickedness of souls led him to infer the possibility of final salvation for all people, even perhaps the devil. 0000003186 00000 n WebANTIOCH, SCHOOL OF The common doctrinal tendencies, particularly in exegesis and Christology, that characterized the theological thinkers and writers who represented the Antiochian tradition. There is no record of a formal school such as apparently existed at alexandria, although lucian of antioch directed his didascalion and Diodore of Tarsus his Christ had two natures. [1] Donald Fairbairn, Patristic Exegesis and Theology: The Cart and the Horse, Westminster Theological Journal 69 (2007), 10-11; Brevard Childs, The Struggle to Understand Isaiah as Christian Scripture (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2004), 132-33; Frances Young, Alexandrian and Antiochene Exegesis, in History of Biblical Interpretation, ed. It was generally in contrast with and sometimes opposed to the theology of Alexandria. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Antioch, School of Origen, Contra Celsum, 1.4-5; 5.37. These traditions were distinguished, not so much by neatly distinct exegetical practices (as a previous generation of scholars had thought), as by differing conceptions of history, and by the respective influences of contemporary philosophical and rhetorical schools. Hb```5x(1a.@qgUn+870p005x@g2b)(| OL The difference between Alexandria and Antioch was not exegetical; it was theological. In their Christology they stressed the divinity of Christ. Thoughts on the Evidential Argument fromDesire, Alexandrians vs. Antiochenes on Mosaic Law (Part2), Alexandrians vs. Antiochenes on Mosaic Law (Part 2) | Allkirk Network, Moshe Rabbenu and Torat Moshe Immanuel Verbondskind , Review: God Reforms Hearts by ThaddeusWilliams, Review: Conservatism: A Rediscovery by YoramHazony, Review: Outsiders on the Inside by BillyBoyce, Review: The Myth of Colorblind Christians by JesseCurtis, White fragility, white guilt, and the ring ofGyges. On the one hand, Jewish interpreters insisted on the total and literal application of Mosaic Law, compelling Christians to defend the supremacy of the revelation of Christ. of the Alexandrian-Antiochene Schools of [4] Elizabeth Lauro, Reconsidering Origens Two Higher Senses of Scriptural Meaning: Identifying the Psychic and Pneumatic Senses, in Studia Patristica 34, ed. Edwards also questions the common assumption that Origen held to a doctrine of the pre-existence of the soul. [18] In fact, throughout his Romans commentary, Origen arguesthat Paul speaks more often of natural law than Mosaic Law. That is, the impossibility to keep the letter of the law is not due to human sin, as later Protestant interpreters would argue. Origens doctrine of the body seems to directly parallel his doctrine of biblical interpretation. MIRABILIA 17, Home Eletronic Journal of Antiquity & Middle Ages Journal of the Institut d' Estudis Medievals (UAB), Journal of Early Christian Studies 17.3 (2009): 381-419, Vigiliae Christianae 65.4 (2011): 376-407.