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Alexander Schmemann
3. The Age Of The Ecumenical Councils (50 pages)
From Schmemann's A History of the Orthodox ChurchPage 6
Nestorius and Cyril belonged to two different trends or schools of Christian thought, two distinct psychological attitudes toward Christianity itself, which had gradually formed long before the start of the Christological dispute. These were the schools of Antioch and Alexandria. The differences between them had many causes: different philosophical influences, that of Aristotle on the Antiochenes and of Plato on the Alexandrians; the opposition between Semitic realism and Hellenistic idealism; differences in religious practices and traditions. In interpreting Holy Scripture, the Antiochenes feared allegories, symbols, multiplications of “spiritual meanings,” everything that flourished so richly in Origen’s theology. They particularly sought literal meaning and historical accuracy in the understanding of the text and only later drew their theological conclusions.
These conclusions have been called “anthropological maximalism” by a modern investigator. In this country of voluntary and heroic asceticism it was the human effort of Christ that first attracted attention; this was the justification for the efforts of His followers, and a witness to human freedom.
Although this approach was basically correct and evangelical, one might very easily overstep a fine line and divide Christ Himself, distinguishing His human effort in such a way as to give it an independent significance. The Good News of the Son of God become man might pale before the image of the Man of Righteousness.Thus in Syria, which was called the diocese of the East, a definite theological tradition gradually emerged. Its spirit was already apparent in Diodorus of Tarsus, one of the main participants in the Second Ecumenical Council; it was systematically expressed by his disciple, Theodore of Mopsuestia, in whose doctrine the dangers of the Antiochene — what was then called the “Eastern” way — were clearly revealed. Theodore distinguished two “subjects” in Christ, and for him the union between them was not a union of personality (though he does employ this expression in another meaning) but a union of will, of consent; not so much union, indeed, as co-ordination of the two.
This union was developing and growing . . .
Christ as “Perfect Man” grew like all men in body and soul. He also grew in knowledge and in righteousness. And as He grew He received new gifts of the Spirit. He struggled, overcame His passions and even His lusts. This was inevitable, so Theodore thought, if Christ were really man . . . Theodore concentrated his whole emphasis on the human achievement; God only anoints and crowns human freedom.[7]This “ascetic humanism” achieved its final and by now obviously heretical form in Theodore’s disciple, Nestorius. A brilliant preacher, scholar, and ascetic, he was invited in 428 by Emperor Theodosius II to be bishop of Constantinople. With a zeal that sometimes went to extremes, he began a struggle against pagans and heretics and also a moral reform of the clergy of the capital. His passionate nature immediately made him enemies, among whom was the emperor’s sister Pulcheria. Hostility to the bishop increased and spread far beyond Constantinople; naturally, everything that happened in the capital had empire-wide echoes.
Cf. Books for getting closer to Orthodox Christianity ||| Orthodox Images of the Christ ||| Byzantium : The Alternative History of Europe ||| Greek Orthodoxy - From Apostolic Times to the Present Day ||| A History of the Byzantine Empire ||| Videos about Byzantium and Orthodoxy ||| Aspects of Byzantium in Modern Popular Music ||| 3 Posts on the Fall of Byzantium ||| Greek Literature / The New Testament
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Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/schmemann-orthodoxy-3-councils.asp?pg=6
