CHRISTOLOGICAL CONTROVERSIES TIMELINE

TIMELINE

• 0 AD Jesus's birth
• Christian Persecution 34AD (1st martyrdom)-313 (Christianity is legalized)
• 325: council of Nicea
• 381: Constantinople
• 431 Ephesus

DEFINITIONS

• Heresy: a teaching/belief that is contrary to the beliefs of the Church.
• Ecumenical councils: a meeting with all the Bishops to discuss the true Christian teaching

CONTROVERSIES

• Arianism (heresies addressed by the early ecumenical councils):
• "There was a time when the son was not." -Arius (an Egyptian bishop)
• The belief that the Son was not created by the Father, which made the Son not equal to the Father.

NESTORIANISM

• Taught by Bishop Nestorius:
• The belief that Jesus's human and divine natures were not fully united with each other, which implied that Mary could not be the Mother of God, but rather the Mother of Christ.

THE TRUTH

• Proof that Arianism is false:
• Athanasius (another bishop) proved to the Church that Arianism did not teach the correct things based off of Jesus, Scriptures, and Tradition.
• "We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, The only Son of God, Eternally begotten of the Father. God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God. Begotten not made, one in being with the Father. Through him all things were made." -the Creed

THE TRUTH

• Proof that Nestorianism is false:
• St. Cyril of Alexandria (another bishop) proved that Nestorianism was false based on knowledge about Christ, the Scriptures, and Tradition.
• "I believe in Jesus Christ...born of the Virgin Mary" -the Creed
• Jesus is the only son of God, as said in the Catechism: "When the promised Messiah-King is called "son of God", it does not necessarily imply that he was more than human, according to the literal meaning of these texts. Those who called Jesus "son of God", as the Messiah of Israel, perhaps meant nothing more than this." (441)

COUNCIL OF NICEA (I-325 AD)

• In present day Turkey
• The first ecumenical council
• Although he didn't have much faith, it was called by Constantine, who thought that this would bring peace to the Roman Empire
• Accomplishments of the council:
• Started progress of the Nicene Creed
• Aroused discussion of the cannon of the New Testament
• Officially set a date for Easter
• Officially declared Sunday a holy day of obligation
• Set eat the rules and norms for ordination to the priesthood and episcopate.

CONSTANTINOPLE (I-381 AD)

• Heresies: Arianism
• Declarations:
• Affirmed Christ's double-generation
• Declares Christ's oneness with the Father
• Finished the Creed that was started at Nicea
• Declared Christ's full humanity
• Declared Christ's "before all ages" existence

EPHESUS

• Heresies: Nestorianism
• Orthodox theologians: Cypril of Alexandria
• Declarations:
• Affirmed that Christ's two natures are not separated
• Declared Mary as the the Mother of Christ "Theotokos"