Christian History Magazine—Issue 51: Heresy in the Early Church
Overview
“There was a time when the Son was not,” sang Arius, a 4th century Libyan bishop and poster child of early church heresy. Debates covered a wide range of issues, from wealth to wild charismaticism to non-Trinitarianism, but none was more central to preserving the Christian faith than the personhood of Jesus Christ. Discussions of his divinity and humanity were the perpetual theological argument from the apostolic age through the councils of Nicaea and Constantinople. This issue of Christian History and Biography will enlighten you to how the early church combated many early heresies to preserve its identity as followers of a fully divine and fully human Christ.
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Top Highlights
“The novelties the Arians have put forward contrary to the Scriptures are these: God was not always a Father … the Word of God was not always … [for] there was a time when he was not … neither is he like in essence to the Father; neither is he the true and natural Word of the Father; neither is he his true wisdom … . And the Father cannot be described by the Son, for the Word does not know the Father perfectly and accurately.’” (source)
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“Jesus is fully human and fully divine, having two natures in one person—‘without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.’” (source) |
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“God is one, and Jesus must be understood in Old Testament categories. Jesus was merely a specially blessed prophet.” (source) |
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“Jesus only seemed (dokeo, in Greek) human and only appeared to die, for God cannot die” (source) |
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“God’s names (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) change with his roles or ‘modes of being’ (like a chameleon). When God is the Son, he is not the Father. There is no permanent distinction between the three ‘persons’ of the Trinity, otherwise you have three gods.” (source) |
- Title: Christian History Magazine—Issue 51: Heresy in the Early Church
- Author: Christian History Institute
- Series: Christian History Magazine
- Publisher: Christianity Today
- Print Publication Date: 1996
- Logos Release Date: 2009
- Era: era:Contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Heresies, Christian › History--Early church; Church history › Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600; Theology, doctrinal › History--Early church, ca. 30-600
- Resource ID: LLS:12.30.51
- Resource Type: Magazine
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-10-05T16:39:35Z
