Church History
8/5/25
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter IX. Theological Controversies, and Development of the Ecumenical Orthodoxy." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2327-2561). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 117-160).
"§139. The Nestorians." (pp. 2442-2445).
Schaff notes that, unlike most early heresies, those of Nestorianism and Monophysitism have continued (Schaff 2014, p. 2442). In his time, there were self-conscious groups of Nestorians who distinguished themselves from the Greek Orthodox. He outlines their characteristics in brief. Aside from distinctions in hierarchy, these groups particularly reject "the council of Ephesus . . . Mary as mother of God . . . use of images . . . purgatory . . . and transubstantiation" (Schaff 2014, p. 2443).
The Nestorians descend from a group which gained asylum in Persia in the fifth century (Schaff 2014, p. 2443). These groups, Nestorian in belief, refer to themselves as Chaldean or Assyrian Christians. Schaff suggests that Mohammed's knowledge of Christianity may have come from contact with a Nestorian monk (Schaff 2014, p. 2444). In Schaff's time the sect was mostly resident in Kurdistan and Armenia. Another group, claiming descent from the work of the apostle Thomas, is in East India (Schaff 2014, p. 2445).
"§140. The Eutychian Controversy. The Council of Robbers, A.D. 449." (pp. 2445-2451).\
The council at Ephesus, identified as the third ecumenical council, condemned Nestorianism but failed to articulate positive doctrinal stands (Schaff 2014, p. 2446). Peace was formed between Antioch (home of Nestorian thought) and Alexandria, but it was not a lasting peace. Alexandria moved in the opposite direction from Nestorian thought into "Eutychianism or Monophysitism, which urged the personal unity of Chrsit at the expense of the distinction of natures, and made the divine Logos absorb the human nature" (Schaff 2014, p. 2446). Here, while the Logos has human attributes, there is no human nature (Schaff 2014, p. 2447).
In Schaff's opinion, the controversy was made more severe due to the successor to Cyril of Alexandria, Dioscurus, who sought supremacy for Alexandria (Schaff 2014, p. 2447). He worked with the monophysites to assail the Antiochians and gain greater power. The monophysite theologian Eutyches, whose name was attached to the heresy, stressed the divine nature in Christ as the object of worship, ultimately denying the remaining of the human nature in Christ after the incarnation. Theodoret, on the Antiochian side of the controversy, insisted on Christ having two natures in one person (Schaff 2014, p. 2448). In 448 Eutyches was deposed and banned by the church (Schaff 2014, p. 2449).
The Synod of Ephesus in 449 assembled, presided over by Dioscurus, who appeared with monks and soldiers. Theodoret was excluded from the discussion (Schaff 2014, p. 2450). In this synod, Eutyches was affirmed, while all the Antiochians were rejected and hardly dared to speak. This synod, the second one in Ephesus, has typically been referred to as the "Council of Robbers."
8/5/25
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter IX. Theological Controversies, and Development of the Ecumenical Orthodoxy." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2327-2561). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 117-160).
"§139. The Nestorians." (pp. 2442-2445).
Schaff notes that, unlike most early heresies, those of Nestorianism and Monophysitism have continued (Schaff 2014, p. 2442). In his time, there were self-conscious groups of Nestorians who distinguished themselves from the Greek Orthodox. He outlines their characteristics in brief. Aside from distinctions in hierarchy, these groups particularly reject "the council of Ephesus . . . Mary as mother of God . . . use of images . . . purgatory . . . and transubstantiation" (Schaff 2014, p. 2443).
The Nestorians descend from a group which gained asylum in Persia in the fifth century (Schaff 2014, p. 2443). These groups, Nestorian in belief, refer to themselves as Chaldean or Assyrian Christians. Schaff suggests that Mohammed's knowledge of Christianity may have come from contact with a Nestorian monk (Schaff 2014, p. 2444). In Schaff's time the sect was mostly resident in Kurdistan and Armenia. Another group, claiming descent from the work of the apostle Thomas, is in East India (Schaff 2014, p. 2445).
"§140. The Eutychian Controversy. The Council of Robbers, A.D. 449." (pp. 2445-2451).\
The council at Ephesus, identified as the third ecumenical council, condemned Nestorianism but failed to articulate positive doctrinal stands (Schaff 2014, p. 2446). Peace was formed between Antioch (home of Nestorian thought) and Alexandria, but it was not a lasting peace. Alexandria moved in the opposite direction from Nestorian thought into "Eutychianism or Monophysitism, which urged the personal unity of Chrsit at the expense of the distinction of natures, and made the divine Logos absorb the human nature" (Schaff 2014, p. 2446). Here, while the Logos has human attributes, there is no human nature (Schaff 2014, p. 2447).
In Schaff's opinion, the controversy was made more severe due to the successor to Cyril of Alexandria, Dioscurus, who sought supremacy for Alexandria (Schaff 2014, p. 2447). He worked with the monophysites to assail the Antiochians and gain greater power. The monophysite theologian Eutyches, whose name was attached to the heresy, stressed the divine nature in Christ as the object of worship, ultimately denying the remaining of the human nature in Christ after the incarnation. Theodoret, on the Antiochian side of the controversy, insisted on Christ having two natures in one person (Schaff 2014, p. 2448). In 448 Eutyches was deposed and banned by the church (Schaff 2014, p. 2449).
The Synod of Ephesus in 449 assembled, presided over by Dioscurus, who appeared with monks and soldiers. Theodoret was excluded from the discussion (Schaff 2014, p. 2450). In this synod, Eutyches was affirmed, while all the Antiochians were rejected and hardly dared to speak. This synod, the second one in Ephesus, has typically been referred to as the "Council of Robbers."
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