THE ALEXANDRIAN AND ANTIOCHENE SCHOOLS [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. Christology Two interpretive traditions emerged: the Alexandrian and the Antiochene. However, church historians have long since recognized that this distinction is neither wholly accurate nor helpful in exegetical studies. 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. WebANTIOCH, SCHOOL OF The common doctrinal tendencies, particularly in exegesis and Christology, that characterized the theological thinkers and writers who represented the Antiochian tradition. This is why Origen can speak of Christian baptism as the spiritual equivalent of circumcision (Calvinists were not the first to make this connection!). WebThe theology of the Alexandrian school was influenced by the Platonic traditions of Philosophy. i.e, word became flesh. Alexandrians vs. Antiochenes on Mosaic Digital Forensics. 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. 0000001237 00000 n 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]. [12] The critical edition of Origens commentary in the original Latin can be found in Caroline P. Hammond Bammel, Der Rmerbriefkommentar des Origenes: kritische Ausgabe der bersetzung Rufins, vols. Cirilo se sumerge en el debate con invectivas fuertes, remitiendo un documento Para Nestorio, el nuevo Judas. Para l, el Logos de Dios resucit a Lzaro de la muerte, mientras que el hombre Jess llor ante su tumba. In scriptural exegesis it placed more emphasis on the Developing a conducive digital environment where students can pursue their 10/12 level, degree and post graduate programs from the comfort of their homes even if they are attending a regular course at college/school or working. For Origen, God ordained this historical event in order to guide his people from the letter to the spirit. It is at once powerful and fragile, majestic and humble. Angels were bound to natural law,[16] Gentiles to natural and civil laws, Jews to natural and ceremonial laws, and Christians to the law of Christ. It was generally in contrast with and sometimes opposed to the theology of Alexandria. [14] Riemer Roukema, Law of Nature, in The Westminster Handbook of Origen, ed. 0000002908 00000 n 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. Philo used this allegorical approach to Scripture to prove that Moses was superior to any pagan philosophers. Hb```5x(1a.@qgUn+870p005x@g2b)(| OL successful learners are eligible for higher studies and to attempt competitive But the nature and extent of this discontinuity would continue to be debated. [19] This supports Origens insistence that there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. Antioch, School of [24] Without a temple, there no longer existed the possibility of a priesthood or a sacrificial system. I 845 (2012) 153-177. in KSA, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. tuition and home schooling, secondary and senior secondary level, i.e. One important distinction is that between Mosaic Law and natural law. [6] Karlfried Froehlich, Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984), 15-16. This makes it an invaluable resource on early Christian understanding of Mosaic Law. According to Marcion, the material world was created by an inferior deity known as a Demiurge, who revealed himself to the Hebrews and gave them a law of strict retributive justice. Por otro lado, el trmino Anthropotokos reconoce que Mara es la madre de este hombre, pero dicho trmino puede en s mismo dar a entender que l no es ms que un hombre, lo cual de nuevo es ofensivo a la fe cristiana ortodoxa en la deidad de Cristo. These and works of a similar nature are the works by which he says no one can be saved[21], Three observations ought to be noted here. graduation. Antiochene theology Quick Reference A modern designation for a style of theology associated with the Church at Antioch, contrasted with Alexandrine theology. WebCompatibility of Antiochene and Alexandrian Christology - Read online for free. Origen (ca. Cristo tena dos naturalezas. [7] Piotr Ashwin-Siejkowski, Clement of Alexandria on Trial: The Evidence of Heresy from Photius Bibliotheca (Boston: Brill, 2010), 40-43, 75. Cyril of Alexandria was not only one of the finest Christian theologians of his day, he also stands out in the ranks of the greatest patristic writers of all generations as perhaps the most powerful exponent of Christology the church has known. In particular, I will focus on his Commentary on Romans and show how his hermeneutical distinction between letter and spirit favors the continuity of Mosaic Law in Christian ethics. 0000007699 00000 n The Letter and the Spirit: A History of Interpretation from Origen to Luther (New York: Peter Lang, 1995), 16. En sus cartas contra Nestorio, Cirilo no slo defiende el ttulo de Theotokos contra acusaciones de que estaba reviviendo la hereja del Apolinarianismo, pero l niega la genuina legitimidad del uso de esquemas cristolgicos alternativos, tales como la asociacin de personas, de la que haban hablado los pensadores antioqueos. Early Church Battle Royale: Alexandria vs. Antioch In scriptural exegesis it placed more emphasis on the 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. Some Facts About the Alexandrine Ch~istology 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. [3] According to Elizabeth Lauro, the somatic sense can be understood as literal, whereas the psychic and pneumatic senses are non-literal. Alexandrian Antiochene side. In the following centuries, the church faced opposition on two fronts. Antiochene theology Christology Alexandria test, which makes it an ideal choice for Indians residing Alexandrian and Antiochian approaches to hermeneutics as [4] Elizabeth Lauro, Reconsidering Origens Two Higher Senses of Scriptural Meaning: Identifying the Psychic and Pneumatic Senses, in Studia Patristica 34, ed. A term paper written on the prompt: "With reference to the dispute between Cyril and Nestorius evaluate the assessment that Antiochene and Alexandrian Christologies are ultimately incompatible." Nestorio sostuvo que el trmino Theotokos no hizo justicia al hecho de que, en sentido Eirini ARTEMI, The rejection of the term Theotokos by Nestorius of Constantinople and the refutation of his teaching by Cyril of Alexandria De Medio Aevo 2 (2012 / 2) ISSN-e 2255-5889 126 estricto, Mara no fue la madre de Dios, sino la madre del hombre a quien la fe cristiana reconoce como divino, y por eso lo llama Dios. ", Popular Controversies in World History: Investigating History's Intriguing Questions, Anglican Theological Review 94:3 (Summer), De Medio Aevo 2 (2012 / 2) ISSN-e 2255-5889. [2] Henning Graf Reventlow, History of Biblical Interpretation, trans. [13] It is also Christianitys oldest surviving commentary on Romans, predating by about 150 years the second oldest commentary, written by John Chrysostom. 0000005673 00000 n Nestorius was enthroned as archbishop on April 10th 428. Nestorio fue entronizado como arzobispo el 10 de abril 428. [22], Second, Origen believes that the letter of the law is unattainable. Alexandrian It was generally in contrast with and sometimes opposed to the theology of Alexandria. 0000008123 00000 n 0000008977 00000 n Even the ceremonial laws have a spiritual sense, although it may be comparatively more obscure than for the moral laws. [18] In fact, throughout his Romans commentary, Origen arguesthat Paul speaks more often of natural law than Mosaic Law. 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. In Cyrils letters against to Nestorius, Cyril not only defends the title Theotokos against accusations that it was reviving the heresy of Apollinariusm, but he denies the very legitimacy of using alternative Christological schemes a such as the association of personas the Antiochian thinkers had spoken of. 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. 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. 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Alexandrians vs. Antiochenes on Mosaic The goal of this paper will be to evaluate the life and work of one representative of the Alexandrian tradition, Origen of Alexandria. He found, in the expressions Mother of God and God suffering, little more than an ignorant piety that had cut so many corners in its implications that it stood very close to pagan mythical conceptions of the deity. Antioch, School of But the relationship between these two senses is like that between an earthenware vessel and a treasure hidden inside. In their Christology they stressed the divinity of Christ. For Ariu s Christ was a creature, generated [18] Cf. Note: this paper was previously written for a class on the History of Biblical Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. 0000009389 00000 n The Alexandrian Christology is usually referred to as Christology from above, orLogos SarxChristology. (LogOut/ 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. helped me to continue my class without quitting job. Edwards also questions the common assumption that Origen held to a doctrine of the pre-existence of the soul. WebAntiochene exegetes tended to insist more than their Alexandrian counterparts on the importance of seeing each biblical passage in its context within the longer narrative of Israels history, and to search for practical, moral applications, while Alexandrian interpreters tended to be more interested in the theological and spiritual meaning. Rather, the destruction of the Jewish temple in AD 70 nullified literal observance of the law. 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. All the courses are of global standards and recognized by competent authorities, thus Alexandrian and Antiochene christology In Nestorius letter to Cyril, he argues that Cyril was right to teach the two natures were united in one person, and right to say that the divinity cannot suffer in itself, but that when he goes on to speak of the deity participating in suffering he undoes all his good work. Then, by way of comparison, I will examine in briefer compass the work of one representative of the Antiochene tradition, Theodore of Mopsuestia. This distinction corresponds in some degree to his distinction between letter and spirit, and it is only the ceremonial law as letter that Origen rejects. Alexandrian and Antiochian approaches to hermeneutics as Make note of their respective leaders and methodologies, The Christology of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Conditioning Christology in the Early Church, Church History Lesson 17 -Christological Controversies to Chalcedon (451, The Result of the Christological Debate in the Council of Chalcedon, Christological Heresies Related to the Person and Natures of Jesus -Hammons.docx, Appealing to Creed: Theodore of Mopsuestia and Cyril of Alexandria, LOGOS-SARX CHRISTOLOGY AND THE SIXTH-CENTURY MIAENERGISM, The Mystery of the Incarnation: Towards a Reconciliation of Cyril and Nestorius, Divine Suffering & the Christological Vocabularies of St Cyril. Christ had two natures. WebAlexandrian and Antiochian approaches to hermeneutics as deployed by John Chrysostom and Gregory of Nyssa as they work with the Beatitudes Typically, the view of Alexandrian and Antiochian hermeneutics has been one of dichotomy: Alexandrians were allegorical, and Antiochians were literal-historical. In other words, M. F. Wiles and E. J. Yarnold (Peeters: Leuven, 2001), 306. [20] In this respect, one sees a clear overlap with the content of Mosaic Law, and especially the Ten Commandments. 0000001508 00000 n Towards the aim, Perfect E learn has already carved out a niche for itself in India and GCC countries as an online class provider at reasonable cost, serving hundreds of students. 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. From Monophysitism to Nestorianism - Cambridge Scholars Although Philo was Jewish, his impact would prove to be far greater on later Christian interpreters, such as Clement. 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. Cyril plunges into the debate with sharp invective, addressing one document To Nestorius, the new Judas. 16 and 33, Vetus Latina: Aus der Geschichte der lateinischen Bibel (Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany: Herder, 1990-1998). But, our concern was whether she could join the universities of our preference in abroad. 215 AD) was committed to the idea that all truth, whether in pagan or biblical sources, found its fulfillment in the reality of Christ. WebAlexandrian and Antiochian approaches to hermeneutics as deployed by John Chrysostom and Gregory of Nyssa as they work with the Beatitudes Typically, the view of Alexandrian and Antiochian hermeneutics has been one of dichotomy: Alexandrians were allegorical, and Antiochians were literal-historical.