Search

[German Version] I. Religious Studies and History of Philosophy The dogmatic definition of the Holy Spirit as a person within the one divine substance (Trinity/Doctrine of the Trinity) presupposes not only a particular philosophical context but also a religio-historical horizon. A formative influence on the conceptualization of the Holy Spirit was exercised by the various anthropomorphic interpretations of elemental anthropological or normative qualities in the context of polytheistic interpretations of the world, the …

[German Version] (579/580 [whether in Constantinople or in the Palestinian village of Hesfin is disputed] – Aug 13, 662, Lazika), one of the most prominent Byzantine theologians, being equally important for the history of Monotheletism's dogmatic theology as well as for exegesis (esp. of the Bible, but also of Gregory of Nazianzus and of Dionysius Areopagita) and for the further development of theoretical mysticism (on the basis of a [critically received] Origenism and of the system of Evagrius Po…

[German Version] (John Scholasticus), Greek theologian in the first half of the 6th century, ultimately (between 536 and 553) bishop of Palestinian Scythopolis. Of the writings of this comprehensively ed…

[German Version] After the Council of Chalcedon, it became increasingly common in the East to interpolate the Trisagion (II) into the liturgy as an acclamation and petition to the triune God: “Holy God, holy and mighty, holy immortal one, have mercy upon us.” Shortly afterwards Peter Fullo, the “Monophysite” patriarch of Antioch (471, 475–477) added “crucified for us” (after “immortal one”), to give further expression to the superiority of the divine in the incarnate Lord ( John 1:14). When Severu…

…

[German Version] According to the oldest Alexandrian sources (Kettler, 159–163), Melitius is said to have conducted visitations on his own authority in the leaderless dioceses of Lower and Middle Egypt during the persecutions of Ch…

[German Version] I. General – II. History and Society – III. Religion and Culture I. General 1. Name/Designations In Egyptian-Coptic, Egypt is “the black (i.e. land)” (Egyptian *Kū́mut, Coptic Kēme, etc.) after the dark soil, in Semitic languages, generally, Miṣr-, etc., in Hebrew also מָצוֹר / Māṣôr (“border,” i.e. “borderland”?), in Greek after a sanctuary of the god Ptah as a designation for the old capital city Memphis, Aígyptos, i.e. Aígupto-s (in contemporary Egyptian perhaps *Hekoptáḥ). 2. Geography …

[German Version] The christological definition of the Council of Chalcedon, the Symbolum Chalcedonense, was achieved only after …

[German Version] (Dec 16, 1903 [Old Style, Dec 3, 1903], Rosenbeck, Livonia – Jan 6, 1989, Heidelberg), doctor of theology, Heidelberg 1926; 5 honorary doctorates in theology; Privatdozent in church history, …

[German Version] (d. Nov 17, 471), patriarch 458–471; he was a strict adherent of the christology (II, 1.c) of Chalcedon, as attested both by his encomium to Pope Leo I, and by his polemic “Against the XII Chapters (= Anathemas; Anathema) of Cyril of Alexandria” (if the latter is authentic, which Schwartz [175f., n. 2] doubts, however). As an exegete, he was close to the Antiochene School (Antioch: II). Among the fragments preserved in Catena, the notes on Genesis and Romans are significant.…

[German Version] In Chalcedon (Kadiköy, on the Asian shore of the Bosporus, part of present-day Istanbul; Constantinople/Byzantium), what was probably the most illustrious assembly of bishops in antiquity met from Oct 8 to Nov 11, 451 (although the tradition of 600–630 participants is legendary). Church history came to know it as the fourth “ecumenical” council. Its primary significance lies unquestionably in the realm of the history of dogma (Two natures doctrine), although many of its disciplinary decrees also had important consequences. The council was made possible by a …

[German Version] (Pseudo-Dionysius; c. 500 ce), the name associated with a corpus of texts first attested c. 518/28 under the pseudonym of Dionysius the Areop…

[German Version] The terms Monophysitism and Monophysites (“one-nature” Christology and its advocates) used by historians of dogma have their roots in heresiology (Heresy: I); they were coined by the opponents of the theological positions so labeled and to this day are rejected as inappropriate by the churches involved. In the following discussion, therefore, they will always be set in quotation marks (see also D. Wendebourg, “Chalcedon in der ökumenischen Diskussion,” in: van Oort & Roldanus, 190–223). The roots of “Monophysite” doctrine go far back. The Christology of Origen can be called “Dyophysite” in approach (a “two natures doctrine” similar to that of the Chalcedonian Definition) but “Monophysite” in intent. With the unity of his image of Christ, Origen seeks to preserve the precedence of the divine, on which his interest in salvation primarily depends (Ritter, 225). This type of doctrine then appears in clear outline in Apollinarius of Laodicea. The formula with which he expresses his …

[German Version] Monotheletism (“one will”) is a christological doctrine from the period after Chalcedon, which – like the earlier Monenergism (“single activity”) – was intended to build a bridge to so-called Monophysites and provide a more satisfying explanation for the Chalcedonian Definition (see Christology: II, 1.c). Many of its Eastern supporters were terrified by the “idol with two fac…

[German Version] I. Archaeology – II. Early Church – III. After 600 – IV. Councils – V. Patriarchate – VI. Literature – VII. Art – VIII. Church Music – IX. Judaism I. Archaeology Settlers from Megara settled Byzantium in the early 7th century on a previously inhabited hill on the Bosphorus, the most important water route from the Mediterranean to the Black Sea; a deep bay, the “Golden Horn” offered additional protection. In 324 ce, after the victory over Licinius, Constantine chose Byzantium as a new capital and dedicated it on May 11, 330 as Nea Roma, “New Rome”; soon the name …

[German Version] I. Early Church The title patriarch appears to have been first used by early Judaism (I), with reference to the both the ancestral biblical figures ( 4. Macc. 7.19; 16.25; T. 12 Patr.; Ber. 16b) and the religious leaders of the Romans’ Jewish subjects (Heb. nasi ), throughout the history of that central religious office. The first such patriarch was probably Judah ha-Nasi, during the Severan dynasty (193–235); Cod. Theod. XVI 8.29 (May 30, 429) records the excessus (“termination”) of the J…

[German Version] …

[German Version] (died around 250). According to Gregory of Tours, Dionysius of Paris arrived in Gaul at the time of Decius as one of seven missionary bishops, worked in and near Paris, and suffered martyrdom there (Greg. T. Hist. I 30). According to other sources (first attested about 520: MGH.SRM 3.221), he immediately became the first bishop of Paris, apostle to Gaul, and eminent martyr. The cemeterial basilica that was erected over his grave as early as the …

[German Version] …

1. Subject, Tasks, and Problems of Ecclesiology 1.1. The Church of Faith The early confessions, following the NT, relate the church to the Holy Spirit as an object of the faith that is the Spirit’s work (“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy church …”). The Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed characterizes the church as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, while the Apostles’ Creed ¶ speaks of “the holy catholic church, the communion of saints.” Theological reflection in dogmatics develops these statements of faith into the doctrine of the church (ecclesiology). According to the insight of faith, dogmatics defines the church variously as the mystical body of Christ, a divine-human organism, a sacramental fellowship, a fellowship of faith, a fellowship of experience and communicating, a fellowship of discipleship of Christ, and more. This ecclesio…

1. Historical Importance The Council of Chalcedon (modern Kadiköy, a district of Istanbul on the eastern shore of the Bospor…

The Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus—the first of which we have records (published by the contending parties)—was called on Pentecost (June 7) 431 by Emperor Theodosius II (408–50), mainly to settle the doctrinal dispute between Nestorius (d. ca. 451) and Cyril of Alexandria (bishop 412–44; Christology 2). But it could not be opened either at the appointed time or even actually at all; there were simply separate sittings of the majority, which supported Cyril and which was later joined by the Roman delegates, and the minority,…

[English Version] . Seit dem Konzil von Chalcedon wurde es im Osten zunehmend üblich, in die Liturgie das Trishagion (: II.) als Huldigungs- und Bittruf an den dreieinigen Gott einzufügen: »Hl. Gott, Hl. Starker, Hl. Unsterblicher, erbarme dich unser«. Petrus Fullo, »monophysitischer« (Monophysiten) Patriarch von Antiochien (471.475–477) fügte bald darauf (nach »Unsterblicher«) den Zusatz ein: »der du für uns gekreuzigt wardst«, um so der Überlegenheit des Göttlichen im Fleischgewordenen (Joh 1,14) weiteren Ausdruck zu verschaffen. Als sich auch Severus von Antiochien (der das Trishagion allerdings anscheinend christologisch, nicht trinitarisch verstanden wissen wollte [Grillmeier 154f.]) diese »theopaschitische« Formel (von »Theopaschitismus«, der Lehre, »Gott selbst« habe »gelitten«) zu eigen machte, führte das zu Tumulten unter den Konstantinopeler Mönchen. Sie steigerten sich zu einem Aufstand mit Totschlag und Brandschatzungen, als 512 Kaiser Anastasius die Neufassung des Trishagion in Konstantinopel offiziell einführen wollte. Durch eine Delegation aus der Dobrudscha stammender Mönche wurde der Streit auch nach Rom getragen, wo die »Skythen« jedoch mit ihrer Losung »Einer aus der Trinität hat gelitten« (Unus ex trinitate passus) auf Ablehnung stießen, während die östlichen Chalcedonenser unter Führung des späteren Kaisers Justinian I. umzudenken begannen. Er war es auch, der dafür sorgte, daß der »Theopaschitismus«, nachdem er sich bereits bei einem Unionsversuch zw. Anhängern und Gegnern des Chalcedonense (533) als (weitgehend) anschlußfähig erwiesen hatte, im 10. Anathematismus des V. ökum. Konzils von 553 (Konstantinopel/Byzanz: IV.,2.) festgeschrieben wurde, wenn es da heißt: »Wer nicht bekennt, daß unser im Fleisch gekreuzigter Herr Jesus Christus wahrhaftiger Gott und ›Herr der Herrlichkeit‹ (1Kor 2,8) und einer aus der hl. Trinität ist, der sei verflucht«. Unter den »Monophysiten« (Armeniern, Syrern, Kopten, Äthiopiern) war und i…

[English Version] I. Alte Kirche Der Titel Patriarch (P.) ist anscheinend zuerst vom antiken Judentum (: I.) verwendet worden, und zwar für die bibl. »Ur«- oder »Stammväter« (vgl.4Makk 7,19; 16,25; TestXII; Ber 16b) sowie für das rel. Oberhaupt (hebr.: Nasi) der jüd. Untertanen der Römer, seit und solange es dieses zentrale Leitungsamt gab (erster P. wohl Jehuda ha-Nasi, zur Zeit der Severischen Dynastie [193–235]; in Cod.Theod. XVI 8,29 [30.5.429] wird dann der excessus [das »Erlöschen«] des jüd. Pa…

[English Version] von Massilia (um 400–480). Als vielbeachteter Zeitzeuge der Völkerwanderung,…

[English Version] von Cordoba (ca.256–357/58), wurde um 295 zum Bischof geweiht, litt in der Verfolgung von 303 (daher u.a. bei Athanasius »Bekenner« geheißen [vgl. de Clercq 129–134]), besuchte die (rein span.) Synode von Elvira (um 300 oder 310) und war seit 313 bis in die Zeit unmittelbar nach Nicaea (325) Konstantins kirchl. Berater (Arius/Arianismus). Auf den Synoden von Antiochien (Anfang 325) und Nicaea führte er den Vorsitz, ebenso in Serdika (342/43), wo er u.a. die Kanones (3 und 5 griech. Fassung; 4 und 7 lat. Fassung) für Rom als oberste kirchl. Appellationsinstanz (Papsttum: I.) einbrachte. 357 wurde er von Konstantius II., nachdem er noch ein Jahr zuvor feierlich gegen die Einmischung des Kaisers in kirchl. Angelegenheiten (Athanasiussache) protestiert hatte (s. Ath.h.Ar.44), nach Sirmium befohlen und mußte dort ein homöis…