Module 5: Christological Heresies
CHRIST THE KING COLLEGE
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
MAGSAYSAY BLVD, CALBAYOG CITY, SAMAR
Module 5.
Christological Heresies
Name: John Jake G. De Vera
Section: BSCS-2
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Module 3: Christological Heresies
Welcome to this module on Rel. Ed At the center of Mark, Jesus
posed this climatic question to Peter: “Who do you say that I
am?” (Mark 8:29). This is a question for every generation —
maybe for every believer and nonbeliever. Unlike Peter,
however, believers and nonbelievers today can say, without
much thought or urgency, time-honored answers: the Christian
God, the savior, the promised Messiah, and, even, the God-
Man. But without some struggle — intellectual or
existential — these titles become dry, clichéd, and
powerless. For example, Peter had several faith-doubt
episodes prior and after his confession that Jesus is the Messiah.
And when we try to answer Jesus’ question — “who do you say
that I am?” — remembering the Church’s answers throughout
the centuries can aid us to rediscover the alluring beauty and
life-altering truth of Jesus.
General Instructions:
The following are some reminders in using this module:
1. Read and follow instruction carefully.
2. Write all your ANSWER in a paper.
3. Take note and record points for clarification
4. Do the activities and fully understand each lesson.
General Objectives
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. To understand the essential elements of Faith
2. Bear witness to faith as followers of Christ; and
3. Pray that they may deepen and appreciate the gift of faith.
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Jump Start
What Is in a Name?
If you were to give yourself a name or title, what would it
be? Why?
Example: Dora, the Explorer; Alexander; the Great;
among others
John Jake, the protective. This is what I want to call myself
because I am a kind of person who always want to protect someone
especially my love ones with any harm or with anybody who have the
intention to hurt them. Also, I have this characteristic which I don’t
like the part that there is someone I see hurting innocent people. I
hate seeing someone crying and suffering that is why I always want to
protect people as best as I can from those things that cause them
pain. Yes, we can’t escape from having the pain or anything that will
make us harm but for me protecting is the best way in order the
person not to be harm or not to experience any worst things in her
life.
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Shaping Minds
Three Common Heresies
The following three heresies are snapshots of whole movements that encompass
groups of people across centuries and a spectrum of theology. Our purpose then is
not to detail point-by-point what these heresies say, but to give a general
impression and its implicit threat to the proper worship of Jesus. It should be noted
that these heresies, and others not listed, were first proposed by Christian bishops
wanting to defend what they perceived to be orthodoxy. Often times, these
intelligent Christian thinkers started with divinity and clashed with the humanity of
Jesus. So, in an effort to make better sense of the Christian faith, they would
compromise Jesus’ divinity (Arianism), Jesus’ humanity
(Docetism/Apollinarianism), or the unity of divinity and humanity in Jesus
(Nestorianism).
Arianism: How divine was Jesus?
How much theological weight can one alphabetical letter carry? In the case
of Arianism, the weight of orthodoxy. The debate revolved around one iota (the
English equivalent of “i”): homoousia vs. homoiousia. They roughly translate from
the Greek: “of the same stuff” vs. “of like stuff.”⁴ On the one hand, Arius wanted to
defend monotheism and divinity — to keep the One God holy, absolutely unique,
and unadulterated by material stuff. On the other hand, he took the humanity of
Jesus seriously. So, he compromised. Arius once said that there once was
when the Son was not. So, before creation, God the Father created God the
Son because before then “the Son was not” yet in existence.⁶ In other
words, Arius denied the full divinity of Jesus. Arius argued that Jesus is not on
the same level as God the Father: that Jesus is homoiousia — of like stuff — with
God.⁷
If Jesus is like God, then he is not true or fully God, and anything less than God is
not God. Therefore, according to Arianism, Jesus is not God. It follows, then, that
Jesus merely models salvation because God did not save in Jesus. Salvation does
not flow from Calvary, but its best example is found there.
Athanasius and the Council of Nicea (325 AD) firmly but rightly said “No” to
Arianism. Only God can save sinners who cannot save themselves, and such
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Module 5: Christological Heresies
a salvation comes from Jesus. Therefore, Jesus must be homoousia —
of same stuff — with God. He cannot be anything less than fully God.
If our worship — what we say and how we live — hints at any salvation
apart from God, then our Christology might be compromised. Our salvation is
not built on the foundation of our works, good morals, or impressive thoughts. It is
built only on the gracious God in Jesus.
Docetism/Apollinarianism: How human was
Jesus?
Strictly speaking, Docetism and Apollinarianism are related but not the same
heresy. In reaction to Arianism — compromising Jesus’ divinity — and as a follower
of Athanasius, Apollinaris, in the fourth century, argued for the full divinity of Jesus
but did so by compromising his full humanity. Instead of two fully operating minds
— one divine and the other human — Apollinaris suggested that Jesus had only the
divine mind. From a human mind comes all forms of evil and deceit; therefore,
Jesus should not have a human mind, so said Apollinaris. Jesus is, then, like
Frankenstein — a mindless body zapped to life.
Docetism is an older heresy that represents a school of thought especially
influenced by Gnosticism. In brief, Docetists abhorred the human body: lust,
bloodshed, gluttony all originate in the human body. So, in order to protect divinity
from such vile filth they also compromised Jesus’ humanity by saying it only
“appeared” (doce) that he was human. Jesus is, then, like a phantom.
Both heresies compromise Jesus’ humanity in order to make room for or to
keep the divinity pure and holy. But this compromise also twists salvation. If only
God can save, then we should also ask what God saves us from. If Jesus’
humanity is missing his mind or his entire body, then does Jesus really save us
from corrupted minds and broken bodies? What’s more, can sinners really relate
and benefit from a zombie-Jesus or phantom-Jesus?
Gregory of Nazianzen and the Council of Constantinople (381 AD) resolutely
proclaimed “No” to Apollinarianism and Docetism. Gregory said that what is not
assumed is not healed. In other words, Jesus must be fully human, with a human
mind and body. Jesus is the locus of salvation — minds and bodies find their
restoration and new life in him.
If our worship tends to downplay humanity, then our Christology might be
compromised. God embraced the fullness of humanity in Jesus: humanity is
affirmed. Therefore, our worship should reflect such radical embrace in what we
say and how we live. This might include the arts, embodied practices, and bodily
care.
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Nestorianism: How was Jesus divine and human?
Naturally, the question of the unity between Christ’s full divinity and full humanity
rose after the Arian and Docetist/Apollinarian debates. Which has priority? How are
the two held together in one person? And when we talk about Jesus, are we
referring to God the Son or Jesus the human, or both? For instance, can we say
that the immaterial God was physically born of the Virgin Mary?
Nestorius found calling Mary just theotokos (“Mother of God”) problematic. He also
wanted to call her anthropotokos (“Mother of human”), but opted to call her
simply Christotokos (“Mother of Christ”). This was not well-received nor accurately
understood. Cyril of Alexandria thought, for instance, that Nestorius taught a
“moral union” between Christ’s divinity and humanity, not a real or substantive one.
This then became Nestorianism: separating the fullness of divinity and humanity in
Christ’s person. But it is arguable whether Cyril’s assessment was correct and that
Nestorius agreed with the core tenants of Nestorianism. This is, sadly, Nestorius’
lamentable fate: he became the spokesperson for a heresy he did not teach.
Nevertheless, extreme Nestorianism — separating Christ’s divinity and humanity
— is heretical. It dissolves the perfect union between God and human in Jesus that
is necessary for our salvation. Sin divorced us from God, but the incarnation
reconnected God and us in “the most dramatic way imaginable” — God
became flesh. So, was the immaterial God physically born of the Virgin Mary? Did
God hunger during Jesus’ fast in the desert? Did God die? Yes to all: God was born
in Jesus, God hungered in Jesus, and God died in Jesus. This is different from
saying God was born (full stop), God hungered (full stop), and God died (full stop)
in abstraction from Jesus. Instead, the most intimate and most mysterious
union between God and human in Jesus must be preserved and defended.
If our worship does not communicate the intimate union between God and
humanity in and through Jesus, then our Christology might be compromised.
Salvation is not an escape from earth — it is union with God through Jesus and by
the Holy Spirit. God’s nearness is promised to us in trials and tribulations,
pain and suffering, and even at death’s door — for God overcame all in
Jesus.
Conclusion
“Who do you say that I am?” is a question of a life-time and for every
generation. I do not ask this. Your pastors do not ask this. Professors of theology
do not ask this. No, it is Jesus who asks us time and time again. One answer might
work for one season, but every new season demands its own answer. Thankfully,
the Christian faith has a rich tradition, one with many mistakes and struggles we
can learn from.
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Here, we covered three common Christological heresies — Arianism,
Docetism/Apollinarianism, and Nestorianism — because to address heresies is to
learn how to worship Jesus properly. It is not to flaunt our intellectual prowess, but
to build up the Church in love — making sure that what they profess matches how
they live.
Our worship must reflect that only God saves humanity through union in
Jesus. How can the Church today worship and live in such a way that proclaims
such glad tidings? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Transforming Action
The Meaning of Christ
Read the biblical passage, then answer the points to ponder
on.
Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do
people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or
one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by
flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
Points to Ponder On
1. Why did Jesus ask His Disciples about what the people thought
of Him?
In the biblical passage, there was a part that Jesus ask His
Disciples about what the people thought of Him and that way
Jesus found out how people see Him and how extend His people
know about Him.
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Module 5: Christological Heresies
2. Why is it important for Jesus to know how people perceive Him?
It is important for Jesus to know how people perceive Him
because in that manner Jesus could measure how well they
knew Jesus and to determine those people who really knows
Him better.
3. Why is it important for us to know Jesus?
If it is important for Jesus to know how people thought of
Him then it is very significant for us to know Jesus because as
what He did, He only want us to know God the father who
created Him and make Him as a way for all of us.
Lesson Check On
Answer the following question briefly, but substantially.
1. What are heresies? How did they spread?
Heresies are false teachings of some or some truths in the Bible.
They are spread by teachers who deny the truth. One of the examples
of heresies is Arianism which it only focuses the divinity of Jesus.
2. Who were the Church Fathers? What role did they play in responding
to heresies?
The Church Fathers helped clarify Church teaching in both of these
areas. The Church Fathers were bishops, theologians, teachers, and
scholars whose writing have greatly contributed to Church doctrine
and practice.
3. What was the major teaching of the heresy of Arianism? How did this
false idea begin and spread?
Arianism is the false belief that Jesus was truly God. It was started
by a popular preacher named Arius.
4. Why did the Church see Arianism as a particularly dangerous heresy or
error?
Arianism was a heresy that Jesus was never made man with flesh,
but was a creature and an adopted son of God. It was dangerous
because this is one of the fundamental beliefs of our Church and would
confuse many believers.
Module 5: Christological Heresies
Module 5: Christological Heresies
5. How does the Church answer the question about how many Persons
there are in Christ?
Christ is only one person that composed of two identity, the
humanity and the divinity.
6. Define Nestorianism? How did it develop?
Nestorianism, Christian sect that originated in Asia Minor and
Syria stressing the independence of the divine and human natures of
Christ and, in effect, suggesting that they are two persons loosely
united. The schismatic sect formed following the condemnation of
Nestorius and his teachings by the ecumenical councils of Ephesus and
Chalcedon.
“Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
Psalm 37:5
Module 5: Christological Heresies