History of ecumenical councils of the first millennium

Andrewn · Aug 16, 2022

The Liturgist said:
While en route to Constantinople, St. Epiphanius realized he was being used by Pope Theophilus, and that allegation against St. John Chrysostom - that he was an Origenist - was bogus,

The question is that does the charge of being an Orignist mean. You say that it has to do with Arianism. I didn't see evidence of this in De Principiis. But I guess the copy we have is edited by Rufinus.

What I see from my reading is that that charge was applied to those who did not believe in Anthropomorphism and followed Origen's view of God being spirit only. Theophilus opposed the 3 tall brother for teaching this and he supported the Anthropomorphist party. Epiphanius followed him and he attacked St Jerome when the latter initially wrote approvingly of Origen. Epiphanius apparently visited with Chrysostom in Constantinople and left before the arrival of Theophilus for the synod. Perhaps Chrysostom convinced him.

The Wikipedia article about Pope Theophilus used to have a lot more information but this has been edited out. I guess because the info was not flattering. But there is info on other websites:

When saints disagree: the angry parting of St Epiphanius and St John Chrysostom

The Form of God and Vision of the Glory: Some Thoughts on the Anthropomorphite Controversy of 399 AD

The Liturgist said:
I trust him more than Eusebius of Caesarea (who was an Arian sympathizer

Eusebius has been accused of being an Arian sympathizer. But I have deep respect for his spirituality and intelligence.

BTW, Quartodecimanism is definited as the practice of celebrating Easter on the 14th of Nisan. But this does not make sense. The Lord was crucified the day after the 14th and resurrected 3 days later. I can understand why a certain group may celebrate Easter 3 days after Passover, rather than the following Sunday, but why should anyone celebrate Easter on Passover?

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 17, 2022

The 4th century is the time when the first and second ecumenical councils were held.

The most famous saints of the 4th century (in my opinion) are Saints Nicholas of Myra the Wonderworker and Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trimyphus, Saints Basil the Great and Gorigory the Theologian, the Great Martyr Panteleimon and the Great Martyr Catherine, the Monk Anthony the Great and many others.

Saints Nicholas of Myra and Spyridon Trimifuntsky were bishops of small towns. They became known thanks to works of mercy, as well as miracles (healing the sick, resurrecting the dead, calming a storm at sea, and others). The rulers listened to them. Orthodox Christians still resort to them with requests for help and receive it.

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian are known for their theological works. Saint Basil was also a miracle worker and wrote the liturgy, which is still served in Orthodox churches during Great Lent before Easter.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 18, 2022

Also, a special place among the saints of the 4th century is occupied by St. Anthony the Great. He is considered the founder of monasticism. By origin, he was an Egyptian, had a dark skin color. This is especially pleasant to African American Christians. He was born in 251, in a noble, rich family, in the village of Coma (near Heliopol).

At the age of 20, he left without his parents, he once went into the temple and heard the Gospel: "Give everything and follow me." Anthony took this as an appeal to him personally. He left his sister a dowry, and he handed his estate to the poor and went to Christian ascetics to learn to serve God constantly day and night.

He is known for a particularly brutal struggle against the machinations of the devil. The demons frightened him and shake the mountain on which his cell was, and sometimes even beat him. Once they have him beaten to half to death. But each time the Lord Jesus Christ came to the rescue, expelled demons and completely healed the wounds of the saint.

The Monk possessed the gifts of miracles, insight and healing. He enjoyed the great love and respect of people. Saint Anthony the Great lived for 105 years and had died in 356.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 19, 2022

Today the Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor (Matthew 17:1-9). As we know, Jesus Christ never performed miracles for fun. All miracles were caused by needs: to help the poor at the wedding, cure the sick, feed the hungry, pay taxes, save the drowning and others. But part of the miracles was to confirm the doctrine. Among them is the miracle of the Transfiguration of the Lord on Tabor.

The voice of God the Father from the cloud said that Jesus is the Son of God and to be listened to. This also confirms the words of Jesus Christ that no one comes to God the Father except through him (John 14:6), “I and the Heavenly Father are one” (John 10:30), that both He Himself and His Heavenly Father (John 8:18) and others.

The fact that Moses and Elijah appeared during the Transfiguration of the Lord testifies that God does not have the dead, because he is the God of the living (Luke 20:38) and that there will be a resurrection of the dead.

This is all reflected in the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed:
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible;
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father; by whom all things were made:
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man;
And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried;
And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;
And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;
And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke by the Prophets;
And we believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.
We look for the Resurrection of the dead,
And the Life of the age to come. Amen.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 20, 2022

The 4th century is also famous for the fact that the rule (canon) of the Bible was finally approved: which New Testament and Old Testament books will be included in the Bible.

The canon of the books of the Old Testament was finally approved at the Council of Laodicea in 364 and the Council of Carthage in 397.

In general terms, the canon of the New Testament had already taken shape by the middle of the second century.

Both Testaments were first reduced to canonical form at local councils in the 4th century: the Council of Hippo in 393 and the Council of Carthage in 397.

In 692, at the Sixth Ecumenical Council (the second canon), the aforementioned canons of local councils were confirmed as universally binding for the entire Church.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 22, 2022

The Third Ecumenical Council was convened in 431, in the town Ephesus, under the Emperor Theodosius II the Younger of Constantinople.

The main reason for convening the Council was the heresy of Nestorius. When the Arian heresy was condemned, Nestorius agreed that Jesus Christ was God. But Nestorius paid special attention to the places in the Gospel where Jesus Christ was humiliated. The Orthodox explained that it was only the human nature of Christ that was humiliated, but not the Divine. Nestorius, being Archbishop of Constantinople, impiously taught that the Blessed Virgin Mary gave birth to a simple man Christ, with whom God united later and dwelt in Him, as in a temple. Therefore, Nestorius called the Lord Jesus Christ Himself a God-bearer, and not a God-man, and called the Most Holy Virgin a Christ-bearer, and not the Mother of God.

The council condemned and rejected the heresy of Nestorius and decided to recognize the union in Jesus Christ, from the time of the incarnation, of two natures: divine and human; and determined: to confess Jesus Christ as perfect God and perfect Man, and the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Theotokos.

The Council also approved the Nicetsaregrad Creed and strictly forbade making any changes or additions to it.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 23, 2022

The 4th-6th centuries are called the golden period of monasticism. Then the monastics were especially distinguished by their exploits and the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit. Of course, there were ascetics in subsequent times up to the 20th century. But these were units for generations. Whereas in the Egyptian desert of the 4th-6th centuries, such miracle workers numbered in the thousands.

Here is one of the stories from those times:
Under the leadership of Abba Apollos, there was a monastic community in Upper Egypt, consisting of five thousand brethren. Of these, five hundred reached Christian perfection and were able to perform signs. It was a wonderful sight in this brotherhood. Being in the wild desert, they were in such joy, which you will never see among other inhabitants of the earth.

This joy cannot be compared with any earthly joy. None of them were sad. Abba Apollos, when he noticed someone in confusion, immediately asked him about the reason for the confusion and revealed to everyone the secrets of his heart. He said: “The one who is destined to receive the Kingdom of Heaven should not be sad (embarrassed). Let the pagans be embarrassed! let the Jews cry! let the sinners cry! but let the righteous rejoice! Those who think about success in earthly affairs rejoice at these reflections: how can we not rejoice incessantly, who have been rewarded with the hope of receiving heavenly blessings? The Apostle commands us: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 24, 2022

A special place among the bishops of the 4th and 5th centuries is occupied by St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople. This great teacher of the Church of Christ was born in Antioch around the year 347. The young man studied with the best philosophers and rhetoricians of his time and received a good secular education. He was baptized at the age of 20.

After the death of his mother, he became a monk. Growing spiritually, he was ordained a reader, deacon and priest. John proved to be an excellent connoisseur of the Holy Scriptures and an exemplary preacher. But he brought the greatest benefit to the Church in his episcopal rank.

When he became Archbishop of Constantinople, he began to zealously shepherd the entrusted verbal flock of Christ.

He paid special attention to the spiritual perfection of the priesthood. And here he was the best example. The expenses that were intended for the archbishop, the saint turned to the maintenance of several hospitals and hotels for pilgrims. But he himself was content with meager food. He later built many temples, hospitals and hospices. He composed the liturgy, which is still served in Orthodox churches. From his sermons were compiled interpretations of many books of the Bible.

He was a criticizer of loose morals among the highest nobility. Due to the intrigues of the vengeful Empress Eudoksia and some bishops, he died on the way to exile.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 25, 2022

The fourth ecumenical council took place in 451 at Chalcedon. The reason for the council was another heresy (monophysitism).

The archimandrite of one of the monasteries of Constantinople, Eutyches rejected human nature in the Lord Jesus Christ. Eutyches taught that in the Lord Jesus Christ human nature is completely absorbed in the Divine, and recognized in Christ only the Divine nature. Thus, it turned out that the suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross were not real, feigned. Then the resurrection was not real.

The Council condemned this false teaching and defined the teaching of the Church: The Lord Jesus Christ is True God and true man. As a man, He is like us in every way, except for sin. At the incarnation of Christ, divinity and humanity were united in Him as one Person. Jesus Christ was incarnated from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, suffered, was buried and resurrected.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 26, 2022

Of the saints of the 5th century, the Orthodox Church venerates most of all Arseny the Great, John Kolov and Alexy, the Man of God.

Arseny was born in Rome in 354. His family was religious and they highly revered God. From early childhood he received a good education. In time he became a deacon. The Eastern Roman Empire at that time was ruled by Emperor Theodosius. For his sons, he was looking for a teacher who would combine a good education and a pious life. In Arsenia, these qualities were ideally combined. He became the teachers of the imperial children.

One day he punished them. The sons of the emperor wanted to kill him and could do it. Then he fled to the Egyptian desert and asked to be a student of the monks. He became a student of John Kolov. The Egyptian elders immediately loved Arseny for his humility. Subsequently, the voice of the Almighty came to him, which ordered him to hide from all people. He lived as a hermit, appearing only in church on Sundays and holidays. So he lived in complete seclusion for 50 years and died in 440 at the age of 95 years.

Even during his lifetime, God glorified him with the spiritual gifts of clairvoyance, reasoning and wonderworking. The Monk Arseny slept only one hour a day. One day, visitors came to him. He did not accept them (he did not accepting anyone). But then he told, that he accompanied them (spiritually observing them), until they came back home.

Abba John Kolov is known not only for being the teacher of Arseny the Great. Examples from his life are given as textbooks for beginners in the ascetic life.

He is especially known for his absolute obedience to his elder, Abba Pamva. One day, the elder took a dry tree, planted it on a mountain, and ordered John to water this dry tree daily with a bucket of water until the tree bears fruit. The water was far from them. At the end of the third year, the tree turned green and bore fruit. The elder took the fruit, brought it to the church to the brethren, and said to them: come, partake of the fruit of obedience. God also rewarded Abba John Kolov with other miracles.

John said: Humility and the fear of God are above all virtues.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 26, 2022

The Monk Alexy, a man of God, known for extreme humility. He was born in Rome from noble and pious parents. His father Evfimian was a senator. He was distinguished by spiritual kindness, was merciful to the sick and suffering, and daily arranged three tables at his home: for orphans and widows, for travelers and for the poor.

Saint Alexy grew up as a healthy child, studied well and diligently. When he came of age, it's time for him to get married. Parents chose for their son a girl of royal blood, very beautiful and rich. But he wanted to devote his whole life to praying to God. Left alone with his young wife after the wedding, Saint Alexy gave her his gold ring and belt buckle and left his father's house that same night.

Boarding a ship sailing to the East, the young man arrived in Syrian Laodicea. Having distributed the remnants of his property, the young man dressed in rags and began to beg in the porch of the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos. Every Sunday he communed the Holy Mysteries of Christ. At night, Alexy stayed awake and prayed. He ate only bread and water.

His relatives searched for him, but to no avail.
The Monk Alexy spent seventeen years in Edessa, begging for alms in the porch of the Church of the Theotokos. The Most Pure One herself, having appeared in a dream to the church watchman, revealed that the poor Alexis is a man of God. When the inhabitants of Edessa began to honor him, the Monk Alexis secretly fled. He thought of going to the city of Tarsus (in Asia Minor), but the ship, on which the Monk Alexy sailed, went off course in a strong storm, wandered for a long time and finally landed on the shores of Italy, not far from Rome. Saint Alexis, seeing the Providence of God in this, went to his father's house, for he was sure that they would not recognize him.

Having met his father Evfimian, he asked him for shelter. He was glad to receive the beggar, gave him a place in the hallway of his house, ordered him to bring food from the master's table and assigned a servant to help him. The rest of the servants, out of envy, began to surreptitiously insult the beggar, but the Monk Alexy saw through this diabolical instigation and accepted the bullying with humility and joy. He still ate bread and water, and at night he stayed awake and prayed. So another seventeen years passed. When the hour of his death approached, the Monk Alexy wrote down his whole life, both the secret that was known to his father and mother, and the words spoken to his wife in the marriage chamber.

On Sunday, after the Divine Liturgy, a miracle happened in the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle. From the holy throne came a voice from above: "Seek the man of God to pray for Rome and all his people." All the people fell on their faces in horror and delight. On Thursday evening in the Cathedral of the Apostle Peter they prayed to the Lord to reveal to them the man of God - and a voice came from the throne: "In the house of Euthymian, there is a man of God, look there." The Roman Emperor Honorius (395-423) and Pope Innocent I (402-417) attended the temple. They turned to Euthymian, but he did not know anything. Then the servant assigned to Saint Alexy told Euthymian about his righteousness. Euthymian hurried to the Monk Alexy, but did not find him alive.

The coffin with the body of St. Alexis was placed in the middle of the central square. People began to flock to him to be cleansed and resolved from their ailments. The dumb began to speak, the blind received their sight, the possessed and the mentally ill recovered. Seeing such grace, Emperor Honorius and Pope Innocent I themselves carried the body of the saint in a funeral procession. The honest remains of Saint Alexis, the man of God, were buried in the church in the name of Saint Boniface on March 17, 411.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 27, 2022

There are two concepts of the Church in the Bible. One concept corresponds to the word "church community". This is how the Revelation of John the Theologian describes the churches of Asia Minor as local communities. Elsewhere, Jesus Christ says, “Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Here the Church is singular. Therefore, Jesus Christ spoke about the universal Church.

As we see from the revelation of John the Theologian, local churches can be wrong. But the world church is not wrong. Jesus Christ said: "Whoever does not listen to the church, let him be to you as a pagan and a publican." Although this passage refers to the local church, it is implied that the church is always right. Thus, based on the foregoing, we conclude: the local church is always right, but only if it lives in accordance with the decisions of the world (universal) Church.

The rules by which all Christians of the world lived throughout the first millennium are reflected in the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils, of which there were seven. Everything changed in the second millennium. Local churches began to change the rules according to their own understanding.

But could the rules be outdated?
After all, the Bible is approved by these rules, and they also come from the Bible. These rules are so closely intertwined with the Bible that if the rules of ecumenical councils are outdated, then the Bible is also outdated. But in the Revelation of John the Theologian, Jesus Christ strictly says that if anyone adds anything to this book or subtracts from it, he will be severely punished and will not inherit salvation (Revelation of John the Theologian 22:18-19). These words will be relevant until the second coming of Jesus Christ.

We cannot say that any sin was a sin in the first millennium, and now it is already the norm, because everyone does it. This is contrary to the New Testament, which says that the concept of sin will not change until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Thus, the obligatory nature of the rules approved by the Ecumenical Councils in the first millennium cannot be canceled in the second or third millennium, based only on the fact that now almost everyone is violating them.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 28, 2022

Today

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 28, 2022

Today

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 28, 2022

Today

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 28, 2022

Today

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 28, 2022

Today, August 28, according to a new style, the Orthodox Christian Church celebrates the Day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It would seem that what is there to celebrate? There was a good person with us and she was gone. But God has no dead. And for this person it is a great joy: to start a new life in paradise near the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the Orthodox Christian Church celebrates this day together with the Virgin Mary according to the commandment of the apostle: "Rejoice with those who rejoice" (Romans 12:15).

tradiczii-prazdnika-uspenie-presvyatoj-bogorodiczy-kotoryj-otmechaetsya-28-avgusta-2022-680x400.jpg

This holiday is mentioned in the works of Blessed Jerome, Blessed Augustine and Gregory, Bishop of Tursky. In the IV century, it was already celebrated in many places of the Roman Empire. The significance of the feasts of the Mother of God was especially emphasized by the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils about the divine nature of Jesus Christ.

In addition, Christians more than once were convinced of the prayerful help of the Most Holy Theotokos.

It is believed that at the request of the Byzantine emperor Maurice, who defeated the Persian army on August 15 according to the Julian style (August 28 according to the Gregorian style), the day of the Assumption of the Mother of God (since 595) became a universal church holiday.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 29, 2022

Although Monophysitism was condemned by the Fourth Ecumenical Council, its secret supporters (among the clergy and the highest nobility) remained. Even the wife of Emperor Justinian the Great was a Monophysite. Under her influence, in 535 Justinian elevated Anthim, a secret Monophysite, to the patriarchal throne of Constantinople. But at the insistence of the Pope Agapit, Justinian deposed Anfimus and a patriarch was appointed in his place, subordinate to the Council of Chalcedon.
View attachment 320277
But the Monophysites did not leave secret intrigues to gain power in the Church. They took advantage of the fact that some orthodox Christians, condemning the heresy of Nestorius (who insisted that Jesus Christ was born an ordinary person), fell into the other extreme (recognizing in Jesus Christ only the divine nature, denying the human nature in him). The Monophysites also managed to seize power over the Sees of Alexandria and Antioch (two of the five patriarchates of that time). In these cities there was a struggle between the supporters of the Council of Chalcedon and the Monophysites. It came to bloodshed: the Monophysites killed supporters of the Council of Chalcedon. In addition to the heresy of Monophysitism, other heresies also arose. Especially many new false teachings were generated by the mistakes of the church teacher Origen. He taught, in particular, that human souls existed prior to incorporation into bodies and were holy spirits (they were allegedly infused into bodies as a punishment for sins). Other well-known church teachers also made mistakes. The Monophysites accused the supporters of the Council of Chalcedon of being they are secret Nestorians.

The Fifth Ecumenical Council was in 553, in the city of Constantinople. He confirmed the condemnation by previous councils of the heresy of the Monophysites and Nestorians. The council also condemned the unsubstantiated fantastic teachings about the existence of souls before the existence of the body and other (less known) false teachings.

ValeriyK2022 · Aug 30, 2022

Dear moderators, delete empty posts in this thread if possible. I didn't intentionally post them. This happened due to the fact that there were software failures when saving a post in a topic and I tried to save many times.

Andrewn · Aug 31, 2022

ValeriyK2022 said:
Today, August 28, according to a new style, the Orthodox Christian Church celebrates the Day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Assumption / Dormition of the Mother of God is celebrated on 15 August in the RCC and on 22 August in the Coptic Church.

History of ecumenical councils of the first millennium

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Attachments

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Attachments

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Similar threads