The Doctrine of the Person of Christ in the Early ChurchThe Apollinarian Controversy
The first major Christological heresy following Arianism stemmed from the teachings of Apollinarius (ca. 310-90 A.D.), commonly referred to as Apollinarianism or the Logos-Sarx model of Christology. Apollinarius’ view arose from a trichotomist understanding of human nature, which he interpreted according to Platonic thought. Apollinarius taught that the soul was merely the impersonal life principle of the body, and the spirit was the source of all personality and rational ability. Thus he concluded that the nature of Jesus Christ consisted of the Word occupying the place of the spirit, and the Word was then joined to a body and soul. Apollinarius correctly confirmed the deity and unity of Christ, but erred in totally obscuring His human nature.
The group known as the Cappadocians consisted of three theologians that opposed the teachings of Apollinarius. These men, Gregory of Nazianius (329-89 A.D.), Gregory of Nyssa (d. 395 A.D.), and Basil of Caesarea (d. 379 A.D.), recognized the importance of Christ’s true humanity to a correct Christian doctrine of salvation. Gregory of Nazianius writes, “If anyone has put his trust in Him (Christ) as a Man without a human mind, he is really bereft of mind, and quite unworthy of salvation. For that (humanity) which He has not assumed He has not healed; but that which is united to His Godhead is also saved.” The Cappadocians attacked Apollinarianism from 370 onward until the heresy was finally condemned at the Council of Constantinople in 381 A.D. However, the only explicit refutation of Apollinarianism in the Creed of Constantinople comes in the phrase “incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary.” Additionally, though a one nature Christ had been rejected, neither the Cappadocians nor the Council of Constantinople offered a final solution for the explaining interaction of the two natures. The Council had been primarily concerned with the doctrine of the Trinity, the relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to one another. Thus the door was left open for continued debate surrounding the person of Christ.
| . | Gonzalez, Justo, A History of Christian Thought, Vol I (Nashville: Abingdon, 1987), 347. | | . | Hannah, John, “HT200 Class Notes,”, 10.10. | | . | Ibid., 10.12. |
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