Church History 18 – A few good men, prompted by a woman

Common Buckeye

 Behind most men who do anything worthwhile is a good woman.  Two brothers and their friend were three Christian men from the past who were no exception.  The so called ‘Great Cappadocians’ were instrumental in guiding the church to the second great confirmation of our faith during the Council of Constantinople in 381AD.  But it was the sister of the two brothers, who put them on the right path.

Cappadocia was a region in lands near where Turkey is today.  The great Cappadocians were Basil of Caesarea and his brother Gregory of Nyssa and their friend Gregory of Nazianzus.  Basil and Gregory’s sister was Macrina.  The three siblings were from a family with several generations of faithful Christian pedigree. 

Macrina had originally agreed to an arranged marriage; but before she was married her husband to be died.  Macrina decided to devote herself to a life of ‘celibacy and contemplation,’ according to Gonzalez.

Basil meanwhile went off the college.  He came back full of himself and ready to conquer the world.

Gonzalez: ‘It was then that Macrina intervened.  She bluntly told her brother that he had become vain, acting as if he were the best inhabitant of the city, and that he would do well in quoting fewer pagan authors and following more of the advice of Christian ones.’

Basil blew off his sister but when their brother Naucratius died unexpectedly, Basil was shook to the core. 

Gonzalez:  ‘The blow was such that Basil changed his life entirely….and asked Macrina to teach him the secrets of religious life….it was now Macrina who became the strength and consolation of the bereaved family.’

Macrina taught that ‘true happiness is not found in the glories of the world, but in the service of God.’  She had the family move to Annesi where she founded a monastic order for women. It was there that she became simply known as ‘the Teacher.’

Basil and his friend Gregory of Nazianzus settled nearby Annesi and founded another monastic community for men.  Basil served as an example for all the men finding no chore beneath him.  He also organized the community and wrote standards for conduct. 

The church soon found a need of a new leader and Basil was reluctantly drafted out of the monastery to become a church teacher and leader.  Later Basil was called to Caesarea to help fight against Arianism which was in vogue again under the emperor Valens.

Gonzalez:  ‘When Basic arrived in Caesarea, conditions were very difficult.  Bad weather had destroyed the crops, and the rich were hoarding food.  Basil had preached against such practices, and sold all his properties in order to feed the poor.  If all would take only what they needed, he said, and give the rest to others, there would be neither rich nor poor.’

After another death, Basil was elected bishop of Caesarea.  It was not long though that the Arian emperor Valens made his intentions known that he was coming to Caesarea.  Basil knew what this meant.  Underlings of Valens arrived in the city and tried to subdue Basil with ‘promises and threats.’

The underlings lost patience with getting Basil to cooperate.  So they began to play hardball.

Gonzalez:  They ‘threatened Basil was confiscating his goods, with exile, torture, and even death.  Basil responded, ‘All that I have that you can confiscate are these rags and a few books.  Nor can you exile me, for wherever you send me, I shall be God’s guest.  As to tortures you should know that my body is already dead in Christ.  And death would be a great boon to me, leading me sooner to God.’ Taken aback, the perfect said that no one had ever spoken to him thus.  Basil answered, ‘Perhaps that is because you have never met a true bishop.’’

Valens eventually decided not to rouse public opinion so he left Basil alone.  Basil began to work with the church community to promote the values of the monastic life.  He also worked to promote the ideas formulated by the Nicene council.  Basil wrote and taught much that influenced others around him.  He died a few months before the Council of Constantinople in 381AD where his work came to fruition.

Basil brother Gregory was not all that interested in the monastic passions of his brother.  He married and lived his life.  Gregory’s wife died and he then decided to listen to the call of his brother to get involved in staving off Arianism.

Basil had his brother Gregory become bishop of Nyssa.  Gregory was much intimidated by all the drama with the emperor and his brother.  He just wanted to hide in a hole.

Gonzalez:  ‘But in spite of this, after the death of both Valens and Basil, Gregory became one of the main leaders of the Nicene party.  As such he was received by the Council of Constantinople in 381AD.’

The third Cappadocian was Gregory of Nazianzus.  He befriended Basil while in college.  When he as about 30 years old, he sought to live the monastic life.  Basil appointed Gregory as a preacher and then a bishop but Gregory didn’t like being made bishop.  He had a falling out with Basil over this.  Their relationship remained strained up until the sudden death of Basil.  The death of his friend got Gregory involved into the bigger battles that needed attention.

Gonzalez:  ‘he felt compelled to take a leading role in the struggle against Arianism, in which Basil had sought his help with relatively little success.  In AD 379, he appeared in Constantinople.’

In Constantinople Gregory battled Arian monks who tired to make a mockery of the church.   He did not back down from their stinging attacks.  In 380, the Emperor Theodosius came to Constantinople.  He expelled all the Arians from leadership positions and convinced Gregory to become the bishop of Constantinople. He held court of the famous council of bishops that met there in 381AD.

Gonzalez:  The Council of Constantinople reaffirmed the doctrine of Nicea regarding the divinity of the Son, and added that the same ought to be said about the Holy Spirit.  Thus, it was this council that definitively proclaimed the doctrine of the Trinity.  Its decisions, and the theology reflected in them, were in large measure, the result of the work of the Great Cappadocians.’

It is hard to see God at work in history is it not?  Perhaps though God works through those who practice the discipleship of the bible.  John Wesley taught that we need ‘to know God and God’s ways.’

‘He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
   and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
   and to walk humbly with your God?’ Micah 6:8

Sources:

Justo L. Gonzalez from ‘The Story of Christianity, Volume 1, the Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation’

Joel Green, Reading Scripture as Wesleyans

NRSV Bible

Church History 17 – The Little Black Dwarf

Rachel punts to push back Tophat

Two chapters ago, we saw the Council of Nicea issue Christianity’s first statement of faith.  One person who attended the conference as an administrator for Bishop Alexander, was a guy named Athanasius who according to Gonzalez ‘was so dark and short that his enemies called him, the black dwarf.’  During the end of Constantine’s reign, through the pro-Arian reign on his son Constantius, all the way until Julian ‘the Apostate’ fell dead from a spear wound, the Church was being protected by a dark little man.

No much is known about Athanasius’ early years but he seems to have originated among the Copts in Egypt.  He is thought to have grown up around the monks in the desert who we remember fled the cities once Constantine came to power and royal influence seeped into the church.

Gonzalez: ‘From the monks, Athanasius learned a rigid discipline that he applied to himself, and an austerity that earned him the admiration of his friends and even the respect of many of his enemies. Of all the opponents of Arianism, Athanasius was most to be feared.  The reasons for this were not to be found in subtlety or logical argument, nor in elegance of style, nor even in political perspicuity.  In all these areas, Athanasius could be bested by his opponents.  His strong suit was in his close ties to the people among whom he lived, and in living out his faith without the subtleties of the Arians or the pomp of so many bishops or other important sees.  His monastic discipline, his roots among the people, his fiery spirit, and his profound and unshakable conviction made him invincible.’

Athanasius believed that Jesus Christ was the incarnation of God.  He wrote two books to support his position and taught that God himself came to dwell among us human beings.  When the Arian controversy blew up it was not a little matter for Athanasius.   According to Gonzalez Athanasius believed ‘the very core of the Christian message was at stake.’

When the bishop of Alexandria died, many assumed that Athanasius would be elected bishop.  But like many great bible people who were called by God, Athanasius did not feel like he was up to the task.  So he hid in the desert.

(God to Moses:

‘So get going.  I’m sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.

But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I to go to Pharaoh and to bring the Israelites out of Egypt…but what if they don’t believe me or pay attention to me?...but I have a slow mouth and a thick tongue.’  Exodus 3: 10-11, 4:1, 10 CEB

The Lord to Jeremiah:

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations’

Ah, Sovereign Lord, ‘I said, I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.’ Jer 1:5-6 CEB)

Reluctantly in the 328AD Athanasius became bishop of Alexandria.  Of course the smooth talking Pro-Arians who lost at Nicea were bent on his downfall.  They brought false charge after false charge against him.  Athanasius stood his ground but eventually Constantine came to believe that he was a danger to his political future.  Constantine had Athanasius put in exile in the city of Trier.  But it was not long after this that Constantine died.  His sons let all the bishops in exile return to their home cities.

But the tranquility did not last very long.  Athanasius would spend much of his time under the reign of Constantius through Julian going in and out of exile.

The next time it was a pro-Arian guy named Gregory who claimed he was the legitimate bishop of Alexandria.  Gregory tried to take the church in Alexandria by force so Athanasius fled once again.  He went to Rome and spent time among the bishops there.  Athanasius convinced the bishops in Rome that the Nicene position was the correct one to take.

When the middle son of Constantine came to power, he allowed Athanasius to return to Alexandria.  Gregory had made a mess of the church and Athanasius was welcomed back with open arms.  He had about a ten year period where he could concentrate on writing and teaching against Arianism. 

In 353AD Constantius, finally rid of his brothers, put his full support behind Arianism.  Many bishops succumbed to the royal pressure and signed documents saying they supported the Emperor’s views.  Some bishops like Athanasius did not bend.  We can guess what happened next, back to desert exile for the little champion of our faith.

Arianism was the deal for the next five years.  Those in lust for power supported it.  Those who did not lived in exile.  In those days, if you hid a little while surely the emperor would die.  Constantius did, and Julian came to power. 

Gonzalez:  ‘Unexpectedly, Constantius died and was succeeded by his cousin Julian.  Since the new emperor has no interest in supporting either side of the controversy, he simply canceled all orders of exile against all bishops.  He was hoping the two parties would weaken each other while he moved forward in his goal of restoring paganism.  One of the consequences of this action was that Athanasius was able to return to Alexandria, where he undertook a much-needed campaign of theological diplomacy.’

During his forty years or so as bishop of Alexandria, Athanasius waited on God’s good time.  He hid when the emperors sent legions after him.  He built advocates through this writing and teaching during these times.  He did not form militias, burn buildings or create his own church.  He stood firm in the faith.  But he also did something else.  He tried to make a way forward for his opponents.  That is, those who were hung up on the substance of the parties of the Trinity.

Gonzalez:  ‘Through a series of negotiations, Athanasius convinced many of these Christians that the formula of Nicea would be interpreted in such as way as to respond to the concerns of those who would rather say, ‘of a similar substance.’  Finally, in a synod gathered in Alexandria in 362 AD, Athanasius and his followers declared that it was acceptable to refer to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as ‘one substance’ as long as this was not understood as obliterating the distinction among the three, and that it was also legitimate to speak of ‘three substances’ as long as this was not understood as if there were three gods.  On the basis of this understanding, most of the church rallied in support of the Council of Nicea.’

Athanasius stood firm in the face more leadership changes during his final years (Julian, Jovian, Valens).  One emperor would support him and another would not.  He died in 373AD never having seen a fully united church.  However, his life’s work, how he lived, what he wrote and taught, had a major influence on the theologians who would follow.  We owe a great deal of gratitude to the little black man from Alexandria.

Sources:

Justo L. Gonzalez from ‘The Story of Christianity, Volume 1, the Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation’

Common English Bible

Church History 16 – Talked Down to like a 'Galilean' underneath the Old Pines

East Carrollton, GA Field #4

When the Emperor Constantine died, all of his close relatives were killed except for his three sons and two cousins.  Many assumed that the strong son Constantius ordered his family members massacred to ensure the throne would stay in the hands of one of brothers.  No one knows why but two cousins were also spared; one named Gallus and the other Julian.   

In 350AD Constantius had consolidated power from his brothers and became the sole Emperor of the Roman Empire.  He ran into trouble in 351AD and appointed his cousin Gallus caesar to run part of the empire that needed looking after.

Gonzalez:  ‘But Gallus did not turn out to be an able ruler, and there were rumors that he was conspiring against his cousin.   A few years after having made his caesar, Constantius had him arrested and beheaded.’

Julian who grew up as a Christian was in Athens getting a classical education. 

Gonzalez:  ‘It was also there that he became interested in the ancient mystery religions.  He had definitively abandoned Christianity, and sought after truth and beauty in the literature and religion of classical Greece.’

The next time Constantius was in trouble he had little choice but to call on Julian because everyone else in the family was dead.  He appointed Julian caesar in Gaul.

Julian, unlike Gallus, proved to be an able administrator and effective battlefield tactician.  Julian once thwarted an attack by the barbarians and became very popular with members of the Roman army.

Constantius didn’t like the attention Julian was getting.  This reminds me of how King Saul reacted when young David came back from battle with the Philistine giant:

‘And the women sang to one another as they made merry,

‘Saul has killed his thousands,
   and David his tens of thousands.’

Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. He said, ‘They have ascribed to David tens of thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?’ So Saul eyed David from that day on’. 1 Samuel 18 :7-9

(Remember Saul is the one who was told by the prophet Samuel to wait seven days so that a proper kingship ritual could be performed.  Saul didn’t feel he needed to wait.  He did it on his own.  David on the other hand, always seemed to have his eye on God.) 

I am reminded of the transforming power of the bible.  When one reads the passage above, it is like looking into the mirror of one’s own soul.  We learn what we human beings are capable of thinking about one another.  In the bible and in our history, we can see the need for a Savior.  At odd times in my life, I have clearly seen the need for Jesus to die for all the sins of humanity. 

I saw it yesterday.  I was arriving at a soccer field in Carrollton, Ga to watch my daughter play her second game of the day.  One set of players and parents were already in place on the field as the second set of parents and players arrived.  I pulled up my chair back in the shade of the old pines to wait for the game in progress to conclude.  When the game was over and most of the finishing players had gathered their balls and bags, a coach of one team was hunting a lost soccer ball.  He wandered over near me and made a comment about never having lost a game ball.  He asked if I saw it.  I said no.  He made several more comments insinuating that one of the ‘next’ game players or parents had taken his kids ball.  About that time, his daughter came back to the field telling her father that she had her ball after all.  The accusing coached laughed and announced for all to hear ‘thinking the worst…we got it.’

Jesus died for this in all of us.

Back to our history, we learn that like Saul who began to hunt David like an animal, in 361AD, Constantius was preparing battle plans to invade Gaul and kill Julian.  While doing so, Constantius suddenly died.   This made Julian top dog of the Roman Empire.

Gonzalez:  ‘Julian was an able ruler, who managed to set order in the chaotic administration of his vast domains.  Yet it is not for such actions that he is most remembered, but rather for his religious policy, which earned him the title by which history knows him:  ‘the Apostate.’  (Apostasy we remember is abandoning one’s faith.)

Julian took the 100 year old playbook of Emperor Decius who ‘was simply a Roman of the old style, whose main goal was to restore Rome to her ancient glory.’  That was rebuilding the temples and getting the pagan priests back in vogue.

Showing he had learned a thing or two while in college, Julian sought to use the organization of the Christian church help renew paganism.

Gonzalez:  ‘Following the example of the Christian church, he organized the pagan priesthood into a hierarchy similar to which the church used at the time…While rejecting Christianity, Julian actually learned a great deal from it.’

Julian’s old time religious awakening included not only offering sacrifices to the gods, rebuilding the pagan shrines and recovering many of the old relics; it also included a program to discredit Christianity.

Gonzalez:  ‘Rather than persecuting Christians, Julian followed a two-pronged policy of hindering their progress and ridiculing them. On the first score, he passed laws forbidding Christians to teach classical literature. ‘

Secondly, Julian wrote a book called ‘Galileans’ that mocked the bible and teachings of Jesus.  He then developed a plan to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem so as to discredit the claim that the destruction of the Temple had been a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.  (Reading this part was quite amazing to me; the lengths to which Julian planned to go in his zeal against Christians). 

But history took an unexpected turn.  As we are getting used to by now, without good hospitals and medicine, people died young and suddenly.  Julian was injured by a spear in battle and that was the end of him.

Source:

Justo L. Gonzalez from ‘The Story of Christianity, Volume 1, the Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation’