Lesson 5: Unity and Division within the Church (4th-5th century)

Introduction:
Unity has been one of the main characteristics of the First Christian community as we read
in the book of Acts (Acts 2:42-47). Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they were one in their
desire to preach the Good News of Salvation. It is the same Spirit who unified, vivified and
inspired them to do the mission. However, amidst the unity, there are events that led to the
division within the Christian community as evidenced by the Roman persecutions and the
early heresies that led the Church to division. The unity of the Church from her very
foundation was at stake. In this lesson, we will look into the events that once again led to
the unity in the Church as well as the events of dissention they have experienced. Let us
start with an activity.
Three Illustrative examples of the history of the unity and division of the Church
A. Constantine and the Christian Church

 For almost three centuries, the Christians were persecuted by the Roman civil
authorities. But in the beginning of the third century, a complete reversal occurred.
A new emperor in the West favored Christianity.
 In 312 A.D. Constantine fought a gallant battle with Maxentius over the throne of
Rome. In the fateful battle of Milvian Bridge near Rome, Constantine emerged
victorious. He attributed this victory to the Christian God whom he turned for help. It
was said that on the night before the battle, Constantine had a vision. He was told to
put the sign of Christ – the first two letters of Christ’s name in Greek – on the
soldiers’ shields. He had the Chi-Rho sign mounted on his standard. Eusebius in his
Life of Constantine gave a more sensational account. Constantine and his whole
army saw a luminous cross appear in the afternoon sky with the message “in thee
conquer”

 In 313 A.D. , Constantine together with Licinius issued the Edict of Milan and gave
the persecution its final and definitive hault.

 Constantine’s conversion to Christianity was a historical event of the most decisive

nature for it ushered a new era or epoch not only for the Roman State but also for
the Church. In the beginning of his rule, he regarded the pagan religions with
tolerance. But gradually he began to reveal his true convictions; he imposed
restrictions on pagan practices and openly favored Christianity. He publicly displayed
the Christian symbols and lavished the Church with his generous donations and the
erections of basilicas and churches. He granted the Christian clergy special privileges
as a distinct social class. They were exempted from military service and forced
labor…… The Roman law was modified in terms of Christian values. Sexual offenses
such as adultery, concubinage and prostitution were punished severely. On the other
hand, a more humane attitude was shown toward slaves, children, orphans and
widows. Sunday, the day when Christians assembled, was made a public holiday, a
day of rest.
  Under Constantine, the coalition of the Church and the State paved the road to the
union of the Church and the State in the Medieval Ages. Whether this coalition was
right or wrong, it proved to be one of the turning points in the history of the Church
and of the world. The Church would never be the same again for better and for
worse.

B. Religious Controversies: Dogma and Councils

 The new freedom granted to the Church by the Edict of Milan did not firmly establish
and consolidate the unity of the Church.
 While Constantine bestowed the Church with so much temporal privilege, peace and
power, it was not immune from internal threats to her unity. The Church
encountered differences of interpretations pertaining to its dogma and doctrines.
Like the previous centuries, heretics and the ecclesiastical authorities came to a
battle of interpretation and declaration, ushering the age of the Ecumenical Councils
of the of the early Church.
 By definition, an ecumenical council is “literally a council drawn from the whole wide
world” or a “meeting of all the bishops of the inhabited world” in orcentury wereder
to “deliberate on Church affairs, make decisions and lay regulations.” The
ecumenical councils of the fourth century were primarily focused on Christological
heresies.
 At the center of these religious controversies stood the mystery of the incarnation.
Was Jesus a mere human being? Is he really the Son of God made man? How was the
union of true man and true God in Jesus the Christ to be understood? These
questions received contradictory answers, giving rise to the controversies which
shook the foundations of unity in the Church.
The Great Ecumenical Councils of the Early Church
1. Council of Nicea (325 A.D)
Arius, a priest at Alexandria preached that the Divine Word is God’s foremost
creature and creation of all the others, but He is not of the substance of God the Father and
not eternal. He disturbed the unity of the Christians and sowed the seed of confusion. He
was able to convince few believers and continued teaching his belief. The heresy later was
named Arianism.
The Council Of Nicea facilitated by Constantine and attended by bishops condemned
Arius as a heretic and affirmed its faith in Jesus as equal to the Father in the famous Nicene
Creed in 325 A.D. The Bishops added the adjective homoousios in speaking of the Son of
God. That is to say that the Son is consubstantial with the Father. From the Council of Nicea,
emerged a famous figure responsible for the partial defeat of Arianism, the bishop of
Alexandria, Athanasius, who was also considered as the greatest of the fourth century
defenders of the first Council of Nicea.
2. Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.)
Even after the Council of Nicea, heresies still persisted. Another controversy came up
because of this question: “If He (Jesus) was very God, how could he be true man?”
Apollinaris of Laodicea “denied the full humanity of Jesus, saying that the rational
soul in him had been replaced by the Divine Logos therefore making Jesus incapable of sin
because he did not have a human soul which was capable of sin and error.
Emperor Theodosius I, appointed a new bishop of Constantinople. Gregory of
Nazianzus and “convened a council in his capital in order to re establish the creed of Nicea,
condemn Arianism and Apollinarism. The council clarified the doctrine of the Trinity and
make sure that these clarifications were contained in the Creed. The Council of
Constantinople indeed re affirmed Nicea and condemned Arianism and Apollinarism
3. Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.)
After the achievements of the councils of Nicea and Constantinople, a new question
assailed the Church authorities and divided its leaders.
Nestorius, patriarch of Constantinople “divided the two natures of Christ, one divine
and the other human and each has its own personal manifestation” and conceded that Mary
was Christ-bearer (Christotokos) but not the “Mother of God” (Theotokos).
On the other hand, Cyril of Alexandria attacked the claims of Nestorius. An intelligent
theologian who is faithful to Nicea. “He worked to emphasize the unity of divine and human
in Christ” and strongly argued that the title Theotokos for Mary is “permissible”
The Council of Ephesus condemned the views of Nestorius and declared Mary as
Theotokos
4. Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.)
Dissatisfied with the previous declarations on the person of Christ, Eutyches, a monk
from Constantinople, “asserted that, although there were two natures before the union of
the Incarnation, there resulted only one nature, the divine after the union. In other words,
“Christ’s human nature was completely absorbed by the divine nature. Such new heresy was
termed as “monophysitism, the doctrine of one nature in Christ.”
Since this heresy deliberately and clearly violated the teachings of the previous
councils, Flavian, the bishop of Constantinople had Eutyches condemned and
excommunicated.
At the Council of Chalcedon (A.D. 451) the Church declared that the two natures of Christ
are joined "in one person and one hypostasis" where hypostasis means one substance. The
phrase "hypostatic union" was adopted a century later, at the fifth general council at
Constantinople (A.D. 533). It is an adequate expression of Catholic doctrine about Jesus
Christ that in him are two perfect natures, divine and human; that the divine person takes to
himself, includes in his person a human nature; that the incarnate Son of God is an
individual, complete substance; and that the union of the two natures is real (against Arius),
no mere indwelling of God in a man (against Nestorius), with a rational soul (against
Apollinaris), and the divinity remains unchanged (against Eutyches).
C. Luther splits Christendom (16th c.)
(This part will be taken in detail in the next sessions)
Conclusion:
We can see in this lesson different events that led to both the unity and division within the
Church. We have come to an understanding and appreciation of the Church’s growing
understanding of her faith in Jesus. Enlightenment on the teachings of the heretics were
made through the declarations of the General Councils. We are just grateful for all the
efforts of our Church leaders in standing up against the heretical teachings and becoming
firm in their faith that became the foundation of our doctrines today. Amidst the different
instances of division, but still the Church triumphs and maintains her unity.
It will somehow give us a view and a realization that no matter what divisive events come in
our lives, it should not be the end of everything but a chance for us to grow in our faith.