The Council Of Nicea ( 325 )

The Council Of Nicea ( 325 )
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Research Paper on The Council of Nicea (325)
Submitted to Dr. Jerry Sutton, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
CHHI 510–D03
Survey of the History of Christianity
by
Todd Bush
August 20, 2016
Saint Augustine, one of the best scholars of the early church, portrayed the Trinity as practically identical to the three sections of an individual:
personality, soul, and will. They are three unmistakable viewpoints, yet they are conjoined and together constitute one bound together individual. The
purpose of this research paper is to further emphasize, highlight, and defend St. Augustine's conclusion that the Holy Trinity is oneGod existing in three
persons according to the meeting at the Council of Nicea 325.
In 325, the Council of Nicea set out to formally characterize the relationship of the Son to the Father, in light of the dubious lessons of Arius. Driven
by Bishop Athanasius, the gathering confirmed the precept of the Trinity as conventionality and censured Arius ' showing that Christ was the first
making of God. The ideology received by the committee depicted Christ as "God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made,
being of one substance (homoousios) with the Father."
The Council of Nicea occurred by request of the Roman Emperor Caesar Flavius Constantine. Nicea was situated in Asia Minor, east of Constantinople.
At the Council of Nicea, Emperor Constantine managed a

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The Doctrine Of The Trinity
God as Trinity, is a fact that all orthodox Christians can attest to with absolute certainty, however if we were to ask those same people "what does that
mean for us, how does that affect the way we live our lives"? I suspect, most would not have an answer. For the majority of orthodox Christians, the
Trinity is an abstract theological concept, that is best left for theologians to philosophise over, and has no place in the life of the average Christian. Karl
Rahner, an Austrian philosopher and theologian, commenting on the "current neglect of the Trinity in the West" says:
"Christians, for all their orthodox profession of faith in the Trinity, are almost just monotheist in their actual religious experience. One might almost
dare to affirm that if the doctrine of the Trinity were to be erased as false, most religious literature could be preserved almost unchanged throughout the
process."
This is a sad reality! Where the fact of the matter is, the Trinity is the cornerstone on which all Christian doctrine is based, our salvation
[ПѓП‰П„О·ПЃОЇО±], our sacraments and even our creation, all descend from and rotate around God in Trinity. Furthermore, the Trinity highlights
the fundamental role that communion [ОєОїО№ОЅП‰ОЅОЇО±] in the Church [О•ОєОєО»О·ПѓОЇО±] plays in the message of our salvation, as
Christ prays for humanity "that they (we) may all be one" as He and the Father are one.
"Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image [ОµО№ОєПЊОЅ], according to Our likeness [О·ОїОјОїО№ОїП…ПѓО№ОїП‚]...So God created

Difficulty 41, By St. Maximos The Confessor
Difficulty 41 was written by St. Maximos the Confessor during the seventh century and was part of a larger body of work titled, The Ambigua. The
Ambigua answered difficult theological questions faced by the early church fathers, such as St. Gregory Nazianzus, using Greek philosophical
methods. Difficulty 41 explains how the incarnation of Christ restores man to his proper function granted to him before the fall, for Christ unites all of
creation in him by overcoming the divisions of being. St. Maximus' writing draws on St. Gregory Nazianzus' homily on the Theophany and on Gregory
of Nyssa's writings concerning the divisions of being. St. Maximus' Christology would forever influence Christian doctrine and thought and as the
last link between the theology of the East and West, as he is considered the last church father accepted in both churches. Difficulty 41 can be
separated into three major parts. The first section discusses each of the five divisions of being. Maximus states that humans have the capacity to be
united with all of creation, for they were created last as a 'natural bond' in order to be the 'mediators' of the divisions of being (157). However,
humans have lost this ability after the fall because of their misuse of the power granted to them. In the second section Maximus lists the steps humans
must follow to unite all of creation with God as the cause, or to fulfill their original purpose. This is possible by overcoming each of the five divisions.
Lastly,

Between The Gnostic Christology And Trinity Of The...
As shown below, the similarities between the Gnostic Christology and Trinity of the Valentinians and the orthodox Trinitarians are striking. The
Valentinians were teaching a Christology very similar to the Christology of the Trinity Doctrine expressed in the Athanasian Creed about 350 before
the proclamation of the Athanasian Creed. Valentinus (c.100–c.160) was a teacher in Rome, who almost became Pope. Before coming to Rome in
about 140, he had studied in Egypt. About 160, he died in Cyprus. He claimed to have received his ideas from Theodas, a disciple of Paul.
Valentinianism survived into the fifth century. Valentinus' teachings merged Christianity with Greek and Oriental speculation. He developed a
metaphysical system that incorporated Christianity with paganism and Greek philosophy, primarily Platonism. His theology fluctuated between
Gnosticism, esotericism, and orthodoxy Christianity of his time. Valentinus believed that Christ's flesh was spiritual. AlthoughJesus ate and drank, he
did not defecate. Because Jesus' body received heavenly substance, it only appeared to need food. (This idea of Jesus conflicts with the New
Treatment: Jesus was "like his brethren in all things" [Heb. 2:17]. Like the Valentinians, the Trinitarians also have a Jesus who is incompatible with the
New Testament Jesus.) Fundamental to the Valentinian Christology is Christ's deity and preexistence. Furthermore, Christ is a special emanation of
God and embodies all the powers of God. They

Mystics's Involvement In The Church
The reasons behind the mystics' strong involvement in their community was that they believed "the person who performs good deeds and pursues
beneficent works reveals the divine life in himself" (93). Prayer and service were meant to go hand in hand, with"otherworldliness and earthly
involvement" not being "mutually exclusive. Metaphysical aspirations were not equated with indifference to the plight of this world" (93).
Church fathers, and indeed the whole religious mind of Byzantium, made it perfectly clear that doctrine was expected to induce in the faithful to
everyday experiences and make them responsible agents of Christianity...Byzantine Christianity was accessible to all people and affected the life of
most as Gregory of Nyssa relates. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For example, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, from the late 12th century at Saint Catherine's Monastery in Mount Sinai was an icon depicting the
teachings of the same name by mysticist Saint John Climacus. In his teachings were thirty stages of spiritual growth, the name itself coming from the
comparison to thirty steps up a ladder (Smith, 2). In the icon is of course, a ladder, reaching from earth all the way up to Heaven, where Saint John
Climacus waits at the entrance, leading the monks behind. The icon itself is very straightforward and easy to interpret, especially for those who were
illiterate at the time. It shows the heavenly joy of reaching heaven and seeing Christ himself there to greet you, but also the horror of those who fall to
evil and corruption through the depiction of

Blade Runner And Brave New World Persuasive Essay
Both Brave New World and Blade Runner echo and challenge the classic understandings of what it means to be human; but both challenge the classic
understandings from Gregory of Nyssa, Pico, and John Locke more than they echo them. Each dystopian perspective characteristic of science fiction
gives us unique warnings for us to take responsibility for our shared human future. With Blade Runner warning us more about advancement of
technology that becomes more and more self–aware, while also bringing large concerns for the wellbeing of the planet. Where Brave New World, gives
us to extremes of predicted ways of living control but happy, and primitive and free, while also, showing concerning side of technological advancements
in human reproduction.
To decided wither either of the two works of imagination echo or challenge the classic understanding we must understand what it means to be
human through the works of Gregory of Nyssa, Pico, and John Locke. Both Gregory and Pico believe the human to be a creation of god; both
believe that god created human after he created everything else for the sole purpose to be memorized by his creations and to utilize and give purpose
to all the other creations of god. With that, they both believe god created human in resemblance of himself and with the ability to think and be
intellectual beings. Pico was big on the idea ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
More importantly, Gregory harps on how our hands are what makes use human, because with our hands all our other physical attributes are structured
differently. This allows our facial structure to be more of a commutative tool, where our lack of a natural defense tool forced us to be innovative and
discover ways to defend ourselves using objects/technologies. So, for Gregory to be human is partial to be an innovative tool

Essay on Monasticism
Monasticism
Deep within the trees little hooded men walk along a path to meditate and pray dressed in brown robes tied with nautical rope. They dwell in
silence and live a life of celibacy. This is what most of think of when we hear the word monk. Throughout the years, monks have always been
people of intrigue. They live a different lifestyle than most. They live a life of seclusion far from the mores of modern society, which often makes
people ponder who these people really are and why they choose to participate in such a foreign religious movement. This paper will attempt to unravel
the mysteries of this peculiar movement of by researching it's origin, the true meaning of a silent lives, and how key leaders have helped to ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Their presence was followed by an increase of moral deterioration in the church that forced "puritanical souls to revolt. This deterioration is thought to
have started in the upper classes of Roman society, which caused many to shift away into the early form of Monasticism. As in all great movements in
history, personalities or leaders are birthed. One such personality's ideals are interwoven throughout the foundations of Monasticism. "Antony is
considered to be the founder of Monasticism. He was reared in an affluent Christian home in Egypt. Soon after his parents' death when Antony was
about eighteen years old, he felt that God directed him to give up his possessions and live a life of absolute devotion. After selling his parents' estate,
he retired to a cave in the desert, and there he spent his time in prayer and meditation
Antony became famous for holiness and power in prayer throughout the empire. People became so inspired by Antony's devotion, they began to
organize themselves into monastic communities. "According to The Life of Antony, written by bishop Athanasius, many people from all walks of life
visited Antony in the desert seeking his prayers. "Anthanasius speaks of one particular occasion when many people gathered at the entrance of Antony's
cave seeking prayers. Antony finally emerged and through him God healed many people wisdom.
Antony must have been a man of vision. When no one would

Heresy Of Macedonianism Research Paper
The heresy of Macedonianism, also known as the Pneumatomachian heresy, is a 4th century heresy of the Christian faith that rejected the divinity of
the Holy Spirit, believing it to be created by the Son, therefore being subordinate to the Son and the Father. This specific heresy challenged the Church
to redefine its original definition of the Holy Spirit and add this part into the Nicene Creed: "And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who
proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is equally worshipped and glorified," In the end, this heresy was ultimately good for the
Church as it helped the Church clarify its position and ruling on this topic. The leader of this heresy, Macedonius, was the bishop of Constantinople ...
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It may have been good in the short and long run by allowing the Church to clarify itself, but there was no major impact. Sure, it had enough power
and size to go up against Arianism, its leader killed quite a bit of people who disagreed with his beliefs, and it clearly challenged the Catholic faith,
but it was a small blip on the radar of Catholicism. Merely a distraction from the real goal which is to glorify and worship The Trinity and bring justice
to it and its people. The council which condemned it and basically put it out of its misery was the Second Ecumenical Council and this council was
probably the most unimportant one due to what its topic was and the amount of bishops presiding over it, that number being a mere 150. All the
other Ecumenical Councils had at least 200 or more bishops presiding over them. This topic was pretty much already brushed under a carpet
because of the Arianism heresy years prior to it. It was merely the final fight of a dying man who most likely had nothing better to do with his
remaining years. The Catholic faith as a whole, not just as the church, but the whole of it has put up with and persevered through far, far worse
things than a simple heresy, such as the slaughtering and persecution of millions of its own people the outlawing of it as religion. Now I will admit
the Catholic Church has done some stupid, greedy, and superfluous things such as the Crusades, specifically the Second Crusade, and other such
things involving the slaughter of millions of people or the greedy act of taking money from the poor. If you're going to lead a religious conquest over
the Holy Lands, why not move the whole Church over there to occupy them if it means so much. They probably would not have lost the Holy Lands
again if they had done that, and there would also not have been as many people dead, which is against the fifth commandment by the way.

Arian Controversy Analysis
The Arian Controversy started around the fourth century, with its main "father" being Arius who "was a popular Presbyter in the Church of
Alexandria"(262). The Arian view was seen as against the church to most people out of the movement, this is because the Arian's seemed to have a
very different view point of Jesus. "Arianism is an absolute monotheism, so that the Son cannot be an emanation of the Father, or a part of his
substance or another being similar to the Father, for any of these possibilities would deny either the unity or the immaterial nature of God"(262). To
put it in lament terms Jesus is not of the same substance as God. Arian's seem to use the argument that "the son cannot be without a beginning, for
then he would be a 'brother' of the Father and not a Son"(262). The Arian's also seemed to believe that Jesus was a "creature"(263) created by God. It
seems that a lot of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As well as the planning of the Arians themselves, instead of "attacking the decisions of the great Council, which was still Constantine's pride, they
rather organized attacks upon those individuals who were the main supporters of the Nicene formula"(274). With these they still fall under the
goodness of Constantine but still were able to cause strives for their movement. After Constantine passed away the empire was divided between his
three sons Constantine II, Constantius, and Constans. Constantius "was a decided defender of Arianism and of its leader Eusebius of Nicomedia,
who was now bishop of Constantinople"(277). This was a big move for the Arians, this was the first time that they were favored by an emperor but
also the first time they were truly in power. After this the Arian's "attempted to weaken the Nicene position, not only by attacking its defenders, but
also by producing a series of other creeds that hopefully would be used as alternatives to that of

Lofty Diction In The Life Of St Degory
Saint Gregory of Nyssa opens his narrative The Life of St. Macrina, with a justification as to why he is documenting accounts of St. Macrina's life.
St. Gregory, St. Macrina's brother, sets out to create a narrative that is both "artless and simple", but rather, we receive a rich, detailed expression
of admiration and praise (77). According to St. Gregory, Macrina was the spiritual leader in their family, using her knowledge of Scripture and
philosophy to motivate her family and others to cast off the illusion of a material life. With a wealth of knowledge and the ability to persuade
others, Macrina rose to the position of Superior. Saint Gregory, in his work The Life of St. Macrina, utilizes lofty diction, tone, and a clear
characterization of Macrina, which enables us to see how through Christianity, women of the 3rd century had the freedom to establish an identity
outside of the secular, patriarchal world, and what levels of respect that identity yielded. St. Gregory's use of lofty diction is apparent when he
describes their mother's character. By using lofty diction such as "extremely virtuous," "exceptionally pure," and "spotless," it is obvious St. Gregory
holds his mother in high esteem, even though she was not a handmaid for the church like Macrina (77). Moreover, if these are the words he chooses
when describing his mother, we can see why his word choice is lofty for Macrina, who held the respected position of Superior later in her life.
Nonetheless, due to

Essay on Two Methods of Defending the Trinity
Two Methods of Defending the Trinity
Christians believe in one God, yet the apparent contradictory nature of the Trinity is such that it has caused many to doubt whether Christianity is
indeed monotheistic. This has consequently caused Christians to defend their monotheism in relation to the Trinity. In the two suchdefenses that are
studied in this essay, we find that Christians have explained the nature of Trinity with varyingdegrees of effectiveness and success. Timothy the
Patriarch defends the Trinity before the Caliph Madhi with few compelling arguments, and Gregory of Nyssa explains it in a more abstract and
therefore more effective way. Each however defends the Trinity according to his understanding of it.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Timothy offers several apt analogies comparing the Trinity to earthly things, yet he fails to offer a compelling argument to refute the Caliph's simple
yet powerful statement: "If He is one, He is not three; and if He is three he is not one; what is this contradiction?" (69).
The most obvious of Timothy's logical errors is that he assumes (naturally) that the "Son" of the Trinity is in fact the Christ or Messiah of the
Hebrew Scripture. He therefore refers to Hebrew Scripture to show that the Son is equal and not subservient to the Father: "God, therefore, called
Christ 'a Lord' through the prophet David, and since no true lord is a servant, it follows that Christ is not a servant" (82). The flaw in this logic, or
at least the reason for its failure to convince the Caliph, lies in the fact that the Caliph cannot believe that Jesus is the Christ. The logic is also flawed
from a modern point of view, for there the writers of the Hebrew Scripture knew neither Jesus nor the concept of the Trinity. It would therefore be
anachronistic to use such references or to claim for example that the "We" of the creation story in Genesis refers to the Christian Trinity.
Timothy makes similar mistakes in reference to the Koran and the Gospels. He says, "It is also possible that the three letters placed before some
Surahs in the Kur'an...refer also in your Book to God, His

As You Did It To Me Analysis
When we engage in hospitality, we are calling upon a spirit that gives life to it (Oden 2011, 100). The spirit that gives life to hospitality are described
as humility, gratitude, mercy, compassion, eagerness, liberality and a willingness to risk. For some Christians this godly spirit, which accompanied
acts of hospitality, was a reminder to Christians what the Christian life was about, which is to do what Christ would do and to nurture the spirit that
was in Christ (Oden 2001, 101.
This spirit does not look to personally gain in the act of hospitality. If hospitality is practiced with the wrong spirit, like grumbling or resentment, it can
undermine hospitality. Oden says that this kind of spirit does not serve God or others and can cause the loss transformation that hospitality holds (Oden
2001, 101). The spirit that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He says the following,
Let no one say that it is sufficient to send food to people not involved in our lives. This does not reveal mercy but an outward show in order to
remove such persons from our lives. Do not their lives put us to shame and make us like dogs? A hunter does not avoid the lairs of young animals
and the farmer knows how to care for calves; many such examples may be offered. Even a traveler washes the feet of his ass, takes care of its
wounds, and cleanses its stable dung. Will we refuse to neglect human beings and their beast? No, my brothers. Let us not have this attitude towards
our fellow men. (Gregory of Nyssa, 1999)
John Chrysostom, in Homily 45 on Acts of the Hospitality, makes comments on how Abraham received strangers in his home. Not realizing he was
receiving Christ himself. Chrysostom says that by receiving persons, it allows a person to receive the presence of God when a person invites strangers
into their

Examples Of Virtues In The Iliad
Isabella henry
Human letters
11–20–15
Mr.MaCatee
VIRTUES OF THE ILIAD
The Iliad shows the conflict between the theological virtues. While using different mythical characters in the book all telling a story continuing in
many books. The book the Iliad exemplifies the conflicts between the virtues of good and evil, which homer uses throughout the book. The topics I
will be talking about in my paper are:
Theological virtues that the characters have and show in war death and with family interactions in the book
The difference between Greek virtues and Christian virtues
Which characters had good virtue and bad virtue
Many of the characters interact in war, death, family situations and relationships. Many of the characters exemplified ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
I have seen some virtue in phoenix but I have not seen as much as I have seen in Priam. Phoenix is an old warrior who helps in raising up Achilles
when he was still very young in his age. Phoenix treats Achilles as if he was his own son and he deeply loves him and trusts him with his life. He
teaches him a lot about war and is like a father to him.
Agamemnon is the king of Mycenae and he is the commander and chief of the Archean army. Agamemnon is a character who does not show any
good virtue but he shows evil virtue. He is very selfish, hot tempered and prideful and is consumed by his own feelings and isn't the best leader to
lead an army he is not very virtuous. Agamemnon at the end of the book changes a little bit but is still very much the same.
Another character who does not show any virtue is Paris. Paris is the son of Priam and the brother of Hector. Paris is one of the strongest warriors in
the Trojan army but is often acts cowardly and self–centered. One of the parts in the book he is with his wife when he was supposed to be fighting
and makes his other warriors do the fighting for him he doesn't do it himself so I consider him cowardly and self–centered and lazy. " Rage–Goddess,
sing the rage of Peleus' son

Essay on Paideia and Modern Educational Policy
Paideia and Modern Educational Policy
ABSTRACT: The lofty ideals of the classical notion of paideia, and the restatement of those principles in 1982 by Mortimer Adler and the 'paideia
group' remain an unfulfilled promise in terms of the actualities of public education in the United States. The notion of an educational system for all
students built upon a rigorous curriculum manifesting a framework of values to be acted out in the public and democratic forum continues to have
great attraction for educators. Indeed, the notion of paideia continues to carry a sense of urgency as it should. However, the actual task of creating
systems devoted to these ideals has run headlong into a political labyrinth generated by the conflict between ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The passion for testing (oftentimes observed as soundbites serving political ends ) runs counter to a farmboy's common knowledge that you don't put
weight on a hog by weighing it. This paper will attempt a dialectic exploring the models generating this tension and suggesting an alternative view of a
modern paideia.
That original tension is illustrated in the Greek paideia, which not only contemplated the process of development of the human subject toward the
good, but also venerated the influence of the object of learning; i.e., first the poetry of Homer, then the literature of Greece, then the total fine arts
of the Greek culture. "If we regard education as a process of shaping or forming, the object of learning plays the part of the mold by which the subject
is shaped. The formative mold of early Greek paideia was Homer, and as time went on that role was expanded to Greek poetry at large. In the end, the
word paideia meant Greek literature as a whole." (Jaeger 1961:91).
Early Christians, hellenized and conversant in the use and didactic angularities of the Greek marketplace of education and dialogue, adopted the
definition and implementation of paideia. As with Plato, Gregory of Nyssa, a pivotal figure in the early church, adopted as given that all human will
and effort by nature was directed to achieve "the

Letter 31 To Severus Research Paper
Weekly Response Paper: Lesson 6 Courtney Beals "A secluded and remote habitation contributes to the removal of distraction from the soul... It is
impossible to gain proficiency in meditation and prayer, however, while a multitude of distractions are dragging the soul about and introducing it into
anxieties about the affairs of this life... For we must deny ourselves and take up the Cross of Christ and thus follow Him... self–denial involves the
entire forgetfulness of the past and surrender of one's will–surrender which is very difficult, not to say quite impossible, to achieve while living in the
promiscuity customary in the world." {{citation?}} The above quote was written by Basil of Caesarea, one of the most influential figures in Christian...
The "Diary of a Pilgrimage" was written by a fourth century woman named Egeria about her pilgrimage to holy sites led by ascetics. Her writings in
particular further our understanding of the importance of pilgrimage to late antique Christians. Her writings provide the reader with a first–hand
account of her trek to historic monasteries, the holy cave where Moses rested on Mount Sinai, the shrine of Saint Thomas the apostle, Jerusalem,
and a letter from Christ to King Abgar (just to name a few) and her reverential experiences at each of these places. These experiences seemed to
elevate her spiritual life and connection to God. Therefore, we can imagine how these writings would have encouraged other Christians to engage on
such journeys and help the reader to understand the importance of such trips to Christians at this time. Lastly, "Letter 31 to Severus" is a letter written
to Severus from Paulinus who has several relics in his possession, particularly a fragment of a sliver of the wood of the holy Cross. Paulinus
communicates to Severus that this relic will enhance the consecration of his basilica. From this letter, we almost get the feel that leaders of the
Christian faith created a type of religious tourism for

Personal Narrative: Gregory Of Nyssa
I have an Egyptian father. His name is Gregory of Nyssa. I have inherited from him a desire to grow into the likeness of Jesus. I have Reformed
brothers and sisters who have composed beautiful songs that lead me into wonder of God. I have Charismatic grandparents who created a vibrant,
engaging space for me to experience God. My family tree as a Christian is a labyrinth of branches that offer an unfathomable about of treasures.
Exploring friends from the past and those from the present who come from a different place than I has given me some of these treasures. I have
gained a visual of growing my inner man, a deeper desire for worship, and a new wonder of the Trinity. These treasures are requiring a mining process
that I know will have high ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
My interest in understanding this role grew during the first part of this module. Each author and lecturer talked about the practice of worship
bringing spiritual formation. Listening to them, I would say I agreed, but I knew it was lacking in my life. I wanted to know how worship could
transform me. Gregory of Nyssa (n.d) said "We imitate those qualities we can assume while we venerate and worship what our nature cannot
imitate" (p. 10). I knew there was something worship could do that was beyond my own ability to do. With an interest in understanding it, also
grew a desire to experience it. God began gently and lovingly inviting me into a personal worship practice. The corporate worship times during the
last intensive in Burtigny were instrumental in this. A specific example of this is singing the song "Good, Good Father" by Chris Tomlin. I
needed to remember that God is a good father. Each time I sang it, it was as if I knew it to be true even more. Worshipping God for being a good
father grew the reality of God as a good father in my heart. I would say without hesitation that God is a good father, but in practice I was doubting
His ability/desire to be a father to me and my family. I knew it was true but there was a place where that truth had not transformed me and that was
presenting itself in fear. Worshipping God as a good father began to transform that part of me that could not be convinced by knowledge alone. I began
to

Examples Of Apollinarius's Theory Of Dualism
At the Council of Alexandria, the Christology of Apollinarism had become a public issue, and after a few years it became a serious concern. As a
strong supporter of homoousion, 'one in being', of the son, Apollinarius was an opponent of dualism in the Antiochene Christology. He saw the effects
of Paul of Samosata, teacher and believer of monarchianism, as harmful. His followers such as Eustahius and Diodore of Tarsus who confessed 'the
Lord as God incarnate, and yet falling into the separation'. This view failed to account for a human soul in Christ; instead, the Incarnation of Jesus was
thought to be a union of the logos with the human flesh. Because of the influences of Athanasius' teaching, Apollinarius must have had fragments of
Athanasius's lessons in mind, which implied that he viewed Christ as lacking a human mind or ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The ideology was that salvation for mankind depends totally upon the absolute power of God which is transferred via Incarnation, not accounting for
any relation to the human nature. Apollinarius had taken up the teaching of Athanasius, that God must remain divine in order to save humanity. The
trouble was understanding the problem of how God can take on a middle position between his own divinity and humanity. Apollinarius says Christ is
not "creator of the universe" standing midway between full divinity and humanity, but instead mixture of both. Apollinarius upheld the homoousion
belief, that the Trinity is one as proclaimed by Nicaea. Despite his defense of Athanasius's belief, Apollinarius was condemned for heresy by the
Council of Constantinople in 381, by the pope in the late 370's, and by a synod at

Christianity's Attachment And Underlying Principles And...
Christianity's attachment to underlying principles and beliefs are centered on the devotion of the Holy Trinity. The perception of the trinity has shaped
controversy by finding a solution from a reliable origin. Deliberation on the true entity of God is unavoidable and contrasting opinions emerge by
human endeavor. Debate on the trinity largely was derived by disagreement on the concepts ousia (common essence) and hypostasis (substance). These
concepts became distinctive by The Cappadocian Fathers: Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Nazianzus. The relationship of God, the
Father, and his son Jesus Christ was defined by the Cappadocian Fathers and what is understood today in the Christian Doctrine. The Cappadocian
Fathers were highly commended martyrs that advanced the development of early Christian theology. Without the efforts of The Cappadocian Fathers
evolvement in defining the relationship of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, there would still be contest identical to early progression in
Christian history.
HISTORY BEHIND THE TRINITY
The acceptance from expressing religious logic arouses deliberation in society. Throughout history, theological debates were generated from the
discussion of God's exact nature and accordance with his son, Jesus Christ. Even though the trinity has been agreed upon as a secret above human
comprehension, this is naturally misleading due to its complexity. The beliefs surrounding the Holy Spirit were neglected due to the

Spirituality : A Spiritual Tradition
Apophatic Spirituality Uncovered!!
I would like to share with you a spiritual tradition that I had not been aware of before, Apophatic Spirituality, also known as Negative Theology. A
word of warning, it's said to be a bit like marmite, you either love it or hate it, I was fascinated by it. I hope you find something new and of interest in
this spiritual tradition too.
Why chose it?
Partly, because it was new to me and partly, because it reminded me of a conversation I recently had with a friend who wished she was better at
praying. She explained how she had been taught to pray using the PASTA acronym; P for praising, A for adoration, S for sorry, T for thanks, A for
ask. Her problem was that although she wanted to pray, she wasn't any good with words. In fact, she found it hard to find any words at all to use in
adoration and praise of God. I wish at that point that I had been able to introduce her to Apophatic Spirituality.
What do we mean by spirituality?
It's difficult to give a concise definition but Christian spirituality can be broadly seen as a journey, searching out God and how He is at work in our
lives, it's a journey that involves engaging our personalities, our world view and our religion. Within Christian spirituality there are many pathways or
spiritual traditions, for example, Franciscan, Ignatian or our own Anglican spirituality inherited from both the Catholic and Reformation traditions,
which includes the Book of Common Prayer. The cathedral in

Theological Understandings of Mediated Grace
Theological Understandings ofMediated Grace
When approaching the concept of grace, many people often assume that it is "other" – a mysterious force that exists beyond human understanding.
They believe that grace is a divine gift that cannot be humanly grasped because of its supernatural nature. Others believe that mediated grace – God as
experienced through the senses in a purely human manner – is a vital way to bridge the ontological gap (an extreme difference in being that separates
the earthly and the divine). Christian theologians from the beginning of the faith have debated the qualities attributed to this phenomenon because of
its sheer importance; when dealing with vastly different elements, such as humans and God, the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While most theologians agree upon the existence and importance of mediated grace, they often disagree upon the exact nature of its role. What this
conflict yields though, is not a sense of discord and disunity, but a greater appreciation of the immense horizon of grace as perceived by humanity.
Perhaps the most obvious example of this is the clash between Martin Luther and the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church (represented here by their
Decree on Justification that was presented at the Council of Trent). Luther saw grace as the way to salvation, while the Catholic Church intimated
that grace itself was salvation. In his treatise on Christian Liberty, he said "very great care must always be exercised so that no man in a false
confidence imagines that by such works he will be justified or acquire merit or be saved; for this is the work of faith alone."[8] He referred to this
kind of grace as "alien righteousness," which he claimed was "instilled in us without our works by grace alone."[9] Unlike the Thomistic precepts that
the Council of Trent was working from (Aquinas's theory of deification), Luther did not believe that grace affected an ontological change in the person.
On the other side, the Trent decree maintained that "One truly merits salvation through good works in grace."[10] Luther felt

The Spiritual Condition Of Infants
Adam Harwood, The Spiritual Condition of Infants
In general, what is spiritual condition? It is assumed that all people inherited a guilty and a sinful nature from the first man, Adam who sinned. It
results in the question of whether infants are subjected to the God's judgement even before they commit any action. In his book, Adam Harwood
analyzes the writings of theologians and important biblical texts for clarifying an infant 's spiritual condition. In this book, Harwood argues that an
infant only inherits Adam's sinful nature, without inheriting the guilty nature as well. Harwood builds up an alternate view against the
Augustinian–Calvinist view.
Adam Harwood currently serves as Director of the Baptist Center for Theology and Ministry, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
All of them followed by conclusion, indexes, and bibliography. Every passage contributed by addressing the doctrines. They were doctrines ofsin,
church doctrines, doctrines of salvation and man. Throughout his book, Harwood addresses 16 theologians viewpoints on this complex question. The
materials of introduction discussed short and useful literature survey on this subject and showed the differences with the help of focuses on "the
spiritual condition of living infants." Infant salvation was not the direct focus for Harwood.
The introduction is in 3 parts. In the first chapter, Harwood explains why it even matters if an infant is guilty of sin. Here, Harwood explains that
there will com a time when we as pastors will be confronted with trying to comfort a family grieving the death of an infant. The question of "where
is my baby" could pop up and if you answer that the child is in heaven you need to elaborate and be able to provide biblical justification for your
answer. In the second chapter, Harwood speaks on "limits or boundaries" in the proposal studying. In general the author revealed four of these
assumptions:
A human is considered a human despite how small he is;
An infant has a sinful nature since he is of Adam's descent;
God welcomes them into heaven;
God welcomes them through the person and Christ's work.
In this chapter he elaborates on these four assumptions

Prayer By Thomas Keating, Contemplative Prayer
Introduction
According to Thomas Keating, "Contemplative prayer is a conversation initiated by God and leading, if we consent to a divine union. It is the way
to pure faith." Unlike with vocal prayers, in which we call out to God asking for things we need, with contemplative prayer our role is to allow God
to be God. In other words, God directs Contemplative prayer, His grace opens our hearts and minds to the His presence inside us. Consequently,
contemplative prayer begins with a centering prayer, which is a silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer. Keating
noted that, "Centering prayer is an effort to renew the teaching of the Christian tradition of contemplative prayer." Similar to other methods of prayer,
the foundation of centering prayer is the Triune God. Keating noted that, "The practice is based on the wisdom saying of Jesus in the Sermon on the
Mount." The scripture reads, "But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in
secret, will reward you" (Matt. 6:6). Practicing contemplative prayer will strengthen our spiritual commitment and enrich our personal lives. I will
discuss the origin, methods and benefits of contemplative prayer.
Origin of Contemplative Prayer For centuries, the definition for contemplation evolved. According to Keating, "Gnosis was used by St. Paul in the
Epistles to represent the knowledge of God proper to those who

Women And Spiritual Equality : New York : Saint Martin 's...
Mary McDowell
Book Review–596
Ranft, Patricia. Women and Spiritual Equality in Christian Tradition. New York: Saint Martin's Press, 1998.
In the book Women and Spiritual Equality in Christian Tradition, by Patricia Ranft, a new and innovative look at the role of women in the sphere of
Christianity is examined. In a total of twelve chapters, the Central Michigan University professor discusses the role that women played in the first
fifteen hundred years of Christianity and she disputes the contention that the church was traditionally misogynistic. She writes in her introduction, "that
within Christianity there exists a strong and enduring tradition that maintains the spiritual equality of women," (xi) and she takes this idea a step
further to support her thesis by writing that there is no foundation to the argument that "Christianity was largely responsible for western misogynism,"
(ix). Instead, she tries to show that these misogynistic tendencies stemmed not from Christianity, but from the surrounding secular cultures. Throughout
the text, Ranft will be attempting to show the reader that women maintained more spiritual equality with men before the modern era. However, it is the
author's intention in the book "merely to document the presence of a tradition of women 's spiritual equality throughout the centuries," (xii) not to
provide analysis of this presence.
Ranft is able to reveal the depth of her argument through a number of varying sources, including the customary

Zechariah's The Riddle Of The Annunciation
With the initial exchange between Mary and the Angel resolved, this discussion now turns its attention to the central point of the Annunciation passage,
the announcement of Christ, and Mary's confusion at this pronouncement. To truly understand that scriptural passage, it is necessary to discuss the
possible reasons for what has been called The Riddle of the Annunciation, that is, why a girl who is betrothed to be married and, presumably,
understands the origin of children, questions how the Angel's announcement could pertain to her. The simplest explanation to this question is also the
least satisfying. This is that, for some reason, Mary is ignorant of the way children are conceived. This does not seem to fit any reasonable reading of the
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He points out that the annunciation format itself generally requires an objecting question. This could partially explain Zechariah's objection in the
previous story in Luke which this is designed to parallel. However, Landry goes on to note that such a clunky and unreasonable objection does not
seem to fit. Elsewhere, Luke does not hold himself so slavishly to formal patterns that he damages the flow of his story. It seems that if Luke were
slavishly following the formal pattern for an annunciation, he would have picked an objection that would not be so confusing or even indecipherable
to his reader. In fact, Landry asserts with Schaberg that those who immediately jump to Luke simply slavishly following the annunciation format "have
given up too soon on the logic of the story." This discussion agrees with that conclusion; the literary solution ignores Luke's actual text and simply takes
the easy solution to sidestep rather than address this question. A rejection of the literary solution to the riddle is further supported elsewhere in Luke's
own Gospel, and these will be discussed later within the discussion of solutions that reject historicity of the virgin birth

The Baptism Debate Essay
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
THE BAPTISM DEBATE
A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO
PROFESSOR MARSHALL WICKS, PHD
IN COMPLETION OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THEO 350–B02
BY
RANDY WILSON
LYNCHBURG, VA
MAY 28, 2011
Introduction The debate over baptism has become one that encompasses so many areas. Where most theological discussions are concerned with a
primary topic, baptism debates consist of many. Debates on the purpose of baptism, the benefits of baptism, who baptism was designed for, and
what is the biblical mode of baptism are just some. These areas will be discussed here in this paper. It will be discussed (1) the purpose and benefits, if
any, of baptism, (2) was baptism designed for infants or just those who have believed ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This refers back to Gregory's comment "water is just water." If a person is just performing a ritual then all they are getting is a religious bath. This
point is much more difficult to defend. However, when a verse contains salvation and baptism in the same line it does create nostalgia about
performing a ritual for salvation. "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark

16:16) Where as when salvation is granted and the person not being baptized, such as the criminal on the cross gives a very different feel. "And he
said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'" (Luke 23:43) The rite of baptism, in this sense, gives one a great deal of
benefits. A person will receive salvation, new birth (regeneration), the Holy Spirit, remission of sins, sanctified, set apart, etc. The list could go on.
However, it seems all those benefits should come with faith in Christ and if they do, why is baptism necessary for salvation. If baptism is necessary
then sacramentalism should be more important that evangelism. This would shift salvation from a "personal relationship in Jesus to a proper relationship
with the church." The words of Paul should never be forgotten, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel." (1 Cor. 1:17) Lutzer
admits, "...if baptism was necessary for salvation, Paul would have made sure that all who believed were baptized." There is no need

Dreams And Visions : Is Jesus Awakening The Muslim World?
For six years, Ibrahim had been unconvincingly told by Muslim religious leaders in his city that the appearance of a glorious man in his dream was
surely the Prophet Muhammad. When Ibrahim decided to share his dream with a Christian missionary in his town, he was overjoyed to find that the
man who had come to him in his dream was not the Prophet Muhammad, but the same man found and described in Revelation 1:12–16. Before the
encounter with the Christian missionary, Ibrahim had never heard of, much less read from the Bible. The discussion of his dream with the missionary
ultimately led to a proclamation of the Gospel, in which Ibrahim would hear the Gospel for the first time, and ultimately come to faith in it weeks later.
Stories of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Instead, it is important that the subject is approached with a sense of openness for the skeptic and a healthy amount of caution for the readily believing.
In an over–arching sense, the subject must be approached carefully and critically. Before moving further in the discussion of the continuation of
dreams and visions as a means of God's continued revelation today, it would be important to define briefly what exactly dreams and visions are.
Defining Dreams and Visions
It may seem unnecessary to define something as common to us as dreams. Each and every person, in one degree of lucidity or another, has experienced
dreams and does so on a recurring basis. In defining and understanding what exactly dreams and visions are, along with their similarities and
differences, we continue to turn to Morton T. Kelsey. Kelsey notes that, while we cannot certainly understand what sleep is, we can understand that it is
a specific type of consciousness, a transient interruption of the waking state. During this interruption of the waking state, there are two states that
appear to take effect in the human brain, known by psychologists as the "primary–process activity" and the "secondary–process mentation." The
primary–process activity is the time during sleep in which the sleeper experiences a single picture or figure, or even a vivid and elaborate story. It is
not uncommon for the sleeper to experience this phase of

Analysis Of Chapter 4: A Woman's Search For Meaning
In chapter four, Melina explores the effects of separating moral action and salvation, as well as the way that this rupture can be fixed. Melina thinks that
the Lutheran view of justification (i.e. that faith alone "saves" a person) has contributed negatively to the erroneous idea that moral actions do not
contribute to salvation. This Protestant perspective reduces morality to a secular problem that is solely interested in the earthly welfare of society and
its civil well–being. The result of this kind of thinking is that charity ceases to be a virtue and it therefore loses its connection to salvation. Charity is
then exclusively associated with care for the temporal welfare of others which subsequently leads to morality becoming either social utilitarianism (like
proportionalism) or philanthropic altruism. This utilitarian or proportionalist position is premised on two aspects: the "rightness" of a person's action
and the "goodness" of his intention. This proportionalist relationship between intention and action unfortunately leads to a transcendental fundamental
option, which sees man as a "spirit" that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
According to this radical perspective, conscience becomes the sole foundation of morality, which renders all moral values subject to personal tastes.
This shift in morality is due to several breaks that have occurred between faith and morality, freedom and truth, as well as between moral actions and
salvation. The break between faith and morality has led some people to conform the moral laws to their desires. It is only by rediscovering the
connection between freedom and truth that people will be able to actually attain their heart's deepest desire for happiness and fulfillment, which can
only be satiated in God (i.e. in the person of Jesus

The Trinitarian Perspective
Doctrine of God: The Trinitarian Perspective
As I recall, when I was too young to understand what God was preparing me for, I thought I was preparing myself to be able to stand firm in my faith
without reservation, no matter what the consequences. As a child there were times that I practiced saying aloud that I believed in God and then I would
bend over for my head to be chopped off by the guillotine. Why would I remember this like a video on repeat? Why would it flash through my
mind for all these years? I have often asked myself this question. Was I going to find myself facing an evil where I would be challenged to deny my
God or be killed? Until the world's recent encounter with the terrorist Isis, it did not seem that it was a real ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The word "Trinity" was first introduced theologically by Tertullian. He believed that God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit existed as one which he
called the Trinity. He believed they were one God, of the same substance. Basil, Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzus, known as the
Cappadocian fathers, are among the first to formulate the Doctrine of the Trinity. Stanley Grenz writes, "They declared that God is one ousia but
three hypostaseis. The three independent realities share the same will, nature and essence. Yet each has special properties or activities" (Grenz
p.60). One ousia means "one essence" and three hypostaseis means center of consciousness. The Blessed Trinity is one God in essence but self
discloses as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are different from one another in role but all are divine and are
equal in deity. "Each of the three trinitarian members fulfills a specific role in the one divine program. The Father functions as the ground of the
world and of the divine program for creation. The Son functions as the revealer of God, the exemplar and herald of the Father's will for creation, and
the redeemer of human kind. And the Spirit functions as the personal divine power continuously active in the world, the completer of the divine will
and program"(Grenz p.67). While they fulfill different roles, they commune with

Bonhoeffer's Life Together And Zizioulas The Church
Comparing the views of Bonhoeffer's "Life Together" and Zizioulas' "The Church"
Bonhoeffer and Zizioulas offer interesting perspectives for conceptualizing the Christian theology regarding the atonement. Indeed, one of the
outstanding elements of Christianity practices, which sets them apart from other religions, is atonement. In this case, atonement can be defined as the
process of sin reparation or expiation. There are four models of atonement. These include Christus Victor, Satisfaction, Exemplar and Penal
Substitution. A look at the differences between these two theologians reveals a clear difference regarding their perspectives towards atonement, in
which Bonhoeffer tends to orient himself towards the model of Christus Victor, while... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It affirms that God attributed the sins and guilt of humankind to Jesus, Who in place of man, received that punishment that humanity would have
otherwise deserved. Jesus' actions signified the payment of the sins of humankind, which settled both the righteousness and wrath of God so that
sinners could be forgiven without God Himself compromising His holy standard. In essence, according to the penal substitution theory of the
reformers, Jesus died in place of man, in the process accounting for the sins of man and bearing them. The act of Jesus taking the sins of man
indicates that Jesus carried the cross of every believer, setting him free and safe from all the penal demands of God's law. In this context, the holiness
of God and the righteousness of His law are accounted for by the substitution. Notably, in modern theology, the penal aspect has been a stumbling
block despite being regarded as one of the dominant atonement in the bible. According to the model, Jesus paid man's ransom on his crucifixion.
However, this view only works because Christ was paying man's penalty. Therefore, Christians should be inspired by the self–sacrifice acts of Jesus on
the cross. In addition, Jesus' death and resurrection implied significant victories over death, hell, and sin in our union with him and God. Lastly, God
accomplished his mission to reconcile the world with Him despite various trespasses by

Gregory Of Nyssa Analysis
Dayna Menard
Finding the Beauty of Creation and Salvation It is because of Salvation that humans can be free from their sins. Sin is the result of disobedience from
God in which humans act upon their own understanding. Sin is also separation from God (Jenson, 2016, p. 77). Adam and Eve fell into a trap of
temptation by going against what God commanded them not to do. Ever since then, humans have been brought into the world captivated by iniquity.
Sin can spread to the point where it consumes a person's life. Gregory of Nyssa compares sin to a disease. Once it spreads and gains control, it gets
worse and a sense of control feels lost (The Great Catechism, ch. 29). Nevertheless, people are free to act on their own will. God certainly influences ...
His power was unlike any characteristic a human could ever inherit. Humankind had only had the capacity to understand so much information, the
rest is like trying to fathom another dimension. What can be understand is the text from the Bible regarding Creation. God's Creation out of
nothing is expressed as ex nihilo. When God created everything, he spoke and it was there. For example, God spoke, and there was light. God said
let there be a separation between land and water, and there was (Genesis 1:3 & 1:9). He is so powerful that he speaks and existence is there with a
beginning. There was existence rather than nothing because God wanted to create humanity. The created universe was simply out of love. More
so, humanity was able to experience all the beauty of Creation (Vail, How Did It All Begin? 2016, p. 64). All of creation was because of God's work.
His Creation revealed there was no need for resources or any sort of material; he spoke what he wanted to create and it was there (Jenson, 2016, p.
54). God did not need anything to produce his

The Arian Controversy Caused A Great Uproar During Early...
The Arian controversy caused a great uproar during early Christianity. The controversy argued that because God is divine and ontologically
perfect, He cannot change because it would signal a defect in perfection. It also argues that If Jesus is the incarnation of the Word (Logos), and the
Logos is divine, like the father, then God would have changed through the human life of Jesus. With this, Arians say that God would have had to
suffer in Jesus, which is impossible. Now because of theses reasons, Jesus (Logos) could not be divine, but instead would be a great exalted
creature. This creature would be higher, spiritually, than humans, but would be under God. Arians also argue, Jesus could not be human if we were
divine and if Jesus would not be human then there was no way he could become salvific, meaning we cannot be saved or follow in Jesus' examples.
Another issue that the Arians argued was, if Jesus is the Son of God and is begotten, he must have had a beginning in time. It is God's essence to be
eternal so the Son of God/Jesus must be a form of a creature. There was no possible way that Jesus would be God. Finally they believed that the Trinity
is three separate beings. The Council of Nicea was called by Constantine to have an official ruling as to who Jesus was and how he related to God.
Other issues were dealt with, during the conference, but when it came to the understand of Jesus and God, things got interesting. Eusebius was a
supporter of Arianism and during his

Apollinarianism Research Paper
В¬В¬
Apollinarianism
Konstantin Martynyuk
Theology 154: Faith, Justice & the Catholic Tradition
April 5, 2017
Apollinarius was the bishop of Laodicea who developed the heretical position concerning the nature of Christ. Originally, a supporter of orthodoxy
against the Arians, his Christological teaching becomes a heresy among scholars, at a synod in Rome in 374–380 and by the Council of Constantinople
in 381. The primary opponents of Apollinarius were Athanasius, the Cappadocian Fathers (the two Gregories), and Epiphanius. В¬–The Church Fathers
sought to defend themselves against Apollinarius's teaching, especially when referring to the Incarnation. His Christology, Apollinarism, denied the
existence in Christ of a rational ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, when talking about the Incarnation, Apollinarius strays from the orthodox perception of Christ and says that he has only one true (divine)
nature. In accord with Church teaching, Apollinarius believed that Jesus Christ has fully redeemed humanity. He is the only mediator between God
and man, a fact which led Apollinarius to maintain that if God were a unity, Christ himself must be a unity. If the divine element was simply united
with mankind, we would have two sons, one of God by nature and the other by adoption. With this the flesh of Christ is not added to divinity but
establishes one nature with the God. The Treatise Against Apollinarius, or better known by its Latin title, Antirrheticus, was created by Gregory of
Nyssa to challenge this heretic teachings of Apollinarius. St. Gregory of Nyssa wrote two works during the 380s opposing the teachings of not just
Apollinarius but his followers as well. Moving forward, the Incarnation showed that a physical body was joined with the divine logos. Looking back
to an assigned reading from earlier in the semester, in the Gospel of John, the passage says "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among
us." (John 1:14) Apollinarius interpreted this as the logos taking on flesh without assuming a human mind, the source of evil. For Apollinarius, the
logos was the sole life of Jesus even down to the physical level. He thereby constitutes one living unity in which the soul directs and the body

The Theology Of The Trinity
The Trinity
The Father: I AM that I AM. The first person of the Trinity: holy and eternal. He is the front of Deity (autotheos). He has no source but Himself, He is
utterly transcendent and unknowable: "No man can come to the Father..." The Father is the ultimate source of the Godhead and of all things. The Son:
The Word of the Father. He is the second Person (hypostasis) of theTrinity. He is eternally begotten of the Father, He is not made, "Begotten, not
made." His source is the Father's Person (hypostasis), so he is not Deity (autotheos), but Divine. His divinity is inherited from the Father, despite
having a source, He has always been. He never not existed. He was brought to the earth and carried by the Virgin Mary after she was filled with the
Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ was fully human and fully God, two natures in one person: a hypostatic union. He was killed and resurrected, conquering
Death forever. He sits at the right hand of the Father, awaiting the day of final judgment. Humans can only approach the Father through the Son. Holy
Spirit: The Lord, the giver of life. He is the third Person (hypostasis) of the Trinity. Despite having a source, he has always existed.
The Son and the Holy Spirit interact with one another and with the world. Through them we are able to interact with the Father. At Christ (the Son's)
baptism, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove upon Him. The Father is fully God, the person of the Father s not the person of the Son

Arian Controversy Analysis
In the 4th and 5th centuries, the early church was going through change. After a period of persecution against Christians, the Edict of Milan established
a policy for the toleration of Christianity under Constantine. Constantine was the first Roman emperor to embrace Christianity and he himself became a
Christian. The Ecumenical Councils were encouraged by Constantine. The gatherings included church leaders and others who met to affirm the
teachings of the church and to tackle heresy. The topic of controversy was over the relationship between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The Arian controversy caused Constantine to call for the Council of Nicaea, which was the first of the Ecumenical Councils. Arias denied the deity
of Jesus. He believed that Jesus was subordinate to God the Father and that the Holy Spirit was subordinate to Jesus. Arias believed that the Father
was God, but Jesus and the Holy Spirit were not. Instead, he believed that Jesus was a creature who had a beginning, while God was eternal and had
no beginning. He did not believe that Jesus was "of the same substance [homoousios]" of the Father. Athanasius stood up at the Council of Nicaea and
opposed the beliefs of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I believe that the Nicene Creed is supported by Scripture. John 1:14 says, "The Word [Logos] became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We
have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." And 1 John 5:7–8 says, "For there are three
that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement." I find it encouraging that leaders of the 4th and 5th century church
helped define and defended the Trinity doctrine from heresy. It is important that contemporary Christians learn about the Nicene Creed because it is
part of the history that brought us [the invisible church] to where we are,

Puritan Laws On Sexual Misconduct
Puritan Laws on Sexual Misconduct In a communist society, the laws of one's sexual life are under strict control; consequently, a person's life is not
private, and the decision he makes will eventually be detectable. Today's culture may not understand why the Puritans thought of the misbehavior as
dishonorable now that we live in societies which there are not draconian laws on a human's intimate wrongdoings. "Most crimes committed in New
England were sex crimes," was stated in the Pennsylvania: The Primer. The magistrates put in place laws to follow their moral beliefs. ThePuritan laws
abided around the quality of their environment; for this reason, colonists considered sex crimes as a threat the social order. The colonists did not desire
for people to spread confabulation about sin committed in their colony, so the attempted to present an immaculate society. The Puritans' perspective on
divorce caused animosity between the people of the camaraderie. Fornication before marriage was not typical in the Puritan society. A person's gender,
a couple's separation, and the choice of fornication were actively discouraged by Puritan ordinance.
Gender played a significant role in the Puritan civilization. Men had the higher priority throughout the timely spread of Puritanism. Women were a
man's property and had little influence on the rules, punishment, and any executive decisions. Boundaries for a woman were rigid. A woman's only
escape was gossip. They had the power to

First Council Of Nicea Analysis
Introduction Prior to the recognition and legalization of Christianity, there was no widely agreed upon guideline that followers of Christ could abide
by. The purpose of the ecumenical councils of the fourth on fifth centuries was to establish a correct and universal doctrine of the Christian faith. The
church desired to define the person of Jesus Christ and abolish heretical ideas. At the time, these attempts to establish orthodoxy were futile. Ideas about
the faith varied immensely, and those who did not agree with the instituted beliefs were labeled heretics. However, the combination of these ecumenical
councils and the discussions that stemmed from them provided the building blocks needed to understand Christianity today. Looking back ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The two bishops opposed each other over conflicting views on the person of Jesus Christ. Nestorius believed that Jesus had two wills and therefore
was also two persons. "Nestorius spoke of Jesus and God the Word, while Cyril believed that Jesus was the Word." (Lane, 56) Nestorius also denied
that the Virgin Mary was theotokos, or "God–bearer." Cyril heard about this and was displeased, requesting Nestorius to sign twelve anathemas.
Nestorius refused and the emperor called for the council. Cyril already had a tremendous amount of support from Rome and inevitably won over the
council. Nestorius was disposed of and the Virgin Mary was affirmed the theotokos. A document called the Formula of Reunion was produced as a
compromise. Consequently, the outcome of the council only created confusion and Alexandria split from

Major Historical Perspective On The Atonement Theory
There are seven major historical perspective on the Atonement; Ransom Theory, Satisfaction Theory, Governmental Theory, Example Theory, Moral
Influence Theory, Christus Victor and Substitutionary atonement.
Ransom theory states that a commercial transaction took place in which Jesus' death was the price paid to ransom the human race from its bondage to
sin. This can be found in Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many".Gregory of Nyssa and Cyprian were both proponents of this theory.
Satisfaction Theory states the death of Jesus on the cross satisfied the wounded honor and majesty of God.Anselm was a proponent of the satisfaction
theory.
Governmental Theory states the death of Jesus on the cross was an offering to God necessary not to forgive sin but to restore the moral order of the
universe. A governmental theorist sites Isaiah 42:21 " It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious". Hugo
Grotius was a proponent of the Governmental Theory.... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" 1 Peter 2:21. Socinus was a
proponent of the example theory.
The Moral Influence Theory states that Jesus' death on the cross so reveals god's love that its acts as inspiration providing a revival of moral fortitude
in man. Perter Abelard and Horace Bushnell were proponents of the Moral Influence

The Doctrine Of The Trinity
Augustine and the Trinity
Introduction
The doctrine of the Trinity is often viewed as an archaic and abstract theory many churches and theological study programs settled on long ago, and
therefore, has little relevance to modern Christian faith. Over the past fifteen centuries, the doctrine of the Trinity has played a peripheral role in
Christian theology. Formulated in Nicea (325 C.E.) and later revised in Constantinople (381 C.E.), it has been generally accepted by most Christians.
However, this was not always the case; over 1600 years ago, according to Gregory of Nyssa, it was near impossible to enter the marketplace without
hearing or becoming engaged in a debate about whether God the Son is equal to or less than God the Father. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
At the same time, Augustine sought to defend the doctrine of the Trinity established in Nicea and Constantinople against heretical formulations such as
Arianism.
In his Trinitarian formulation, Augustine argued the Latin expressions of one essence (essentia), three persons (personae), was more precise than the
Greek of one essence (ousia), and three substances (hypostases). Citing the Exodus passage of God naming Himself, "I AM that I AM" (The Holy
Bible, 3:14), Augustine believed substance (hypostases) could not properly be predicated of God as if God were something in which accidental
properties could subsist. The distinction between the persons of the Trinity (the usual starting place for Augustine) is found in causation. Augustine
understood the distinction between persons according to eternal and immutable relation (Gilson 1960). He used a psychological analogy in which the
unity of the Trinity is likened to the human soul composed of "the mind [intellect], and the knowledge by which it knows itself [memory], and the love
by which it loves itself [will]" (Augustine and Stephen McKenna 2002). The intellect is not the will nor the memory; memory, neither the will nor
intellect; and will, neither the intellect nor memory. Yet there is only one mind. Augustine moved from exterior realities of creations to the interior
realities of the human souls in the hope of encountering God in the image of God (imago

The Council Of Nicea ( 325 )

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The Council Of Nicea ( 325 )