Apollinarianism
If the Word took flesh but no human mind, was Christ fully human
Apollinarianism, taught by Apollinaris of Laodicea, held that in Christ the divine Word took the place of a human rational soul, so that Jesus lacked a complete human mind. Because this denied his full humanity, it was condemned at the Council of Constantinople in 381 and rejected by all the major traditions, which insist that Christ assumed a whole human nature, body and rational soul alike.
How it traveled
- Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.)Alexandria · 373challenges
- The LettersCaesarea (Cappadocia) · 379challenges
- The Second Ecumenical Council: The First Council of ConstantinopleConstantinople (Istanbul) · 381explains
- Select Letters of Saint Gregory NazianzenNazianzus · 390challenges
- Select Orations of Saint Gregory NazianzenNazianzus · 390challenges
- Rufinus's Epilogue to Pamphilus the Martyr's Apology for Origen; otherwise The Book Concerning the Adulteration of the Works of OrigenAquileia · 411explains
- The Letters of St. JeromeBethlehem · 420challenges
- The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All HeresiesLérins · 445challenges
- The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of TheodoretCyrrhus · 458challenges
- The Letters and Sermons of Leo the GreatRome · 461challenges
- The Fifth Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of ConstantinopleConstantinople (Istanbul) · 553challenges
- John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox FaithDamascus · 749challenges
- Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59)Paris · 1274challenges
Key passages(20)
Select Letters of Saint Gregory Nazianzen · Gregory of Nazianzus
To Cledonius the Priest Against Apollinarius. (Ep. CI.) To our most reverend and God-beloved brother and fellow-priest Cledonius, Gregory, greeting in the Lord. I desire to learn what is this fashio
Tap to expand
Select Letters of Saint Gregory Nazianzen · Gregory of Nazianzus
If anyone has put his trust in Him as a Man without a human mind, he is really bereft of mind, and quite unworthy of salvation. For that which He has not assumed He has not healed; but that which is u
Tap to expand
Select Letters of Saint Gregory Nazianzen · Gregory of Nazianzus
Against Apollinarius; The Second Letter to Cledonius. (Ep. CII.) Forasmuch as many persons have come to your Reverence seeking confirmation of their faith, and therefore you have affectionately asked
Tap to expand
The Fifth Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Constantinople · The Ecumenical Councils
The Capitula of the Council. (Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, Tom. V., col. 568.) I. If anyone shall not confess that the nature or essence of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost is one, as
Tap to expand
Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) · Athanasius of Alexandria
τούτῳ χρώμενος ὀργάνῳ infr.42. and ὄργανον πρὸς τὴν ἐνέργειαν καὶ τὴν ἔκλαμψιν τῆς θεότητος. 53. This was a word much used afterwards by the Apollinarians, who looked on our Lord’s manhood as merely a
Tap to expand
Rufinus's Epilogue to Pamphilus the Martyr's Apology for Origen; otherwise The Book Concerning the Adulteration of the Works of Origen · Rufinus of Aquileia
Apollinaris, in his reaction from Arianism, held that the Godhead supplied the place of the human soul in Christ. Hence their objection to this expression. Since, then, Origen in his letter complains
Tap to expand
Select Letters of Saint Gregory Nazianzen · Gregory of Nazianzus
But if anyone who thinks we have spoken rightly on this subject reproaches us with holding communion with heretics, let him prove that we are open to this charge, and we will either convince him or re
Tap to expand
Select Letters of Saint Gregory Nazianzen · Gregory of Nazianzus
Ep. CXXV. To Olympius. Even hoar hairs have something to learn; and old age, it would seem, cannot in all respects be trusted for wisdom. I at any rate, knowing better than anyone, as I did, the thou
Tap to expand
The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon XCV. Those who from the heretics come over to orthodoxy, and to the number of those who should be saved, we receive according to the following order and custom. Arians, Macedonians, Novatians,
Tap to expand
The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus · Socrates Scholasticus
Chapter XLVI.—Of the Apollinarians, and their Heresy. Cf. Sozom. VI. 25; Schaff, Hist. of the Christ. Ch., Vol. III. p. 708 seq.; Walch, Ketzerhistorie, III. p. 119–229. There were two men of the sa
Tap to expand
The Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen · Sozomen
Chapter XXVII.—Account Given, by Gregory the Theologian, of Apolinarius and Eunomius, in a Letter to Nectarius. Their Heresy was distinguished by the Philosophy of the Monks who were then Living, for
Tap to expand
The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret · Theodoret of Cyrus
Against VII.—If the nature of man is mortal, and God the Word is life and giver of life, and raised up the temple which had been destroyed by the Jews, and carried it into heaven, how is not the form
Tap to expand
The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret · Theodoret of Cyrus
CLVII. Report of the Council of (the Bishops of) the East to the Victorious Emperor, announcing a second time the deposition of Cyril and of Memnon. The Latin version of the title begins “Relatio ori
Tap to expand
The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret · Theodoret of Cyrus
Book V. Chapter I.—Of the piety of the emperor Gratianus How the Lord God is long suffering towards those who rage against him, and chastises those who abuse his patience, is plainly taught by the a
Tap to expand
The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret · Theodoret of Cyrus
Timotheus, bishop of Alexandria, who had followed Peter, the successor of Athanasius in the patriarchate, ordained in place of the admirable Gregorius, Maximus—a cynic who had but recently suffered hi
Tap to expand
The Letters and Sermons of Leo the Great · Pope Leo the Great
This is the view of Apollinaris. V. Nestorianism and Eutychianism are particularly to be avoided at the present time. There are many other astounding falsehoods also which we must not weary your ear
Tap to expand
The Letters · Basil of Caesarea
Letter CXXIX. Placed in 373. To Meletius Bishop of Antioch. A refutation of a charge that he was the author of an Apollinarian document. 1. I knew that the charge which had lately sprung up agains
Tap to expand
The Second Ecumenical Council: The First Council of Constantinople · The Ecumenical Councils
Canon VII. Those who from heresy turn to orthodoxy, and to the portion of those who are being saved, we receive according to the following method and custom: Arians, and Macedonians, and Sabbatians,
Tap to expand
Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
I answer that, As Augustine says (De Haeres. 69,55), it was first of all the opinion of Arius and then of Apollinaris that the Son of God assumed only flesh, without a soul, holding that the Word took
Tap to expand
Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59) · Thomas Aquinas
On the contrary, Augustine [*Fulgentius] says (De Fide ad Petrum xiv): "Firmly hold and nowise doubt that Christ the Son of God has true flesh and a rational soul of the same kind as ours, since of Hi
Tap to expand