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Theopatheia: Nestorius's main charge against Cyril of Alexandria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 June 2003

Paul Gavrilyuk
Affiliation:
Theology Department, University of St Thomas, 2115 Summit Ave/JRC 153, St Paul, MN 55105, USAplgavrilyuk@stthomas.edu

Abstract

Was Cyril of Alexandria a theopaschite? In order to resolve this controversial issue, this paper will look at Cyril's Christology with Nestorius's eyes. The charge of theopatheia appears from the very beginning in Nestorius's correspondence with Cyril and retains its central place in Nestorius's work Liber Heraclidis. The paper discusses Nestorian arguments against Cyril's position and Cyril's counter-charges. The conclusion is reached that Nestorius asserted unqualified divine impassibility. Cyril, in contrast, held a qualified view of the divine impassibility and maintained that neither divinity suffered alone, apart from humanity (in which case the assumption of humanity would be superfluous), nor humanity suffered alone, apart from and in sharp contrast to the impassible divinity (in which case the reality of divine involvement in the incarnation would be put at risk).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Scottish Journal of Theology Ltd 2003

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