Nestorianism

Overview

Nestorianism refers to the teaching of Nestorius, or to the Christology (the branch of theology concerned with who Christ is) attributed to him. Opponents charged that this teaching divided the divinity (His nature as God) and the humanity (His nature as man) of Jesus Christ too sharply, ultimately splitting Christ into two persons. It was condemned at the Council of Ephesus in 431 and is now regarded as one of the Christological heresies of the early church.

Origins of the Controversy

Nestorius was a native of Germanicia (modern Maraş, Turkey). He studied under Theodore of Mopsuestia of the Antiochene school and served as Patriarch of Constantinople from 428 to 431.

The controversy began over the title given to Mary. The church of the time called Mary Theotokos ("God-bearer"). Nestorius believed that this title obscured the full humanity of Christ, and he therefore argued that Christotokos ("Christ-bearer") was more fitting. He is reported to have maintained that if Theotokos were used, Anthropotokos ("man-bearer") should be used alongside it.

Principal Claims and Issues

• Nestorius's position: He held that the divinity and humanity in Christ must be clearly distinguished in order to safeguard Christ's true humanity.
• The opposing position: Opponents held that this view divided Christ into two persons, "God" and "man." The opposition was led by Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, who countered that the divinity and humanity are not separate but are united in one hypostasis (that is, one personal subject).

The heart of the controversy was not the veneration of Mary as such. The central question was whether, in the Incarnation, God truly became man.

The Judgment of the Council of Ephesus

The Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius II convened the council, which opened at Ephesus on June 22, 431. The assembly led by Cyril condemned Nestorius and removed him from the patriarchate. It also affirmed that it is proper to apply the title Theotokos to Mary.

However, John, Patriarch of Antioch, and his party, who supported Nestorius, arrived late. They held a separate meeting and, among other actions, deposed Cyril in turn, so that the council proceeded in confusion, divided into two rival assemblies. Nestorius himself attended neither. He was subsequently exiled.

Nestorius's Position and Later Reassessment

Nestorius maintained that he had been misunderstood, explaining that he had merely been wary of the term Theotokos being used in a heretical sense. Some records also indicate that he accepted the title Theotokos while in exile.

Some modern scholars hold that Nestorius did not seek to forbid the term Theotokos, and they question whether he actually divided Christ into two persons. Others, by contrast, describe him as having tried to prevent the use of the title, so assessments remain divided. For this reason, the term "Nestorianism" is sometimes used, as distinct from the personal views of Nestorius, to denote the teaching condemned by the council that divides Christ into two.

The Church of the East and Jingjiao

The Syriac-speaking church of Persia and other eastern regions was commonly called "Nestorian." Some scholars, however, hold that neither the Council of Ephesus nor Nestorius exerted a direct or decisive influence on the Mesopotamian church of that time, and there is accordingly debate over whether it is appropriate to call this church Nestorian. Today the members of the Assyrian Church of the East, which carries on this tradition, are dispersed, chiefly in northern Iraq and in immigrant communities in the United States and Australia.

This church reached Tang China in 635, where it was called Jingjiao (景敎, "the Luminous Religion"). The Stele of the Propagation of the Luminous Religion of Daqin in China (大秦景敎流行中國碑), erected in Chang'an in 781, records the history of its introduction and the extent of its influence. The stele is believed to have been buried after the religious persecution of around 845, and it was rediscovered near Xi'an around 1625. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, a replica of the stele stands at the entrance of Jangansa Temple in the Diamond Mountains (Geumgangsan).

Understanding in the Korean Church

The research for this article found no record of any general assembly of a Korean Protestant denomination adopting a specific resolution on Nestorianism. The term refers less to any currently active group than to a concept used to explain the Christological controversies of the early church. Accordingly, it is treated mainly in church history and systematic theology, alongside other ancient heresies such as Arianism and Docetism.