Verses used by Arians – Arian heresy and beyond
how to confront heresies that denied the divinity of Christ, especially the Arian heresy and what followed, and shows that many of the verses cited by opponents are misunderstood.
It affirms that Christ is truly human and truly divine with a full natural union between the two natures without separation, and that bodily attributes (eating, drinking, fatigue, sleep, pain, death) are attributed to the human nature and do not mean a separation of the divinity from the humanity.
It clarifies that Christ died in the physical nature while the divinity cannot die, and that this does not diminish his divinity but rather demonstrates the union of the two natures.
It explains that Christ’s prayers and human behavior belong to his humanity and his human sanctity, and that some mutual addresses between the Son and the Father are called a “mutual address” rather than prayer as a request from a creature.
It reviews verses used against him such as (1 Corinthians 15:28, John 14:28, Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32, Proverbs 8:22, John 10:30, etc.) and presents the fathers’ responses to the mistaken understanding.
It refers to the works of the fathers: Basil the Great, Athanasius, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory Nazianzen, Hilary, Cyril, John Chrysostom, and others in explaining these texts and defending the divinity of Christ.
It calls the students to read and research the original sources, warns against replying to verses as isolated fragments and instead to reply to the wrong understanding of those verses, and announces readiness to continue the topic in a second part and to turn the materials into a book later.
It concludes encouraging students to send written questions for the next lecture, to rely on the library and available references, while emphasizing the importance of distinguishing the positive presentation of Christ’s theology and replying to objections.
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