Ibas of Edessa

Ibas of Edessa († October 28 457, Aramaic Jehiba or short Hiba, Latinized Iban, Latin Donatus, " the gift " ) was 435-457, with interruptions Bishop of Edessa (now Şanlıurfa ) and head of the school of Edessa.

Life

He took part in 431 as a presbyter at the Council of Ephesus, where he was repelled by Cyril of Alexandria's authoritarian occurrence. Bishop Rabbulas saw his writings as heretical, but the community supported him largely. Reported yet 433 due to theological differences from Edessa, he was 435/36 as the successor of Rabbulas Bishop of Edessa. With his support, the Church of the Apostles was built in Edessa, in a silver box, the relics of the Apostle Thomas contained, which allegedly had been buried in Edessa, after he had preached to the Parthians.

Ibas was a follower of the teachings of Theodore of Mopsuestia and was repeatedly accused attach the Nestorian heresy. As Proclus, Patriarch of Constantinople Opel ( 434-446 ), 437, all the bishops of the East urged to distance himself from the views of Theodore of Mopsuestia, Iban is refused, although it zuriet John of Antioch urgently.

Also in Edessa was stirring opposition to his teachings. Instigated by Uranios, the Bishop of Himera, four presbyters, Eulogius, Maras, Samuel, and Cyrus came together and complained Ibas at Domnus, Bishop of Antioch, in Hierapolis of heresy on. They produced a font that was signed by 17 clergy from Urfa. As Ibas heard of this, he excommunicated Cyrus and Eulogius and threatened this on to all their followers. Ibas seems to be his position at Domnus but not to have been quite sure he did not take part in the Synod of Antioch against Athanasius of Perrha.

Easter 448 raised Maras and Samuel, however, formal charges, and Iban loaded to Antioch before the council of the East, to justify himself. The charges were partly personal. In matters of faith, was reproached to him, he had condemned the teachings of Cyril of Alexandria, was a Nestorian and have Easter 445 announced that he envy it not Christ to have become God, because he could be God. Ibas confessed to his opposition to Kyril, but dismissed the other charges back as slander. Since Cyrus and Eulogius had meanwhile gone to Constantinople Opel to submit personally their allegations to the Emperor himself Domnus refused to issue an opinion in the absence of these witnesses, probably because the Synod was overall very poorly attended.

Then rushed also Maras and Samuel in the capital, as soon Urania bishop and other priests from Edessa homed. The Emperor and Patriarch Flavian complaints listened to, but they took no official notice. But there was in Constantinople Opel led by Theodoret a party that thus Iban faced with the teachings of Theodore of Mopsuestia and hostile. In the autumn of 448, a commission was set up, which consisted of Uranios of Himera and Photius of Tyre and Eustathius of Beirut, both close friends of Uranios and the imperial tribune Damascius, which should investigated the allegations. However, contrary to the canon law, to submit to imperial command a bishop to the judgment of other bishops. The Tribunal should take place in Tyre, but was moved to the Episcopal Palace of Beirut, since it was feared unrest.

Ibas could submit written statements by witnesses who confirmed his innocence, while the prosecution could muster only three witnesses. The procedure was struck down then. Iban publicly condemned Nestorianism confirmed its conformity with the decisions of the Councils of Ephesus and Nicaea, which were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and promised to let bygones be bygones. Only Uranios refused to sign an agreement.

His opponents, however, had become agitated in Edessa, Iban had to flee and Request troops to protect him shortly after his return from the city. Meanwhile, the Chaereas, the governor of the province Osrhoene, order had been given to arrest Ibas and resubmit under indictment. On the streets of Edessa to the abbots and monks had banded together, who demanded to condemn their bishop as " Judas and second Pharaoh " and burn. The procedure took place in the presence of Ibas and was accompanied by violent unrest. Chaereas Ibas declared guilty, the Emperor sat as bishop Nonnus in its place. Ibas was forbidden to set foot in Edessa, after he was arrested and imprisoned in Antioch taken.

In August 449 he was at the Synod of Ephesus ( the Robber Synod ) convicted and deposed in absentia. Tumultarische scenes accompanied the reading of the charges. Ibas was deposed as bishop and priests placed under anathema, and sentenced to pay back the allegedly embezzled money from him.

451 it was the deposed bishops be permitted to return to their seats. On the fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon Ibas was released in October prior to the meeting and demanded due to the decisions of Beirut, which were read, the withdrawal of the judgment rendered against him the judgment, which the Assembly finally decided unanimously. Ibas had Nestor and Eutyches condemn publicly, a command which he gladly followed, as he had already done in his writings.

Little is known about his later years. Nonnus, who had replaced him 449, was after his death, 457 his successor. Iban regarded as the founder of the school of Edessa, which attracted many students from the Sasanidenreich. His successor Nonnus tried to suppress it, and it was eventually banned by Emperor Zenon 489.

Doxology

Iban refused all Monophysite teachings from sharp. He held, as opposed to Nestor, Mary, for the Theotokos. Cyril of Alexandria, he attacked as Apolloniarier because of this believe in the identity of the human and divine nature of Christ, while the orthodox doctrine emanate from a perfect union of these two natures in the person of Christ.

On the second Council of Constantinople in 553 under Justinian I. Opel Ibans was "Letter to Mares " condemned in the wake of the Three Chapters controversy, as well as the works of Theodore of Mopsuestia and Theodoret of Kyrrhos.

Works

• Letter of Ibas to the Persian bishop Mares ( Dadishô ) of Seleucia (or Beit - Ardashir ), 433

Translations

• Aristotle
• Theodore of Mopsuestia
• Diodorus of Tarsus
• Theodoret of Kyrrhos
• Nestor