Julian of Eclanum

Julian of Eclanum (* 386 in Apulia, Sicily † around 455 ) was Bishop of Aeclanum and a leading theologian of Pelagianism.

Life

Born the son of a Southern Italian Bishop Memorius, Julian married around 403 Titia, daughter of the Bishop of Benevento Aemilius. His ecclesiastical career began as a lector and deacon at the church of his father. Already 417 he was appointed by Pope Innocent I to the Bishop of Aeclanum (also Eclanum, Aeculanum, Eclana, Eculanum written ) in Apulia. As one of eighteen Italian bishops, he refused to sign the 418 written by his successor Pope Zosimus Epistola Tractatoria through which the teachings of Pelagius were condemned, was therefore deposed by Emperor Honorius and had to leave Italy 421.

As Julian came in contact with Pelagianism, is no longer detectable from the meager sources. In general, his life and his writings are to be reconstructed almost entirely from the information and quotations in the writings of his opponents (especially Augustine). The traditional citations allow any case to conclude that he was one of the most important Latin stylists among Christian theologians.

After his exile from Italy, he was for some time recording with Theodore of Mopsuestia, probably sympathized with him, but was forced but to support his conviction by the Emperor and the Pope. Even Julian 's later attempts to have cancel the condemnation of Pelagianism at the inauguration of a new pope, failed and resulted only in further condemnations by Celestine I Sixtus III. and Leo the Great.

For a time, Julian was supported by Patriarch Nestorius of Constantinople, Opel and Emperor Theodosius II, but this ended abruptly when Marius Mercator, a Commonitorium de Caelestio, one dedicated to the Emperor criticism of Pelagianism published. Julian had to leave Constantinople Opel at the instigation of the pope. 431 made ​​the condemnation of Pelagianism by the Council of Ephesus any further assistance virtually nothing.

Over the last decades of his life, there is only sparse and uncertain sources. It is possible that Julian turned southern Gaul (where a semi-Pelagian direction was widespread later ), and finally died around 454/455 as a teacher in Sicily.

Theology

Julian was busy as the first, summarize, systematize the teachings of Pelagius and Caelestius which had hitherto been carried forward in a rather dispersed in individual writings and sermons, and to think through, but is expected content coincide in all material respects, with the aforementioned founders of Pelagianism. In the field of grace and doctrine of original sin, he was by his numerous writings the most important theological opponent of Augustine, whom he accused of " Manichaeism ", which consisted of Julianus that Augustine, the evil in the human concupiscentia, that in human nature saw. For Julian, however, sin is a matter of human will, has the freedom to allow sin or to refrain from their ( admittendi peccati abstinendi et a peccato possibilita [s ] ).

This principle of free will, which only make the people to God's image, can also by sin is not lost, because sin do not change the natural constitution of man ( naturae status), but merely the state of his merit before God ( meriti qualitas ). Augustine's doctrine of original sin is for Julianus a contradiction in terms, since this doctrine be God the author of evil. So the grace of God WOULD not in election and predestination, but in ( physical and mental ) abilities of man, however, is responsible for his own salvation. With the help of the divine salvific will of man can - even the heath! - Fulfill all the commandments and so gain through the use of his free will, the eternal bliss.

Julian thought tries the human image of ancient philosophy against Augustine's ' new doctrine ' to protect. That in the Latin of the church instead could enforce the anthropology of Augustine, had far-reaching consequences for the history of Western Christianity in the Middle Ages and modern times.

Swell

  • Aurelii Augustini contra Iulianum opus imperfectum I-III, ed Michaela Zelzer 1974 ( CSEL 85.1 ), IV -VI in PL 45, pp. 1337-1608;
  • Iuliani Aeclanensis expositio libri Iob. Hosea Joel Amos et Tractatus prophetarum. Operum deperditorum fragmentary, ed M. J. d' Hont / L. de Coninck, 1977 ( CCh.SL 88);
  • Marii Mercatoris Commonitorium lectori adversum haeresim Pelagii et Caelestini vel etiam scripta Iuliani, ACO 1.5 pp. 11-19;
  • Theodori Mopsuesteni expositionis in psalmos Iuliano Aeclanensi interprete in latinum versae quae super sunt, CCh.CL 88A.
Reader (liturgy) Pope Sixtus III Concupiscence Andreas Urs Sommer Integrated Authority File
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