Theodore of Mopsuestia
Theodore of Mopsuestia (also: Theodorus Mopsuestenus ) (* probably 350 in Antioch, † 428/429 in Mopsuestia ) was a Christian theologian of the Antiochene school and bishop of the city of Mopsuestia (now Yakapınar in Adana) in Cilicia. In the Assyrian Church of the East, he is revered as a saint.
Life
Theodore of Mopsuestia was a child wealthy Christian parents, his brother Polychronius later became Metropolitan of Apamea. Theodor studied with Maximus, who later became bishop of Seleucia in Isauria was, and John Chrysostom in Libanius the classics. Then he turned under the influence of Basil of Caesarea along with Chrysostom, and Maximus of asceticism, which he gave up in favor of a certain Hermione. Their engagement was the occasion of two flaming letters of John Chrysostom, who railed against such worldly temptations. After Theodore had returned to the monastery, he became a pupil of Diodorus of Tarsus. Theodore was ordained 383-386 in the diocese of Antioch by Bishop Flavian of Antioch a priest and the school of Antioch is attributed and was later the honorary title of Magister Orientis beilegte him.
In the year 392 he was appointed as successor Olympius bishop of the city of Mopsuestia.
He was the most well-known Bible teacher of his time, according to the information of John of Antioch, he laid the Holy Scriptures in all the churches of the East. After the leader of the Pelagians were 418 driven from the western part of the empire, they went to the leaders of the school of Antioch. Presumably they came under even with Theodor until their leader Julian departed from Eclanum 422 to Italy. According to Evagrius Scholasticus visited Nestor 428 on his way from Antioch to Constantinople Opel Mopsuestia and was infected with heretical thoughts here. Marius Mercator (* 390, † after 451) Theodor identified 431 as the "true father" of pelagic heresy.
Theodore died in 428 as a respected doctor of the Church, his successor as bishop of Mopsuestia was Meletius. As alleged supporters of Pelagianism and the Nestorians, he was a century later, convicted on the second Council of Constantinople Opel, as a heretic.
Doxology
Theodore was especially famous for his commentaries on the Bible, which in Persian church called "the translator" ( Antonomasia ) earned him. He emphasized the human nature of Christ, who could approach all the faithful, which contributed to his later condemnation as Nestorians. Theodor emphasized free will, taught that the Creator has allowed evil so that it could become a source of good and denied the eternity of hell-fire. He is commonly regarded, along with Gregory, Basil and Diodorus of Tarsus under the Universalists.
Theodor believed in the earthly existence of paradise and the tree of knowledge ( in GeneSim II, 8).
Writings
Of his numerous writings only a few have come down to us, and this by his opponent, whose reliability can be greatly doubted partially in sets. A catalog of the writings found in the Chronicle of Seert. Fully narrated are only:
- A commentary on the 12 Minor Prophets
- The commentary on Paul's letters in the Latin translation, Letter to the Galatians, Cambridge 1880-1882
- Catechetical Homilies ( in Aramaic ), translated until 1932/33,
- Dispute with the Macedonians
The following fonts are considered to be lost:
- Book of pearls
- Persian treatise on magic
- Against the defenders of original sin
The liturgy of the Nestorians is partly due to Theodorus.
The writings of Theodore, especially his commentaries on the Bible, in the Eastern Church had a high priority. They were translated into Aramaic in Edessa and later had canonical in the Persian school of Nisibis character.
Student
Among his pupils there was the patriarch Mar Aba I ( 540-552 ), who also taught at the School of Nisibis. He translated a Eucharistic Anaphora ( Eucharistic Prayer ) Theodor into Syriac.
Reception history
After Bishop Nestor, who refused the title of Mary as Mother of God, was condemned at the Council of Ephesus 431 as heretics, and the writings of Theodore were examined critically. Especially Cyril of Alexandria attacked him in his book ' Contra Diodorum et Theodorum ' sharply. 435 attacked him Hesychius of Jerusalem in his Ecclesiastical History, Rabbulas of Edessa also described him as a heretic.
But between the Council of Chalcedon in 451, and the second Council of Constantinople Opel 552 the authority of Theodore was generally unchallenged. 544 Theodorus was accused together with Theodoret of Kyrrhos and Ibas ( Ihiba ) of Edessa by Emperor Justinian of Nestorianism, an indictment, which was confirmed at the Fifth Ecumenical Council 553 by Pope Vigilius. Theodor was henceforth regarded as the father of Nestorianism. Also, the Coptic Church, which to this day maintains a particularly intense antinestorianische attitude, Theodor regarded as heretics.
In the Persian Church, the writings of Theodore at the Synod of Nisibis 484, which was later declared invalid, were sentenced by Barsauma, the founder of the school. This dam was 605 confirmed on a canonical Synod under penalty of anathema. Later, however, the Persian Church rejected this accusation from sharp. The Assyrian Church uses in the Eucharist still a liturgy of Theodore of Mopsuestia.
Whether its condemnation was justified as Nestorians, is disputed by the rediscovery of the Aramaic texts among Catholic theologians.