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Truth.Seeker

posted on Sep 22, 2009 - 08:05 PM

I came across an Armenian Council that seems to say the Armenian and Syrian (I think by "Assyrian," this is referring to the Syrian Othodox, not Church of the Easter) Orthodox churches disagree with some of St. Severus's theology -

The Council of Manazkert (719)

At this council some dogmatic questions were discussed which had been raised in the Assyrian Church, and led to divergence. The famous Armenian Theologian Translator Khosrovik took part in this Council. The goal of this council was to amend the divergences that had occurred between the two churches concerning the purity of the Savior’s body. The Assyrians accused the Armenians of following the teaching of Julian of Halicarnassus and the Armenians in their turn accused the Assyrians of following the teachings of Severus of Antioch.

The Council established 10 anathemas which refuted the teachings of Julian of Halicarnas and Severus of Antioch and their followers and reestablished the orthodox teaching of the Holy Trinity. As a result an alliance was created between the Armenian and Assyrian churches.

http://66.208.37.78/index.jsp

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On Monachos, there's a post that quotes several instances that "show" St. Severus is considered a heretic in the Armenian Church.

Can someone who knows something about this shed some light on the topic?

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A. S.

Joined: Feb 25, 2008 | Posts: 961

Salpy

posted on Oct 05, 2009 - 06:05 AM

As a matter of coincidence, I was just discussing this on Thursday with someone who knows this stuff better than I do.

He said that the way things stand now, the persons of both Julian and Severus are really neither condemned nor accepted by the Armenian Church. With regard to Severus, he said that the Armenians had concerns that he "went too far" in his Christology. He is not today, however, officially under any anathema by the Church.

From what I understand, the council of Manzikert condemned the heretical beliefs attributed to Julian, but it also condemned some beliefs which I think the Armenians were attributing to Severus. I get the feeling these were beliefs which Severus may not have held, but which the Armenians had been attributing to him. Manzikert was attended by Syriac bishops, so I don't think they would have assented to condemnations of Severus' actual beliefs.

I think the only anathemas from the Armenians which one will find against the person of Severus are anathemas from several centuries ago, which were recorded by individuals, but were not pronounced by councils of the Church.

One anathema, which I have seen--and which I think was referred to in the Monachos exchange you reference--was written by a theologian named Vrtanes, in the early 600's. The anathema reads as follows:

"We are charged by our Fathers and by the orthodox doctors not only to abstain from and anathematize the leven of Nestorius, but we are also charged to treat Eutyches, Eunemus, Severus, Marcion, Sabellius, and the others like them, and above all, the world-destroying and the immemorable Council of Chalcedon the same way. They all preached that [the two natures] of one Christ were divided and separated from each other after being fully united."

I got this from page 68, of Bishop Ukhtanes of Sebastia (X Century): History of Armenia Part II, History of the Severance of the Georgians from the Armenians, second edition. The English translation is by Fr. Zaven Arzoumanian, and this edition was printed by the Armenian Western Diocese of the Unitied States. The book is a collection of letters dating from the early seventh century, which were compiled by Bishop Ukhtanes in the tenth century. Bishop Ukhtanes compiled the letters to document the split which occurred between the Armenian and Georgian Churches, when the latter came to accept Chalcedon. It's a fascinating book.

Getting back to the anathema, at the risk of criticizing one of my Church's Fathers, I have to express some wonder about the accuracy of it. It just seems to lump Severus together with a bunch of other people who taught different things, and attribute the same heresy to them all. I can't imagine this anathema having any viability today.

Anyway, that's about all I know. I hope it helps.

Joined: Nov 25, 2007 | Posts: 19

Salpy

posted on Oct 05, 2009 - 06:52 AM

I just want to give a link to the Armenian Church Western Diocese of the US, in case someone wants to get the Bishop Ukhtanes book:

http://www.armenianchurchwd.com/

The guy to contact is Remo, who runs the bookstore. The book was printed in early 2008, and hopefully it's still in print.

Joined: Nov 25, 2007 | Posts: 19

Meghalo05

posted on Oct 07, 2009 - 02:21 AM

Truth Seeker,

Father Peter Farrington would be the best to answer regarding the Anathemas against St. Severus by the Armenians. I believe it was discussed in a previous thread, although I don't know the exact one, but I know Fr. Peter commented in that thread. As a theologian and historian of St. Severus, he would have the best answer.


Love never fails

Joined: Jan 18, 2005 | Posts: 365
Location: St. Mary and St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church of Indianapolis, IN