Question

Primary Topic: “Word vs. World"

Assignment: Noll, Chs. 3 & 4

1. First Essay: The READING essay

Here are some questions to guide you in writing your CORE essay. (You don't have to answer all of them--they are only meant to guide you in your own discussion):

What were the fundamental issues concerning the identity of Jesus that called the Council of Chalcedon into existence?

What role did the figure of Mary play in the controversy?

Where other than theological issues at play at Chalcedon? If so, what were they and how important a role did they play?

Who was Marcion, and what role did he play in the controversy over Jesus' identity?

What is the importance of monastic orders in the unfolding of the history of the early church?

Describe important aspects of Benedict's life. Describe the significance of his Rule.

Discuss the impact of neb-platonic thought on Christian thought during this time.

What role did women theologians play in the Middle Ages?

Answer 1

The council of Chalcedon was a church council held in 451 which was numbered as the fourth ecumenical council by the catholic church. Oriental Orthodoxy churches do not agree with the conduct and the proceedings of the council. In fact they agreed mutually that Christ had a single divine nature affirming that Christ is the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly manThe two natures are distinct yet interchangeable and united. This is called the Hypnoitc union. In fact only in the mystery of Christ was the identity of Mary and womanhood ame to existence.Mary is the mother of God and in all these positions taken by the Church, the existence of the Mother of Lord also had different stances that were adopted. One of the central theological issues in these themes was the existence and form of Christ: In what sense was he God. It was claimed in the beginning that only the Father was truly God. Some proclaimed the full diety of Christ. The quetion of him being human versus God also arrived. The identities existing together at once were also debated about. Marcion had revolutionary thoughts and perspective regarding the existence of God. He spoke of the contents of the Bible, relationship between Christianity and Judaism, and bthe source of Church's knowledge of Jesus. Moreover, his ideas were large different and the teachings he proposed were largely a departure from traditional Christianity. Many monastic irders developed within Roman Catholicism and Protestantism which were religiousy headed in large ways.