Monophysitism Past and Present: A Study in Christology — John Shaqi
Monophysitism Past and Present: A Study in ChristologyLuce, A. A. (Arthur Aston)
Religion
Monophysitism Past and Present: A Study in Christology
Luce, A. A. (Arthur Aston)
Monophysites
fornication, and carrying them to bestial passions." The result of
this asceticism was a jaundiced and inhuman outlook on life. There was
much piety among the monophysites, but it was confined to a narrow
channel. Their zeal for purity of doctrine amounted to fanaticism;
their hatred of the Nestorian and of the Melchite at times reached a
white heat. Toleration was almost unknown in their communion.
The claims of humanity appeal less to a monophysite than to other
Christians. He places all life's values in the other world. He has no
motive for trying to ameliorate the lot of his fellow-men. Social
service has to him little or no divine sanction or religious value. We
are speaking only of general tendencies. No follower of Christ,
however perverted his views, could be totally indifferent to the
welfare of other men; but it came natural to the monophysite to think
that it does not matter much how a man lives in this world of shadows,
provided he holds communion with the world of unseen realities. The
same motive accounts for the rapid decline of missionary activity in
their communion. The Nestorians were far more active propagandists.
Worship is a very high type of service; but worship becomes selfish and
sickens into sentiment, if it neglects the inspiring tonic of contact
with human need. The monophysite Christology encouraged that form of
self-sacrifice, whose goal is Nirvana, which lapses lazily into the
cosmic soul and loses itself there in contemplation and ecstasy. It
supplies no motive for that finer piety which manifests itself in
ethical endeavour and practical philanthropy. His Christ had not
partaken of the cup of suffering. His Christ's advance to human
perfection was illusory. So the monophysite could not look for the
sympathy of Christ in his own struggles, nor could he appeal to
Christ's example in respect of works of human charity. Monophysitism
considers only the religious nature of man, and takes no account of his
other needs. We must therefore characterise the system as unsocial,
unlovely, unsympathetic.
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