The attitude of St. Athanasius and St. Hilary towards the Manifesto of the synod of Ancyra (358)

Józef Grzywaczewski

Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie , Poland


Abstract

The Synod of Ancyra was organized at 358 by Basil, bishop of this city. The bishops who took part in this Synod published a Synodical Letter, called in English Manifesto. They presented in this letter the essence of the Homoiousian theology (it also written Homoeousians). They did not accept the Nicaean concept of equa­lity of the Son to the Father, expressed by the term homoousios (consubstantial). They proposed other idioms, especially homoios kat ousian (similar to the Father according the essence); sometimes they used the term homoiousios (similar to the Father in all things). According to the teaching of the Homoiousians, the Son pos­sessed the Divinity not in himself, but by the participation in Father’s Divinity. Athanasius of Alexandria expressed quite positive opinion about the theology of the Synod of Ancyra. Maybe he did know it very well; maybe he tried to see positive elements in it, because the Homoiousians were in opposition to the ex­treme Arianism. Hilary of Poitiers expressed also a positive opinion about the Manifesto of Ancyra. He appreciated its moderate position in Christology in com­parison to the extreme Arians. He supposed that the above mentioned terms used by the bishops of Ancyra had the same meaning as the Nicaean term homoousios. Both Athanasius and Hilary did not pay much attention on terms but espe­cially on the relation of the Son to the Father; he distinguished the identity of each Person; he was conscious of the difference of their mission, and he underlined the equality of their Divine nature and dignity.

Keywords:

Synod of Ancyra (358), Homoiousians (Homoeousians), Basil of Ancyra, Athanasius of Alexandria, Hilary of Poitiers

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Published
2015-12-15


Grzywaczewski, J. (2015). Postawa św. Atanazego i św. Hilarego wobec decyzji synodu w Ancyrze (358). Vox Patrum, 64, 171–188. https://doi.org/10.31743/vp.3711

Józef Grzywaczewski 
Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie



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