Amphilochius of Iconium
Saint Amphilochius | |
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Roman Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church | |
Feast | November 22 in the Catholic Church, November 23 in the Eastern Orthodox Church |
Patronage | Konya |
Amphilochius of Iconium (
Life
Amphilochius' father was an eminent lawyer, and his mother Livia was remarkable for gentleness and wisdom.[1] He was probably first cousin to Gregory of Nazianzus, and was brought up in the peculiarly religious atmosphere of the Christian aristocracy of his native province. He studied law in Antioch with Libanius, practised at Constantinople, but soon retired to lead a religious life in the vicinity of his friend and relative, the "theologian" of Nazianzus.[1]
He was soon drawn within the circle of influence around
In the history of theology he occupies a place of prominence for his defence of the divinity of the
His attitude towards Arianism is illustrated by the well-known anecdote concerning his audience with Theodosius I and his son Arcadius. When the Emperor rebuked him for ignoring the presence of his son, he reminded him that the Lord of the universe abhorreth those who are ungrateful towards His Son, their Saviour and Benefactor.[1]
He was very energetic against the
Works
Most of Amphilochius' work has been lost. Eight homilies have survived, including the oldest known sermon on the
His only genuine extant work is, according to Bardenhewer,[9] the "Epistola Synodica", a letter against the Macedonian heresy in the name of the bishops of Lycaonia, and probably addressed to the bishops of Lycia.[10][1]
Thought
Amphilochius' theology typically follows in the footsteps of his Cappadocian peers, and he defines the Trinity by the hypostatic properties of the Son as generation and the Spirit as procession. He does, however, innovate in designating the hypostases with a new phrase, "mode of being" (τρόποι τῆς ὺπάρξεως). This expression had not been used by the Cappadocian Fathers and was a step toward understanding the Trinity with language not aimed at essence, but relations. By the beginning of the fifth century, this phrase was generally accepted in theological uses.[11]
Besides his Trinitarian thought, Amphilochius also anticipated later theological usage with his Christological terminology of "hypostasis." In his insistence on the human nature of Christ, he was led to conclude that Christ had two wills and two natures.[12]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Shahan, Thomas Joseph (1907). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company. . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
- ^ "Calendar of Saints - 22 November".
- ^ "Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium".
- ^ Hist. Eccl., IV, x; V, xvi.
- ^ Jerome, Epistle LXX
- ^ Georges Florovsky, The Eastern Fathers of the Fourth Century, p.234.
- ^ Georges Florovsky, The Eastern Fathers of the Fourth Century, pp.233-234.
- ^ P.G., XXXIX, 13-130.
- ^ Patrologie, p. 249.
- ^ Goldhorn, S. Basil., Opp. Sel. Dogm., 630-635.
- ^ Georges Florovsky, The Eastern Fathers of the Fourth Century, pp.234-235.
- ^ Georges Florovsky, The Eastern Fathers of the Fourth Century, p. 235.
Editions
- G. Ficker, Amphilochiana, I. Teil (Leipzig, 1906).
- C. Datema, Amphilochii Iconiensis Opera, Turnhout, Brepols 1978 (Corpus Christianorum, Series Graeca, 3).
Studies
- K. Holl, Amphilochius von Ikonium in seinem Verhältnis zu den grossen Kappadoziern (Tübingen, 1904).
- C. Bonis, ‘The heresies combatted in Amphilochios’ “Regarding False Asceticism”’, Greek Orthodox Theological Review, 9,1 (1963), 79–96.
- E. Rossin, ‘Anfilochio di Iconio e il canone biblico “Contra Haereticos”’, Studia Patavina 43,2 (1996), 131–157.