Pope Honorius I
Boniface V | |
---|---|
Successor | Severinus |
Personal details | |
Born | |
Died | 12 October 638 |
Other popes named Honorius |
Pope Honorius I (died 12 October 638)
Early life
Honorius was a rich aristocrat who came from
Papacy
As pope, Honorius I looked up to
Honorius became involved in early discussions regarding the doctrine of Monothelitism, which is the teaching that Christ has only one energy and one will, in contrast with the teaching that he has two energies and two wills, both human and divine.[3] Patriarch Sergius I of Constantinople wrote an initial letter informing Honorius of the Monoenergism controversy, asking Honorius to endorse a position that Church unity should not be endangered by having any discussions or disputes over Christ’s possessing one energy or two. Sergius added that the doctrine of two energies could lead to the erroneous belief that Jesus has two conflicting wills.[4] Pope Honorius’ reply in 635 endorsed this view that all discussions over energies should cease, and agreed that Jesus does not have two conflicting wills, but one will, since Jesus did not assume the vitiated human nature tainted by Adam's fall, but human nature as it existed prior to Adam's fall.[5]
Honorius was apparently aware of the
Legacy
In the Third Council of Constantinople on 16 September 681,[7] the monothelites were anathematized by name "and with them Honorius, who was Prelate of Rome, as having followed them in all things" in the XIII session. Citing his written correspondence with Sergius, Honorius was subsequently accused of having confirmed his impious doctrines; the XVI session reaffirmed the condemnation of the heretics explicitly stating "to Honorius, the heretic, anathema!",[8][9] and concluding with the decree of the XVII session that Honorius had not stopped provoking scandal and error in the Body of the Church; for he had "with unheard of expressions disseminated amidst the faithful people the heresy of the one will", doing so "in agreement with the insane false doctrine of the impious Apollinaire, Severus and Themistius".[10] The Roman legates made no objection to his condemnation.[1]
Pope Leo II's letter of confirmation of the Council commended it for it had "perfectly preached the definition of the true faith"[11] and made reference to the condemnation of his predecessor:[12]
We anathematize the inventors of the new error, that is, Theodore, Bishop of Pharan, Sergius, Pyrrhus, Paul, and Peter, betrayers rather than leaders of the Church of Constantinople, and also Honorius, who did not attempt to sanctify this Apostolic Church with the teaching of apostolic tradition, but by profane treachery permitted its purity to be polluted.[10]
Within the year a Latin translation of the Acts of the council had been disseminated and signed by the Bishops throughout the West. The condemnation of Pope Honorius was reiterated by Pope Leo's successors and
References
- ^ a b c Chapman, John (1910). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company. . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
- ^ a b Attwater, Aubrey (1939). A Dictionary of Popes: From Peter to Pius XII. pp. 67–68.
- ^ Catholic Encyclopedia: Monothelitism and Monothelites
- ^ Hefele, p. 25
- ^ Hefele, pp. 29–30
- ^ Ata Ur-Rahim, Thomson 2003, p. 148., quote: "Pope Honorius was aware of the rising tide of Islam, whose tenets very much resembled those of Arius. The mutual killing of Christians by each other was still fresh in his memory, and perhaps he thought that what he had heard about Islam might be applied in healing the differences between the various Christian sects. In his letters he began to support the doctrine of 'one mind' within the doctrine of Trinity. He argued that if God had three independent minds, the result would be chaos. This logical and reasonable conclusion pointed to the belief in the existence of One God."
- ^ George Ostrogorsky, History of the Byzantine State (Rutgers University Press, 1995), 127.
- ^ Percival, Henry Robert (1900). The Seven Ecumenical Councils of the Undivided Church. A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church (second series). Vol. XIV. James Parker & Co. p. 343. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- ^ Mansi. Sacrorum conciliorum nova et amplissima collectio. Vol. XI. p. 622. Retrieved 9 September 2021., quote: "[...] Sergio hæretico anathema, Cyro hæretico anathema, Honorio hæretico anathema, Pyrro hæretico anathema [...]"
- ^ a b Mansi, XI, col. 733
- ^ Chapman, John. Condemnation of Pope Honorius. pp. 112–115 para. 24.
- ^ Grisar, Hartmann (1899). Analecta romana. Rome: Desclée Lefebvre. pp. 406–407. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- ISBN 9789004146662.
- ^ Hefele, C.J (1909). Histoire des Conciles, vol III. Paris. pp. 520–521.
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Bury, p. 252
Bibliography
- Bury, John B., A history of the later Roman empire from Arcadius to Irene, Volume 2 (2005)
- ISBN 9781920691981.
- Hefele, Charles J., A History of the Councils of the Church, From the Original Documents, Volume 5 (1896)
- ISBN 9780881410556.
- Phillips, Walter Alison (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 13 (11th ed.). pp. 660–661, see first para.
1. Honorius I., pope from 625 to 638, was...