Journal: Journal for Baptist Theology & Ministry
Volume: JBTM 20:1 (Spring 2023)
Article: The Fight For Christ: The Role Of Violence In The Christological Debates Of The Fifth Century
Author: Benjamin Browning

The Fight For Christ: The Role Of Violence In The Christological Debates Of The Fifth Century

Benjamin Browning

Benjamin A. Browning serves as an adjunct professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and as director of graduate studies and research at Ambassador International University, Zambia.

Introduction

The fifth century CE was a critical period in the development of orthodox Christology. Christian leaders debated issues concerning the person and nature of Christ, ultimately condemning Nestorianism and Monophysitism in favor of Chalcedonian Christology. Even today, despite their many theological differences, the Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant traditions agree about the Christological decisions made by the ecumenical councils of the fifth century. However, while most present-day Christian groups agree with Chalcedonian Christology, the story was radically different in the fifth century. In fact, Christological controversies transcended mere theological debate and ecclesiastical maneuvering, frequently leading to violent clashes between various factions. Soldiers attacked those accused of heresy, mobs intimidated and attacked those of opposing factions, and some cities even rose in open revolt against Chalcedonian orthodoxy. Thus, theological concerns regarding Christology were answered within an environment characterized by violence and the threat of violence.1

An important question arising from the contemptuous atmosphere of fifth-century theological debates is: What role did violence and the threat of violence have on the development and acceptance of orthodox Christology? More specifically, was violence and the threat of violence a decisive factor in the development and acceptance of orthodox Christology? In this article, I will explore

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the role of popular violence in the Nestorian, Eutychean, and Monophysite Controversies. Ultimately, I will argue that while various factions in the Christological controversies of the fifth century used violence, riot, or revolt as tools to support their position, these methods had mixed results and were not decisive factors in the development and success of the Chalcedonian Christological position.

State Of Research

Three works are of particular importance in the study of religious violence in the fifth century. First, Timothy Gregory, in his book Vox Populi, explored the influence of popular opinion, including popular violence, on the religious controversies of the fifth century. His primary goals were to address the reason common people became involved in theological debates, the reason they supported particular positions, the impact that “popular religious opinion and action” had on the “u...