Skip to content
Wellsprings
christian-councils-heresiesfeatured in 13 works

Apollinarianism

If the Word took flesh but no human mind, was Christ fully human

Apollinarianism, taught by Apollinaris of Laodicea, held that in Christ the divine Word took the place of a human rational soul, so that Jesus lacked a complete human mind. Because this denied his full humanity, it was condemned at the Council of Constantinople in 381 and rejected by all the major traditions, which insist that Christ assumed a whole human nature, body and rational soul alike.

How it traveled

  1. Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.)
    Alexandria · 373
    challenges
  2. The Letters
    Caesarea (Cappadocia) · 379
    challenges
  3. The Second Ecumenical Council: The First Council of Constantinople
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 381
    explains
  4. Select Letters of Saint Gregory Nazianzen
    Nazianzus · 390
    challenges
  5. Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen
    Nazianzus · 390
    challenges
  6. Rufinus's Epilogue to Pamphilus the Martyr's Apology for Origen; otherwise The Book Concerning the Adulteration of the Works of Origen
    Aquileia · 411
    explains
  7. The Letters of St. Jerome
    Bethlehem · 420
    challenges
  8. The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies
    Lérins · 445
    challenges
  9. The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret
    Cyrrhus · 458
    challenges
  10. The Letters and Sermons of Leo the Great
    Rome · 461
    challenges
  11. The Fifth Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Constantinople
    Constantinople (Istanbul) · 553
    challenges
  12. John of Damascus: Exposition of the Orthodox Faith
    Damascus · 749
    challenges
  13. Treatise on the Incarnation (qq[1]-59)
    Paris · 1274
    challenges

Key passages(20)

The Fifth Ecumenical Council. The Second Council of Constantinople · The Ecumenical Councils

Very high

Rufinus's Epilogue to Pamphilus the Martyr's Apology for Origen; otherwise The Book Concerning the Adulteration of the Works of Origen · Rufinus of Aquileia

Very high
Very high

The Canons of the Council in Trullo; Often Called The Quinisext Council · The Ecumenical Councils

Very high
Very high

The Ecclesiastical History, Dialogues, and Letters of Theodoret · Theodoret of Cyrus

Very high
Very high
Very high
Very high