Can Cognitive Science of Religion help us to better understand the reasons for Nestorius` downfall?
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2007 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Sacra aneb Rukověť religionisty |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Philosophy and religion |
| Keywords | Theotokos; Will of the Demos; Cult of the Virgin Mary; Theological correctness |
| Description | The Nestorian controversy was one of the greatest theological disputes in Christianity after the Arian crisis and it is also one of the best examples of what can possibly be involved in the shaping of an orthodox doctrine. It started as a local fight over the title of Mary “Theotokos” but resulted in the deposition of Nestorius as well as opposition movements dividing from the main stream church. “Theotokos” debate triggered a major clash between two theological schools. The School of Alexandria was represented by Cyril of Alexandria. His christological teaching was inspired by authors like Clement of Alexandria, Origenes, Athanasius or Apollinarius. The other one, the School of Antioch, lists names like Diodor of Tarsus, Theodor of Mopsuestia, John Chrisostom or Nestorius. One of the main reasons that influenced the result of the Nestorian controversy was the popular opinion of the masses (“vox populi”) which was shaped against Nestorius by many factors: by political mistakes of the archbishop himself, by political intrigues of his enemies and by the fact that using the “Theotokos” title which wasalready common at the time he stood up against it. Believers were already used to proceeding with their intuitive beliefs which satisfied wide range of their emotional needs and were even being encouraged by official liturgy. It was especially the devotion to Mary at a popular level in general that Nestorius had underestimated, and people saw his deposition as a victory of their own expressions of piety over the “sharp-witted and intellectualist” theology. |