Ecumenical Smackdowns
What were the main beliefs of the Gnostics?
Gnostics believed that creation was corrupt, the physical world was evil, and that the soul and knowledge were superior to those. They viewed Jesus as Knowledge made material, or that he was ‘The Eternal Spirit’ and didn’t have a body.
Name the 3 Types of Maps
Political
Physical
Thematic
Convened in 431 AD by Emp Theodosius II. Condemned Nestorianism with the 12 Anathemas of St. Cyril of Alexandria who defended the use of Theotokos (God Bearer) vs Christotokos (Christ Bearer) and Anthropotokos (Man Bearer) for the Virgin Mary.
The Council of Ephesus (3rd Ecumenical Council)
Name at least 4 Gothic Tribes
Ostrogoths, Vandals, Visigoths, Franks, Burgundians, Saxons.
Define the Corpus Iuris Civilis
Also known as The Codex Justinianus. The new Roman Law, streamlined to incorporate Christianity on all levels, and combining it with Roman Law.
Who was St. Nicholas of Myra?
A defender of Orthodox Christianity in the 1st Ecumenical Council. Bishop of Myra. Punched Arius during the Council when he blasphemed the Theotokos.
Who was the first Christian Emperor of Rome. Ended the persecutions of Christians, freeing those that had been imprisoned, and made Christianity the State Religion of Rome. Called the First Council of Nicea to establish the Canon of the Faith
St Constantine the Great
What was the ruling and happened as a result of the 4th Ecumenical Council?
(Must have both for points)
Clarified Christ’s 2 Natures as fully God and Human in One Person in hypostatic union.
Designation was rejected by the Oriental Church, becoming the first major schism between Chalcedonian Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy.
Which nation was the first Christian Nation?
The Kingdom of Georgia
Which part of the law is the compilation of all laws prior to Justinian’s reign that were to be continued, some dating back to the Roman Republic Era.
The Codex
Who was Arius?
Founder of the Arian Heresy, taught that Jesus was only a man, and not God. Condemned in the 1st Ecumenical Council and exiled.
Who was the mother of St. Constantine, and a Christian during the persecution of Diocletian. Raised her son to be Christian, and found many relics of the Faith, including the True Cross.
St Helen
Describe the 1st Council of Nicea (1st Ecumenical Council)
Who, when, and what happened
Convened in 325 AD by St. Constantine in order to set down the Canon of the Faith.
Produced the Bible and the Nicene Creed. It condemned Gnosticism, Donatism, and Arianism
What are Saint Justinian I and Saint Theodora I famous for?
Emperor and Empress of Eastern Rome 527-565 AD. Reformed Eastern Rome’s laws (Codex Justinianus), Convened the 5th Ecumenical Council, and built the Hagia Sofia
Which part of the law is the Constitution of the Roman Government, describing the structure, powers, and responsibilities of the Imperial Government.
The Institutions
Who was Nestorius?
Founder of the Nestorian Heresy, taught that Jesus was 2 Persons, with his Human and Divine Nature separate. Condemned by St. Cyril of Alexandria and exiled
Name the 4 Great Persecutions of the Christians in the Roman Empire
Nero - blamed Christians for the Great Fire
Decius - persecuted Christians for refusing to worship Roman gods
Valerian - persecuted Christians for refusing to worship Roman gods
Diocletian - persecuted all religious minorities, especially Christians
What was the name of the Council convened in 381 AD by Emp Theodosius I. Condemned the semi-Arian and anti-Trinitarian heresies of Apollinarianism and Macedonianism. Added "And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets” to The Creed.
1st Council of Constantinople (2nd Ecumenical Council)
Who was Alaric and what did he do?
Leader of the Goths; Sacked Rome in 410 AD
Which part of the law is the first half of the collections of writings from prominent jurists and legal scholars, which helped form the basis of Judicial Precedent.
The Digest
Define Monophysite vs Miaphysite vs Dyophysite
Monophysite: Jesus’ Human Nature was absorbed by his Divine Nature, ‘like sugar dissolving in water’
Miaphysite: Jesus had only 1 Nature, which was Both Natures combined into one
Dyophysite: Jesus was fully God fully and fully Human at the same time. Two Natures in One Person in hypostatic union
What was the Battle of the Milvian Bridge
The final battle between Maxentius and Constantine, when God appeared in a vision of the “Chi-Rho” and said: “In Hoc Signo Vinces”
Describe the 2nd Council of Constantinople (5th Ecumenical Council)
Convened by Emp St Justinian I in 553 AD. Dealt with continuing issues stemming from the 4th Ecumenical Council. Attempted to reconcile Chalcedonian and Non-Chalcedonian Churches. Condemned Isochristoi heresy and Origenism.
What was the Plague of Justinian?
The first recorded outbreak of Yersinia Pestis, otherwise known as ‘The Black Plague’. First appeared in Egypt in 541 AD, the plague lasted until 549 AD. It was recorded that 5,000 people in Constantinople died a day during the worst outbreak.
Which part of the law is the second half of the collections of writings from prominent jurists and legal scholars, which helped form the basis of Judicial Precedent.
The Pandects
Name the 5 cities of the Pentarchy
Rome
Constantinople
Antioch
Alexandria
Jerusalem
Name at least 4 of the 7 of Justinian's "Murderer's Row" and their roles.
x2 points if you name all 7
Empress Theodora - Justinian’s Right Hand
General Belisarius - Rome’s Greatest General
General Narsus - Savior of Constantinople
Judge Tribonian - Judicial Reformer
Peter the Patrician - Secretary of State
John the Cappadocian - Tax Reformer
Peter Barsymes - Trade and Commerce Expert
Religious and Political Syncretism
The blending of beliefs, practices, and organization of two structures into one; The foundational principle of the Codex Justinianus, in order to make Christianity the central belief structure behind Roman Law, making the Roman Empire a truly Christian nation.
Who are the Tatars?
A Manchu Tribe from the East Asian Steppe. Often referred to as “The Hell Riders” due to the similarity of their name to “Tartarus” and how brutal their raids were. Rode with the Huns.
Which part of the law is the laws enacted by Emp. Justinian himself, post reorganization and standardization of The Law.
The New Law