Macedonians (religious group)

:"This article is about the Byzantine Greek Christian sect of the 4th century AD. For other meanings of the word "Macedonians," see the Macedonian disambiguation page."

The Macedonians were a Christian sect of the 4th century AD, named after Bishop Macedonius I of Constantinople. They professed a belief similarElwell, Walter A. ed. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001. pp.291.] disputable|date=August 2007 to that of Arianism, but apparently denying the divinity of the Holy Spirit, [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History", book 2, chapter 45.] and regarding the substance of Jesus Christ as being the same in kind as that of God the Father. They were regarded as a heretical sect and were suppressed by the mainstream Church. The sect's members were also known as "pneumatomachians", the “spirit fighters.”

Macedonius, and the Macedonians, held that God the Son was of "similar substance" ("homoiousion") to God the Father, [Philostorgius, recorded in Photius, "Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius", book 4, chapter 9 and book 8, chapter 17.] [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History", book 2, chapter 45.] but not of the "same substance" ("homoousion"), which has come to be the accepted definition of Christian orthodoxy.

The Macedonians continued to support the Homoiousian creeds of Antioch and Seleucia and condemn the Homoian creeds of Ariminum and Constantinople, [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History", book 2, chapter 45 and book 3, chapter 10.] calling new synods to support their views and condemn their opponents. [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History", book 3, chapter 10.]

The nature of the connection between the Macedonians and Bishop Macedonius I is unclear; most scholars today believe that Macedonius had died (around 360) before the sect emerged. The writings of the Macedonians have all been lost, and their doctrine is known mainly from refutations by church leaders. Two prominent 4th century saints, Athanasius of Alexandria and Basil of Caesarea, wrote polemics against Macedonianism ("Letters to Serapion" and " [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf208.vii.ii.html On the Holy Spirit] " respectively).

Their teachings were formally condemned in 381 by the First Council of Constantinople. The Council responded to the theological challenge of the Macedonians by revising the Nicene Creed into present form used in the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches and prohibited any further alteration of the Creed without the assent of an Ecumenical Council. The Macedonian heresy was subsequently suppressed by the emperor Theodosius I.

Notable Macedonians

*Macedonius, bishop of Constantinople (342-346 and 351-360). [Philostorgius, in Photius, "Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius", book 4, chapter 9 & book 8, chapter 17.] [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History", book 2", chapters 16, 27, 38 & 42.]
*Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem (350-386). [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History, book 2", chapters 38 & 42.]
*Marathonius, bishop of Nicomedia (c. 351-?). [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History, book 2, chapters 38 & 45.]
*Eleusius, bishop of Cyzicus (c. 351-360). [Philostorgius, in Photius, "Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius", book 8, chapter 17.] [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History", book 2, chapters 38, 42 & 45.]
*Sophronius, bishop of Pompeiopolis (?-360). [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History", book 2, chapters 39, 40, 42 & 45.]
*Eustathius, bishop of Sebastia. [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History", book 2, chapter 45.]
*Sabinus, bishop of Heraclea. [Socrates Scholasticus, "Church History", book 1, chapter 8 and book 2, chapter 15.]

References

ee also

*Nontrinitarianism
*Non-Trinitarian churches

External links

* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12174a.htm Article on the Macedonians] in the Catholic Encyclopedia.