Introduction
In 314, the Roman Empiror Costantine lifted all restrictions on Christianity, but intellectuals still held the philosophy of Plato in awe. Sometimes the Greek view of the Divine – remote, impersonal, unsullied by contact with Creation – tempted Christian clergy to back-peddle on the much more characterful God of Israel, who will dare all for love.
IN his Christmas sermons for December 428, Nestorius, newly-appointed Patriarch of Constantinople, expressed his reservations about a popular name for the Virgin Mary: Theotókos, God’s birth-giver. Call her birth-giver of a man, he said, or of Christ, but not of God. How could the Almighty undergo physical birth, or have a mother?
Some bishops agreed with him, but at a tumultuous synod in 451, held in the Cathedral of St Euphemia in neighbouring Chalcedon, the overwhelming majority declared Nestorius had gone too far. They reaffirmed the miracle of the Bethlehem cave – that God himself underwent human birth – and blessed the acclamation ‘Theotókos’ as a succinct way to safeguard it.
However, divisions remained on the wording of a statement of faith. So they drew up two, opened the tomb of the martyr Euphemia, and under the Emperor Marcian’s impartial eye placed them side by side on her body.
The tomb was resealed by the Emperor, and the bishops retired for three days of prayer and fasting.
The modern name for Constantinople is Istanbul. It was the capital of the Roman Empire from 330 to 1453, when it fell to the Turks, remaining the capital of their Islamic empire until the Great War of 1914-1918.
Précis
In 428, a dispute arose over whether people should address the Virgin Mary as ‘God’s mother’. Bishops gathered at Chalcedon near Constantinople to defend the traditional practice in 451, but could not agree a form of words. So they put two texts into the tomb of the martyr Euphemia, resealed it, and left them there for three days. (58 / 60 words)
In 428, a dispute arose over whether people should address the Virgin Mary as ‘God’s mother’. Bishops gathered at Chalcedon near Constantinople to defend the traditional practice in 451, but could not agree a form of words. So they put two texts into the tomb of the martyr Euphemia, resealed it, and left them there for three days.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, despite, if, or, otherwise, since, until, whereas.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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