Apollinarianism

Apollinarianism is a Christological heresy attributed to Apollinaris of Laodicea (ca. 310–390 AD), a bishop and theologian in the 4th century. The heresy centers on the nature of Christ’s humanity and divinity and attempts to address how Christ’s two natures—human and divine—coexist in one person. Apollinaris sought to defend the unity of Christ’s person, but in doing so, he ended up denying the completeness of Christ’s humanity, which brought his teaching into conflict with orthodox Christian doctrine.

History of Apollinarianism

Apollinarianism arose during the complex debates of the 4th century over the nature of Christ, especially in the aftermath of the Arian controversy. Apollinaris was a respected defender of Nicene orthodoxy against Arianism, which denied the full divinity of Christ. However, in his effort to maintain Christ’s divinity and his unity as a single person, Apollinaris proposed a theory about Christ’s humanity that was ultimately deemed heretical.

In 372 AD, Apollinaris began openly teaching his view, and it quickly sparked controversy. His teachings were condemned at the First Council of Constantinople in 381 AD and by several other synods prior to that. The heresy lingered for some time afterward, influencing other groups but was eventually rejected by the broader church. Apollinarianism was officially condemned as heretical because it compromised the full humanity of Jesus Christ.

Theology of Apollinarianism

At the core of Apollinarianism is a mistaken attempt to resolve the tension between the human and divine natures of Christ. Apollinaris sought to preserve the unity of Christ’s person by arguing that Jesus did not have a full human nature, specifically a rational human soul (or mind). Instead, Apollinaris taught the following:

1. Christ’s Humanity Lacked a Human Mind: Apollinaris argued that Christ had a human body and an animal-like soul (which controlled physical sensations and desires), but his rational mind (or nous) was replaced by the divine Logos (the second person of the Trinity). This meant that, in Apollinaris’ view, Christ was not fully human in the sense of having a complete human psychology. Instead, the Logos (the divine Word) took the place of Christ's rational mind.

2. Unity of Christ’s Person: Apollinaris believed that this model of Christ’s nature ensured a complete unity between the divine and human in Christ. He feared that if Christ had a complete human soul or mind, this could imply two persons in Christ—a divine person and a human person—which would undermine Christ’s unity as a single, unified person.

3. Implication for Sinlessness: Apollinaris also believed that if Christ had a fully human mind, he would be susceptible to sin, as he viewed the human mind as inherently fallible. By asserting that the divine Logos replaced the human mind, Apollinaris thought he was safeguarding Christ's sinlessness.

Why Apollinarianism is Heretical

The church rejected Apollinarianism because it undermined the full humanity of Christ. According to the historic Christian faith, for Christ to be the perfect mediator between God and humanity, he had to be fully human as well as fully divine. Several problems arise from Apollinarian theology:

1. Denial of Full Humanity: By denying that Christ had a human mind or rational soul, Apollinaris effectively taught that Jesus was not fully human. This contradicts biblical teaching, which emphasizes that Christ became fully human (e.g., John 1:14, Philippians 2:6-8). The orthodox view is that Christ assumed everything essential to humanity—body, soul, and mind—so that he could fully redeem human beings.

2. Soteriological Concerns: Gregory of Nazianzus, a key opponent of Apollinarianism, famously argued, “What is not assumed is not healed.” In other words, if Christ did not assume a full human nature, including a rational soul, then he could not redeem all aspects of human nature. Christ’s work of redemption depends on him fully sharing in our humanity to heal it from the inside out. If part of Christ's humanity is missing, then human salvation is incomplete.

3. Council of Constantinople (381 AD): The church condemned Apollinarianism at the First Council of Constantinople, which reaffirmed that Christ is fully human and fully divine, united in one person. The Council’s condemnation of Apollinarianism set the stage for later Christological definitions, particularly the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD), which would further clarify the doctrine of the two natures of Christ.

Historic Christian Orthodox View

The historic Christian orthodox view, defined most clearly at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, teaches that Jesus Christ is one person with two complete natures—fully God and fully human. These two natures exist in hypostatic union, meaning they are united without confusion, change, division, or separation. Chalcedon is the culmination of centuries of Christological debate, including the rejection of heresies like Apollinarianism, Arianism, and Nestorianism.

1. Full Divinity and Full Humanity:

   • Christ is fully divine, of one substance with the Father according to his divine nature.
   • Christ is also fully human, of one substance with us according to his human nature. This includes having a human body, a human soul, and a human mind. Christ was like us in every way except for sin (Hebrews 4:15).

2. The Hypostatic Union: The Council of Chalcedon declared that in the one person of Christ, the divine and human natures are united “without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.” This means that Christ’s two natures, divine and human, exist together in perfect unity, without either nature being diminished or altered.

3. Importance for Salvation: The church’s insistence on the full humanity of Christ, including his human mind, is essential for the doctrine of salvation. If Christ is not fully human, he cannot represent humanity in his atoning work. Likewise, if he is not fully divine, he cannot accomplish salvation on behalf of humanity. The doctrine of the incarnation—that God the Son became truly human—is central to Christian soteriology.

Conclusion

Apollinarianism is a Christological heresy that sought to defend the unity of Christ’s person by denying that he had a fully human mind. While motivated by a desire to protect the integrity of Christ’s divinity and sinlessness, Apollinaris’ teachings ultimately undermined the full humanity of Christ. The church, through the Council of Constantinople and later the Council of Chalcedon, rejected Apollinarianism as heretical, affirming instead that Christ is fully God and fully man, with two complete natures united in one person. The historic orthodox view holds that Christ assumed a full human nature to redeem all of humanity, body, soul, and mind, and thus he serves as the perfect mediator between God and man.