Amphilochius of Iconium
Encyclopedia
Amphilochius of Iconium was a Christian
bishop
of the fourth century, son of a Cappadocian family of distinction, b. perhaps at Caesarea, ca. 339 or 340; d. probably some time between 394 and 403. His father was an eminent lawyer, and his mother Livia remarkable for gentleness and wisdom.
He was probably first cousin to Gregory of Nazianzus
, and was brought up in the peculiarly religious atmosphere of the Christian aristocracy of his native province. He studied law, practised at Constantinople
, but soon retired to lead a religious life in the vicinity of his friend and relative, the "theologian" of Nazianzus.
He was soon drawn within the circle of influence around Basil of Caesarea
, and seems to have been for a while a member of the Christian "City of the Poor" that Basil had built at Cæsarea.
Early in 374 he was bishop of the important see of Iconium, probably placed there by Basil, whom he continued to aid in Cappadocian ecclesiastical affairs until Basil's death (379).
Thenceforth he remained in close relations with Gregory of Nazianzus, and accompanied him to the Council of Constantinople
(381), where Jerome
met and conversed with him (De Vir. Ill., c. 133).
In the history of theology he occupies a place of prominence for his defence of the divinity of the Holy Spirit
against the Macedonians
. It was to him that Basil dedicated his work "On the Holy Spirit". He wrote a similar work, now lost. We know, however, that he read it to Jerome on the occasion of their meeting at Constantinople.
His attitude towards Arianism
is illustrated by the well-known anecdote concerning his audience with Theodosius I
and his son Arcadius
. When the Emperor rebuked him for ignoring the presence of his son, he reminded him that the Lord of the universe abhorreth those who are ungrateful towards His Son, their Saviour and Benefactor.
He was very energetic against the Messalians, and contributed to the extirpation of that group. His contemporaries rated him very high as a theologian and a scholarly writer. Not to speak of his admirers and friends already mentioned, Jerome says (Ep. 70) of the Cappadocian triad (Basil, Gregory, and Amphilochius) that "they cram their books with the lessons and sentences of the philosophers to such an extent that you cannot tell which you ought to admire most in them, their secular erudition or their scriptural knowledge".
In the next generation Theodoret
described him in very flattering terms, and he is quoted by councils as late as 787. His only genuine extant work is, according to Bardenhewer, the "Epistola Synodica", a letter against the Macedonian heresy in the name of the bishops of Lycaonia
, and probably addressed to the bishops of Lycia
. The spurious "Iambics to Seleucus" offer an early and important catalogue of the canonical writings; other spurious fragments, current under his name, are taken from scriptural discourses, dogmatic letters and controversial writings.
The polemical treatise Against False Asceticism of Amphilochius of Iconium is expressly directed against the beliefs and
practices of the ‘Encratites’ and ‘Apotactites’ of rural Lycaonia
. It seems to be written in the second half of the 370s.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the fourth century, son of a Cappadocian family of distinction, b. perhaps at Caesarea, ca. 339 or 340; d. probably some time between 394 and 403. His father was an eminent lawyer, and his mother Livia remarkable for gentleness and wisdom.
He was probably first cousin to Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory of Nazianzus was a 4th-century Archbishop of Constantinople. He is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of the patristic age...
, and was brought up in the peculiarly religious atmosphere of the Christian aristocracy of his native province. He studied law, practised at Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, but soon retired to lead a religious life in the vicinity of his friend and relative, the "theologian" of Nazianzus.
He was soon drawn within the circle of influence around Basil of Caesarea
Basil of Caesarea
Basil of Caesarea, also called Saint Basil the Great, was the bishop of Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia, Asia Minor . He was an influential 4th century Christian theologian...
, and seems to have been for a while a member of the Christian "City of the Poor" that Basil had built at Cæsarea.
Early in 374 he was bishop of the important see of Iconium, probably placed there by Basil, whom he continued to aid in Cappadocian ecclesiastical affairs until Basil's death (379).
Thenceforth he remained in close relations with Gregory of Nazianzus, and accompanied him to the Council of Constantinople
First Council of Constantinople
The First Council of Constantinople is recognized as the Second Ecumenical Council by the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox, the Eastern Orthodox, the Roman Catholics, the Old Catholics, and a number of other Western Christian groups. It was the first Ecumenical Council held in...
(381), where Jerome
Jerome
Saint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia...
met and conversed with him (De Vir. Ill., c. 133).
In the history of theology he occupies a place of prominence for his defence of the divinity of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
against the Macedonians
Macedonians (religious group)
The Macedonians were a Christian sect of the 4th century, named after Bishop Macedonius I of Constantinople. They professed a belief similar to that of Arianism, but apparently denying the divinity of the Holy Spirit, and regarding the substance of Jesus Christ as being the same in kind as that of...
. It was to him that Basil dedicated his work "On the Holy Spirit". He wrote a similar work, now lost. We know, however, that he read it to Jerome on the occasion of their meeting at Constantinople.
His attitude towards Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
is illustrated by the well-known anecdote concerning his audience with Theodosius I
Theodosius I
Theodosius I , also known as Theodosius the Great, was Roman Emperor from 379 to 395. Theodosius was the last emperor to rule over both the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire. During his reign, the Goths secured control of Illyricum after the Gothic War, establishing their homeland...
and his son Arcadius
Arcadius
Arcadius was the Byzantine Emperor from 395 to his death. He was the eldest son of Theodosius I and his first wife Aelia Flaccilla, and brother of the Western Emperor Honorius...
. When the Emperor rebuked him for ignoring the presence of his son, he reminded him that the Lord of the universe abhorreth those who are ungrateful towards His Son, their Saviour and Benefactor.
He was very energetic against the Messalians, and contributed to the extirpation of that group. His contemporaries rated him very high as a theologian and a scholarly writer. Not to speak of his admirers and friends already mentioned, Jerome says (Ep. 70) of the Cappadocian triad (Basil, Gregory, and Amphilochius) that "they cram their books with the lessons and sentences of the philosophers to such an extent that you cannot tell which you ought to admire most in them, their secular erudition or their scriptural knowledge".
In the next generation Theodoret
Theodoret
Theodoret of Cyrus or Cyrrhus was an influential author, theologian, and Christian bishop of Cyrrhus, Syria . He played a pivotal role in many early Byzantine church controversies that led to various ecumenical acts and schisms...
described him in very flattering terms, and he is quoted by councils as late as 787. His only genuine extant work is, according to Bardenhewer, the "Epistola Synodica", a letter against the Macedonian heresy in the name of the bishops of Lycaonia
Lycaonia
In ancient geography, Lycaonia was a large region in the interior of Asia Minor, north of Mount Taurus. It was bounded on the east by Cappadocia, on the north by Galatia, on the west by Phrygia and Pisidia, while to the south it extended to the chain of Mount Taurus, where it bordered on the...
, and probably addressed to the bishops of Lycia
Lycia
Lycia Lycian: Trm̃mis; ) was a region in Anatolia in what are now the provinces of Antalya and Muğla on the southern coast of Turkey. It was a federation of ancient cities in the region and later a province of the Roman Empire...
. The spurious "Iambics to Seleucus" offer an early and important catalogue of the canonical writings; other spurious fragments, current under his name, are taken from scriptural discourses, dogmatic letters and controversial writings.
The polemical treatise Against False Asceticism of Amphilochius of Iconium is expressly directed against the beliefs and
practices of the ‘Encratites’ and ‘Apotactites’ of rural Lycaonia
Lycaonia
In ancient geography, Lycaonia was a large region in the interior of Asia Minor, north of Mount Taurus. It was bounded on the east by Cappadocia, on the north by Galatia, on the west by Phrygia and Pisidia, while to the south it extended to the chain of Mount Taurus, where it bordered on the...
. It seems to be written in the second half of the 370s.
Editions
- G. Ficker, Amphilochiana, I. Teil (Leipzig, 1906).
- C. Datema, Amphilochii Iconiensis Opera (Turnhout, 1978) (Corpus Christianorum, Series Graeca, 3).
Studies
- K. Holl, Amphilochius von Ikonium in seinem Verhältnis zu den grossen Kappadoziern (Tübingen, 1904).
- C. Bonis, ‘The heresies combatted in Amphilochios’ “Regarding False Asceticism”’, Greek Orthodox Theological Review, 9,1 (1963), 79–96.
- E. Rossin, ‘Anfilochio di Iconio e il canone biblico “Contra Haereticos”’, Studia Patavina 43,2 (1996), 131–157.