Theodore of Mopsuestia (mŏp'sy

ĕs`chə), c.350–428, Syrian Christian theologian, bishop of Mopsuestia (from 392). Together with his lifelong friend, St. John Chrysostom John Chrysostom, Saint (krĭs`əstəm, krĭsŏs`–) [Gr.,=golden-mouth], c.
..... Click the link for more information. , he studied at the school of Antioch, adopted its exegetical methods, and became a diligent writer and preacher. His commentaries on the various books of the Bible were historical and rationalistic; he was one of the first Christians to consider the Song of Songs a marriage poem rather than an allegory, and he was opposed to a Messianic interpretation of the Psalms. Many of his theological treatises are lost or fragmentary. He seems to have been influenced by dynamistic monarchianism monarchianism (mōnär`kēənĭzəm) [Gr.
..... Click the link for more information. , which emphasized the humanity of Jesus; he argued that Jesus progressively received the Logos and the Holy Spirit and that there was never a complete, essential (hypostatic) union of divine and human natures in the second person of the Christian Trinity. Much of his work was orthodox, and he was considered orthodox for many years, although his pupil Nestorius directly derived his views, considered heretical, from Theodore (see Nestorianism Nestorianism, Christian heresy that held Jesus to be two distinct persons, closely and inseparably united. In 428, Emperor Theodosius II named an abbot of Antioch, Nestorius (d. 451?), as patriarch of Constantinople.
..... Click the link for more information. ). The Pelagians (see Pelagianism Pelagianism (pəlā`jənĭzəm), Christian heretical sect that rose in the 5th cent. challenging St.
..... Click the link for more information. ) also drew from his works. He and his writings were condemned in 544 by Justinian (see Monophysitism Monophysitism (mənŏf`ĭsĭt'ĭzəm) [Gr.,=belief in one nature], a heresy of the 5th and 6th cent.
..... Click the link for more information. ) along with the other works of the so-called Three Chapters. Pope Vigilius Vigilius (vĭjĭl`ēəs), pope (537–55), a Roman; successor of St. Silverius .
..... Click the link for more information. , under pressure, reluctantly concurred.

Theodore of Mopsuestia

(born c. 350, Antioch, Syria—died 428/429, Mopsuestia, Cilicia) Syrian theologian and spiritual head of the school of Antioch. He entered a monastery near Antioch, where he lived and studied until 378. He was ordained in 381 and became bishop of Mopsuestia c. 392. His exegetical writings used scientific, critical, philological, and historical methods of analysis that anticipated modern scholarship. Theologically, he believed that Christ had two natures, divine and human, in some kind of union. He stressed the literal sense of scripture and opposed allegorical interpretations. The second Council of Constantinople (553) condemned his views, but he was venerated by the Nestorian church as “the Interpreter.” He is said to have introduced into the Nestorian church the doctrine of universal salvation.