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| Question agitated in Egypt, as to whether God has a Corporeal Form. Theophilus, Bishop of Alexandria, and the Books of Origen.
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Chapter XI.—Question
agitated in Egypt, as to whether God has a Corporeal Form. Theophilus, Bishop of Alexandria, and the
Books of Origen.
A question was at this period
agitated in Egypt, which had been propounded a short time previously,
namely, whether it is right to believe that God is
anthropomorphic.1599
Because they laid hold of the sacred words with simplicity and without
any questioning, most of the monks of that part of the world were of
this opinion; and supposed that God possessed eyes, a face, and hands,
and other members of the bodily organization. But those who searched
into the hidden meaning of the terms of Scripture held the opposite;
and they maintained that those who denied the incorporeality of God
were guilty of blasphemy. This later opinion was espoused by
Theophilus, and preached by him in the church; and in the epistle1600
| 1600This epistle is no longer extant; it is alluded to
by Cassianus in his Collatio, x. 2; Opp. i. p. 821,
822.
|
which, according to custom, he wrote respecting the celebration of the
passover, he took occasion to state that God ought to be regarded as
incorporeal, as alien to a human form. When it was signified to the
Egyptian monks that Theophilus had broached these sentiments, they went
to Alexandria, assembled the people together in one place, excited a
tumult, and determined upon slaying the bishop as an impious man.
Theophilus, however, presented himself to the insurgents forthwith, and
said to them, “When I look upon you, it is as if I beheld the
face of God.” This address sufficiently mollified the men;
yielding their wrath, they replied, “Wherefore, then, if you
really hold orthodox doctrines, do you not denounce the books of
Origen; since those who read them are led into such opinions?”
“Such has long been my intention,” replied he, “and I
shall do as you advise; for I blame not less than you do, all those who
follow the doctrines of Origen.” By these means he deluded the
brethren, and broke up the sedition.
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