Several things: I looked into the Coptic, and it indeed seems to say "hypostasis" and not "nature."

"We do not divide the natures into two Persons (ϩⲩⲡⲟⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲥ), but the two natures are one Person (ⲟⲩⲏⲡⲟⲥⲧⲁⲥⲓⲥ)." (British Museum Oriental 5001, fol. 126b, col. 2)

This corresponds closely to the extant Greek of Proclus:

"Οὐ τῶν δύο φύσεων εἰς δύο ὑποστάσεων διαιρουμένων, ἀλλὰ ...εἰς μίαν ὑπόστασιν ἑνώσας." (Par. Gr. 1491, 203r)

This is Chalcedonian theology, because it shows that the union occurs within "one hypostasis" and not within "one nature". Τhe same idea is repeated in Sermon 24:

"There was a union of two natures in one Sonship and Lordship." (δύο γὰρ φύσεων γέγονεν ἔνωσις εἰς μίαν υἱότητα καὶ κυριότητα)

Par. Gr. fol. 202r Regarding Sermon 24, your reading of Martin's assessment of the manuscript tradition is mistaken.

Martin is not saying that the Syriac manuscript tradition of Sermon 24 (De nativitate Domini) is superior to the Greek, but that the Greek of *Sermon 23* (De dogmate Incarnationis), as reflected in the Parisinus Graecus 1491, is an adaptation of an original homily given during Lent, the original version of which is preserved in the Syriac and Coptic. Preachers in antiquity quite often tended to recycle their homilies (e.g. the 38th and 45th Orations of Saint Gregory the Theologian). That's what he's talking about.

Martin actually says that the Greek of Parisinus Gr. 1491 is *closer* to the Vat. Syr. 368 than to the Melkite manuscript Orient. Brit. 8606.

I was asked to provide evidence from some uncontested, non-fragmentary works of Saint Proclus to show where he elsewhere uses the expression "one hypostasis in two natures". I find that is only fair, so here it is. 🧵 In Sermon 23, On the Nativity of the Lord, Proclus says:

"And the divine nature is uncreated and the nature (assumed) from us is unadulterated. And there is (one) Son. The two natures are not divided into two hypostases, but the fearful economy united the two natures into one hypostasis (in) Him. The Son is One."

Image: Greek text from the Codex Parisinus Graecus 1491, 203r:

gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv…

Saint Euphemia and the Definition (Horos) of Chalcedon

On the 11th of July, the Church commemorates a dual feast: the holy martyr Euphemia and the dogmatic definition of the Council of Chalcedon of AD 451. 🧵 Saint Euphemia was a virgin from a noble family of the city of Chalcedon who was savagely tortured and martyred during the Diocletianic persecution of 303.

One hundred and fifty years later, an ecumenical council was convoked by Emperor Marcian to resolve the dispute that had arisen in the Church regarding the natures of Christ.

Mega-thread demonstrating, on the basis of Scripture, the Holy Fathers, and Sacred History, that the Church is the New Israel and that the Jews are rejected by God 🧵 In the Gospel, the Lord Himself declares in no uncertain terms:

"Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." (Matthew 21:43)

This prophecy was fulfilled with the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 AD. The new "nation" to which the kingdom of God was given was the Church of the Gentiles.

Can the unbaptized be saved? The hagiographical evidence

The Lord is clear that those not born of water and the Spirit "cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Further, the Fathers clearly teach that "there is no salvation outside the Church" (extra Ecclesiam nulla salus).

While this is undoubtedly true, there are several hagiographies which seem to indicate the possibility that some souls which did not receive baptism in this world can exceptionally be joined to the Church in the next. 🧵 The earliest attestation of this motif comes from the Passion of Saints Perpetua and Felicity, composed in the early 3rd century. While in prison, Saint Perpetua receives a vision of her dead brother who died as a child. He appears in a state of agony, unable to reach a pool of water to refresh himself. However, after Perpetua prays for him, he appears to her again transformed:

"Then, on the day on which we remained in fetters, this was shown to me. I saw that that place which I had formerly observed to be in gloom was now bright; and Dinocrates, with a clean body well clad, was finding refreshment. And where there had been a wound, I saw a scar; and that pool which I had before seen, I saw now with its margin lowered even to the boy's navel. And one drew water from the pool incessantly, and upon its brink was a goblet filled with water; and Dinocrates drew near and began to drink from it, and the goblet did not fail. And when he was satisfied, he went away from the water to play joyously, after the manner of children, and I awoke. Then I understood that he was translated from the place of punishment."

Astrology in the Middle Ages

There is a popular view of the Middle Ages as a time of superstition and witchcraft, alchemists and wizards. But was this really the case? In recent times, one of the greatest proponents of the "astrological thesis"—if we may call it so—was the British author and man of letters C.S. Lewis. In his 1964 analysis of medieval cosmology, The Discarded Image, he wrote:

"The statement that the medieval Church frowned upon [astrology] is often taken in a sense that makes it untrue. Orthodox theologians could accept the theory that the planets had an effect on events and on psychology, and, much more, on plants and minerals. It was not against this that the Church fought. She fought against three of its offshoots:

(1) Against the lucrative, and politically undesirable, practice of astrologically grounded predictions.
(2) Against astrological determinism.
(3) Against practices that might seem to imply or encourage the worship of planets." (1st edition, p. 103)

As anyone who speaks Greek is aware, there is a difference between spelling and pronunciation.

Back in the Renaissance, Western European scholars assumed that this discordance was of recent origin and due to "Turkish" influence, and so they created a new "restored" pronunciation of Ancient Greek based on their linguistic speculations. This pronunciation is still in use in most Western universitites.

However, since that time, as archaeology and the study of ancient inscriptions and papyri has progressed, we can now attest that what is often derisively labelled "Modern" Greek pronunciation in fact goes back over 2,000 years. Take these 2nd and 3rd-century AD mosaics from Zeugma (left) and Sparta (right). The words Δαίδαλος, Ἴκαρος, and Ἀλκιβιάδης are spelled Δέδαλος, Εἴκαρος and Ἀλκηβειάδης, showing a confusion between the sounds αι ~ ε, ει ~ ι, and η ~ ι.

Was Saint Epiphanius of Salamis an Iconoclast? (expanded)

We are commonly told that Saint Epiphanius was opposed to the depiction of images in churches. Evidence for this comes mainly from a short passage in his Epistle 51 to Patriarch John of Jerusalem. Saint Epiphanius was a Jewish convert who served as a bishop on the island of Cyprus in the late fourth century. He was a disciple of Saint Hilarion of Gaza, the founder of Palestinian monasticism. Being a polyglot, and possessed of excellent secular learning, Epiphanius made it his mission to extirpate heresy anywhere he could find it.

A typological reading of the Passion week

According to some ancient Christian traditions, Christ was resurrected on the 25th of March, the same day as the Annunciation.

Overlaying the creation days of Genesis over this, we get the following schema: First Day (18 March): Creation of the World/Palm Sunday

Saint Hippolytus of Rome and Saint Bede held that the world was created on the 18th of March. This was also the day on which Christ was received with glory as a king in Jerusalem.

Why did God choose to become man?

Anselm of Canterbury wrote a whole book on this topic in the 11th century to refute certain impious philosophers like Peter Abelard who claimed that God did not need to atone for mankind's sins on the cross. Anselm offered the following edifying metaphor:

"Suppose a rich man possessed a choice pearl that he determined to commit to the treasury of his dearest and most valuable possessions. What if he should allow it to be struck from his hand and cast in the mire, and afterwards taking it all soiled by the mire and unwashed, should commit it again to his beautiful and loved casket; will you consider him a wise man? Would not God be acting like this should he restore man, stained with the defilement of sin, unwashed, that is, without any satisfaction?" (Cur Deus Homo, Chapter 19)

Did the early Christians venerate the Cross?

The stance of the early Church on images is a contentious subject. In this thread, we examine the best textual and archaeological evidence to show that early Christians did indeed venerate images. For more in-depth analysis, check out @Michael__Garten's excellent new book, Early Icons.

Warrior Saints of Christendom

The Church has never taught that warfare and Christianity are incompatible. In fact, numerous saints have also been soldiers. A thread of the Top-Ten greatest warrior saints. 🧵

Image: Bronze Statue of Saint Constantine in York, England In the Gospels, Christ says, “There is no greater love than this, when a man lays down his life for the sake of his friends.” (John 15:13)

Saint Peter writes that governors are sent by God “to punish evil-doers and commend those who do good.” (1 Peter 2:14)

Saint Basil states that killing in war is not considered murder provided it is done “in defence of virtue and piety.” (Canon 13)

On the Veneration of Saints

Perhaps no Christian practice has elicited as much controversy in the modern age as the veneration of Saints. And yet, it is one of the oldest and best-attested practices of Christianity. 🧵

Image: Relics of Saint Helen, Greece, 2017 The idea that grace can flow through the material remains of a saint appears already in the Old Testament.

In the book of Kings, it is said that a corpse came back to life upon coming into contact with the bones of the holy Prophet Elisha (2 Kings 13:20-22).

Icons in the early Church (part iii)

We often think of the veneration of icons as a distinctly Byzantine phenomenon. However, icons were a central feauture of the Carolingian church too, despite all posturing to the contrary. (1/11)

Image: Aachen Cathedral, Germany In 814, the iconoclast Claudius of Turin began removing icons from his church in Northern Italy and writing against their veneration.

Was the Church actually right?

We are often told that the medieval Church held back scientific progress with its ignorance and rigid dogmatism. Galileo proved once and for all that Aristotle’s natural philosophy—and by extension the Church’s—was false. But what if we told you this is all a myth? @michaeljknowles @HistPhilosophy Typically, the argument goes like this: in 1598, Galileo conducted the Tower of Pisa experiment, which invalidated Aristotle’s theory of motion, and in 1610 he observed the phases of Venus, which disproved geocentrism.

Iconography in the Early Church (continued) 1/15

The use and veneration of icons was by no means an exclusively Eastern phenomenon. We find plenty of examples of it in the West as well (Image below: Fresco of Solomone and her sons from Santa Maria Antiqua, Rome, mid 7th c.) When investigating the reason why St. Peter and Paul are often invoked together, St. Augustine (d. 430) suggests that it is because "in many places [believers] chanced to see these two apostles represented in pictures as both in company with [Christ]." Harmony of the Gospel 1.10

There is a popular misconception that early Christianity was aniconic (that is, it was opposed to the use of images). This could not be further from the truth. In this thread, we will take a deep dive into early Christian iconography. (1/25) The use of religious imagery goes back to the Old Testament. The Temple of Solomon had images of the Cherubim embroidered on the curtains of the Holy of Holies, bronze bulls, and wash-bassins carved with oxen and lions. (See Ex 26:31, 1 Kings 7:23-29)