Basil and the Spirit-Fighters

Themes: History, Spirit

Around 374 Basil of Caesarea wrote, On the Holy Spirit, his greatest work. It is a careful defence of the equality of the Holy Spirit with the other members of the Trinity. This belief had come under attack by a group referred to by Basil as the ‘Pneumatomachoi‘ – ‘Spirit Fighters’ (which sounds really cool, but isn’t). The Pneumatomachoi had an orthodox understanding of the divinity of Jesus but denied equality of status and glory to the Holy Spirit.

A contemporary of Basil’s, Epiphanius of Salamis, flatteringly referred to the Pneumatomachi as,

“A sort of monstrous, half-formed people of two natures [holding] the truly orthodox view of the Son, that he was forever with the Father…but has been begotten without beginning and not in time. But all of these blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and do not count him in the Godhead with the Father and the Son” (Epiphanius. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Books II and III (Sects 47-80), De Fide). Section VI, Verses 1,1 and 1,3. Translated by Frank Williams. EJ Brill, New York, 1994, pp.471-472)

The Pneumatomachoi forced Basil and other Christians to go back and examine the Scriptures again, and to use all their reasoning ability to understand the truth about the nature of the Holy Spirit. It was while Basil was Bishop at Caesarea that the doxology, “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit” was first used, placing all three persons of the Trinity on an equal footing.

It was on the basis of this work that the formulation of the Nicene Creed reads,

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

Reading through Basil’s On the Holy Spirit, I’m struck by how carefully and closely he sought to ground his argument in the text of Scripture. Basil (and friends) didn’t invent the divinity of the Holy Spirit, they argued it from God’s revelation of himself.

Chapter IX

Definitive conceptions about the Spirit which conform to the teaching of the Scriptures.

Let us now investigate what are our common conceptions concerning the Spirit, as well those which have been gathered by us from Holy Scripture concerning It as those which we have received from the unwritten tradition of the Fathers. First of all we ask, who on hearing the titles of the Spirit is not lifted up in soul, who does not raise his conception to the supreme nature? It is called “Spirit of God, “Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, “right Spirit, “a leading Spirit. Its proper and peculiar title is “Holy Spirit;” which is a name specially appropriate to everything that is incorporeal, purely immaterial, and indivisible. So our Lord, when teaching the woman who thought God to be an object of local worship that the incorporeal is incomprehensible, said “God is a spirit. On our hearing, then, of a spirit, it is impossible to form the idea of a nature circumscribed, subject to change and variation, or at all like the creature. We are compelled to advance in our conceptions to the highest, and to think of an intelligent essence, in power infinite, in magnitudeunlimited, unmeasured by times or ages, generous of It’s good gifts, to whom turn all things needing sanctification, after whom reach all things that live in virtue, as being watered by It’s inspiration and helped on toward their natural and proper end; perfecting all other things, but Itself in nothing lacking; living not as needing restoration, but as Supplier of life; not growing by additions; but straightway full, self-established, omnipresent, origin of sanctification, light perceptible to the mind, supplying, as it were, through Itself, illumination to every faculty in the search for truth; by nature un-approachable, apprehended by reason of goodness, filling all things with Its power, but communicated only to the worthy; not shared in one measure, but distributing Its energy according to “the proportion of faith; in essence simple, in powers various, wholly present in each and being wholly everywhere; impassively divided, shared without loss of ceasing to be entire, after the likeness of the sunbeam, whose kindly light falls on him who enjoys it as though it shone for him alone, yet illumines land and sea and mingles with the air. So, too, is the Spirit to every one who receives lt, as though given to him alone, and yet It sends forth grace sufficient and full for all mankind, and is enjoyed by all who share It, according to the capacity, not of Its power, but of their nature.

Now the Spirit is not brought into intimate association with the soul by local approximation. How indeed could there be a corporeal approach to the incorporeal? This association results from the withdrawal of the passions which, coming afterwards gradually on the soul from its friendship to the flesh, have alienated it from its close relationship with God. Only then after a man is purified from the shame whose stain he took through his wickedness, and has come back again to his natural beauty, and as it were cleaning the Royal Image and restoring its ancient form, only thus is it possible for him to draw near to the Paraclete. And He, like the sun, will by the aid of thy purified eye show thee in Himself the image of the invisible, and in the blessed spectacle of the image thou shalt behold the unspeakable beauty of the archetype. Through His aid hearts are lifted up, the weak are held by the hand, and they who are advancing are brought to perfection. Shining upon those that are cleansed from every spot, He makes them spiritual by fellowship with Himself. Just as when a sunbeam falls on bright and transparent bodies, they themselves become brilliant too, and shed forth a fresh brightness from themselves, so souls wherein the Spirit dwells, illuminated by the Spirit, themselves become spiritual, and send forth their grace to others. Hence comes foreknowledge of the future, understanding of mysteries, apprehension of what is hidden, distribution of good gifts, the heavenly citizenship, a place in the chorus of angels, joy without end, abiding in God, the being made like to God, and, highest of all, the being made God. Such, then, to instance a few out of many, are the conceptions concerning the Holy Spirit, which we have been taught to hold concerning His greatness, His dignity, and His operations, by the oracles of the Spirit themselves.

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Basilius Caesarius: Bishop

Themes: History

In 370 Basil became Bishop of Caesarea. It must have been a great relief to finally have a last name. It seems he wasn’t particularly keen on the job, but the Church leadership needed someone with his gifts to take on the growing threat of Arianism.
Arianism, simply put, is the belief in, and worship of, Jesus as a lesser god than God the Father. “Only Begotten Son” as opposed to “Unbegotten” Father. It probably ranks alongside the Protestant Reformation as the most serious and widespread theological contention about genuine Christianity. Due to the work of an Arian missionary, Ulfilas, who evangelised the Goths and other (black-clad-death-worshipping?) Germanic Tribes, large parts of the Western Roman Empire were Arian in their beliefs about Jesus’ divinity. For some periods throughout the 4th C it appears that there were parallel Churches in parts of Western Europe, one holding to Orthodox beliefs and another to Arian: both undoubtedly claiming to be true Christianity.

For a bit of historical curiosity, I’ve included the Creed of Ulfilas, a classic statement of the Arian position.

I believe that there is only one God the Father, alone unbegotten and invisible, and in His only-begotten Son, our Lord and God, creator and maker of all things, not having any like unto Him. Therefore there is one God of all, who is also God of our God, And I believe in one Holy Spirit, an enlightening and sanctifying power. As Christ says after the resurrection to his Apostles: “Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24.49) And again: “And ye shall receive power coming upon you by the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1.8) Neither God nor Lord, but the faithful minister of Christ; not equal, but subject and obedient in all things to the Son. And I believe the Son to be subject and obedient in all things to God the Father.
The creed of Ulfilas, as found in the Letter of Auxentius

It almost sounds right at points, it’s supported in parts by quotation from Scripture…
this was a tough, incredibly serious issue.
this was Basil’s cup of tea.

At the time Basil was appointed Bishop of Caesarea, the Roman Emperor Valens was himself a paid-up, card-carrying Arian and he also wasn’t a firm believer in the separation of Church and State (actually, he didn’t believe in it at all).
In an attempt to intimidate Basil, and move him from the Orthodox position, Valens sent the Prefect of the Imperial Guard, Modestus, to “persuade” him with some “robust” reasoning…
(I’ma gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse…)
Basil answered that he was ready and eager to die for Jesus, and he had so few possessions that banishment, confiscation, or imprisonment would not make much difference. To be perfectly honest, banishment, confiscation, and imprisonment were the Basic Rules of his monastic lifestyle.

Modestus complained that no-one ever spoke to him like that.
Basil answered that, perhaps he had never met a Bishop before: “When the interests of God are at stake, we care for nothing else.”

That was one tough Shepherd of the Flock…
Valens backed off and left him to get on with the job.

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Basilius Caesarius: Monkeying Around

Themes: History

Basil of Caesarea, also known as Basil the Great to his mum, was born in Cappadocia around 330AD. Cappadocia is a region in the center of what is now Turkey, by all reports its a bit of a moon-scape – an arid bad-lands often covered in snow. He came from an aristocratic family that suddenly became very holy, or was significantly emotionally disturbed: on a rough count there are 7 saints in his immediate family (grandmother, both parents, sister, and two brothers).
Christianity at this time was dominated by Arianism – the denial of the full divinity of Christ. It’s quite likely that the Arian position was held by a majority of people professing to be Christian throughout the Empire, and it was certainly being heavily pushed by the Roman Emperor Valens.
Basil’s folks sent him off for a Big City education, starting in Constantinople (the new Roman Capital), and then heading over to Athens (the Oxford of the day). During this time he met Gregory Nazianzus , aka Gregory the Theologian, or just Greg. Baz and Greg became close mates, studying rhetoric and philosophy with some of the best teachers of their period. Basil also spent some time in Alexandria, the other great city of learning, and by this time he had become particularly interested in pursuing a Christian lifestyle that sought renunciation and withdrawal from the world in order to develop spiritually. In 356 he turned up at home in Caesarea, and although there are reports he started out in a legal practice, before long he took off into the wilderness, with his friend Gregory (and a few others) to spend time with God.

I have to admit to a healthy, protestant, skepticism regarding monasticism. But with Basil I’m not really sure what to think. I deplore the understanding of monastic life as meritorious, therefore gaining salvation, and I’m similarly against the apparent rejection of the goodness of God’s created world. Also, in the face of a perishing world, monasticism can seem horribly indulgent and contrary to the love of God for the lost. I’m not sure any of this thinking lay behind Basil’s asceticism. I think he genuinely wanted to focus himself on God and the life of the age to come. He felt that the structures within which we are enmeshed in daily life continually betray us into thinking and living for this world, rather than Christ. He answer was to toughen himself up, to renounce as much of this world as he could, and to build little communities of people who would anticipate the heavenly existence – being like the angels gathered in worship around God’s throne. He didn’t think this world was altogether evil – he wasn’t a dualist. He preached eloquently on the magnificence of God’s world, and on the beauty of the human body. He just didn’t want to get distracted into thinking that this is all there is. I still think he was a bit wrong-headed (he allowed his Greek Philosophical Theology to cloud his thinking about God’s attributes, and therefore, how to be godly) but I reckon we could all do with a little bit less “friendship with the world” these days.

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Researching Basil

Themes: Exams, History, Moore College

I think I have to face up to the truth that I’ve temporarily lost my love of writing. It’s been pretty choppy for the past couple of weeks. It probably has a lot to do with coming to the end of a semester at College. Hey, I’ve completed my first semester at College! I’m 1/8th of the way through. Last Friday we sat our first major, non-language exam – Biblical Theology. It was a good exam, I felt that a few things settled into place for me about BT while I was studying. Now I’m up to my eye-balls in Cappadocian Theology. Even though classes are finished for the semester, we have one last assignment: a Bibliography for Church History.
Everyone has been given an individual topic to research, mine is: Basil of Caesarea’s Doctrine of Humanity.
It’s quite a lot of work, particularly ’cause wee Basil is famous for his Doctrine of the Holy Spirit – and not too many people have ever paid much attention to his Doctrine of Humanity, he might not really have had one, he might not really have been human…
Is it heretical to have a docetic Basilology?
(good grief, I bet that question has never been asked in the history of theology)

Nevertheless, It is an interesting project to research. It’s taking me into feminist theology, monasticism, Patristic Exegesis, you name it. And along the way, I’m gain a much deeper respect for those early Christian theologians. Basil the Great, is actually Great!

Here’s a quote by St Basil the Great, of Caesarea, on proto-blogging…

God who has created us has given us the use of language, that we may reveal the plans of our heart to each other and through our shared nature we may each give a share to our neighbour, as if from some treasury, showing forth our intentions from what lies hidden in our heart

he was for it.

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Johnson's Odyssey

Themes: History, Places, Society, Sydney

On May 13, 1787, Richard Johnson and his wife Mary, boarded the supply ship Golden Grove bound for Australia. The Golden Grove was one of the Eleven ships that made up the First Fleet, a penal transportation fleet sent to establish a colony in Australia, and make a bit of space in British Gaols.

On that spring day, the Johnsons set sail in a giant wooden prison, for a place that only one English man had ever been, with a bunch of people being exiled to the ends of the earth by their society. Along with 1400 (rough as guts) people they travelled for 252 days, more than 24, 000 kms. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be one of history’s great sea voyages.
And although they had no way of knowing this, when the Johnsons said goodbye to their friends and family in England and set foot on the Golden Grove their decision would have profound consequences for me and my family.

During the voyage there were 22 births (13 boys, 9 girls), while 69 people either died, were discharged, or deserted (61 males and 8 females).

AN ADDRESS TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE COLONIES, ESTABLISHED IN NEW SOUTH WALES AND NORFOLK ISLAND.

BY THE REV. RICHARD JOHNSON, A.B.
CHAPLAIN TO THE COLONIES

WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1792

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR

* * * * *

TO ALL INHABITANTS, AND ESPECIALLY TO THE UNHAPPY PRISONERS AND CONVICTS ESTABLISHED AT PORT JACKSON AND NORFOLK ISLAND, THIS AFFECTIONATE ADDRESS IS DEDICATED AND PRESENTED, BY THEIR VERY SINCERE AND SYMPATHIZING FRIEND, AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, IN THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, RICHARD JOHNSON.

* * * * *

TO THE BRITISH AND OTHER EUROPEAN INHABITANTS OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND NORFOLK ISLAND.

My Beloved,

I do not think it necessary to make an apology for putting this Address into your hands; or to enter into a long detail of the reasons which induced me to write it.

One reason may suffice. I find I cannot express my regard for you, so often, or so fully, as I wish, in any other way.

On our first arrival in this distant part of the world, and for some time afterwards, our numbers were comparatively small; and while they resided nearly upon one spot, I could not only preach to them on the Lord’s day, but also converse with them, and admonish them, more privately.

But since that period, we have gradually increased in number every year (notwithstanding the great mortality we have sometimes known) by the multitudes that have been sent hither after us. The colony already begins to spread, and will probably spread more and more every year, both by new settlements formed in different places under the crown, and by a number of individuals continually becoming settlers. Thus the extent of what I call my parish, and consequently of my parochial duty, is enlarging daily. On the other hand, my health is not so good, nor my constitution so strong, as formerly. And therefore I feel it impracticable, and impossible for me, either to preach, or to converse with you so freely, as my inclination and affection would prompt me to do.

I have therefore thought it might be proper for me, and I hope it may prove useful to you, to write such an Address as I now present you with. I transmitted a copy of it to my friends in England with a request, that if they approved of it, a sufficient number might be printed, and sent to me. Thus I am now able to leave with you a testimony of my affection for you, and of my sincere and heart-felt concern, for your BEST, because your ETERNAL, welfare. My times are in the hand of God. He, and He only, knows how long I may live, or how long my present connection with you, may continue. I trust, however, that so long as the all-wise Disposer of all events shall be pleased to spare my life, and strength; and government shall deem my services in this remote land, necessary, it will still be, as it has hitherto been, my most ardet desire, my uniform endeavour, and my greatest pleasure, to promote your happiness. And when recalled to my native country, or removed by my God to my eternal home, to receive that crown of righteousness, which I humbly trust is laid upon me, by reading and carefully perusing the following pages, I hope you will be convinced, and reminded how sincerely you were pitied, and how dearly beloved by

Richard Johnson.
Port Jackson, Oct. 30. 1792.

At this date, exclusive of those who died or were born on the voyage from England:

Baptisms…..226
Marriages….220
Burials……854

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Wilberforce – the Movie

Themes: History, Movies, Reviews

Well, the original motivation for all this writing about Wilberforce was the film Amazing Grace. It’s a new film that’s due for release on 26th July. Emma got invited to a media screening a couple of weeks ago and I tagged along.

So, What’s it like as a film?

To be honest, Amazing Grace would be a fantastic two part Sunday night feature on the ABC. It feels more like something churned out by the BBC period-piece Dickens/Austen mill, than a big screen affair.

The film opens with a fairly shameless ploy, Wilberforce’s carriage pulls up beside two (appropriately ugly) men who are beating a horse to death. Although Wilberforce is clearly ill, he is unable to turn away from the suffering of the horse and intervenes to stop the men…
…we get the point. Wilberforce is the champion of the oppressed.

And so, you are introduced to the greatest flaw in the film, it has a real penchant for cheese. It’s understandable, when you’re telling the story of truly heroic person it’s easy to touch it up with a golden dinner plate behind the head and plenty of Mozzarella.
But the fact is, really great people just seem greater when you tell their story warts and all.

Fortunately, the power of Wilberforce’s story overwhelms the defects in the storytelling.
There are some genuinely poignant moments: when Wilberforce boards a Slave Ship for the first time and is overcome by the smell; or when John Newton breaks down and confesses that he still hears the voices of the twenty thousand slaves he transported to the West Indies.
And its hard not to give a little cheer at the end when the House of Commons gives Wilberforce a standing ovation as the Bill to Abolish the Slave Trade finally passes into law.

Another positive is that the film doesn’t paper over Wilberforce’s Christian hope or minimise this as the central motivation for his determination to end the Slave Trade.
Which means that the best reason to see this film is to go away afterwards and have a good think about how when the gospel transforms individual minds its also begins to transform societies. Wilberforce was not a limp-wristed “social gospel” hippy, he was not even one of those who argue that we can best commend the gospel through acts of service. No, Wilberforce was a gospel-through-and-through-man. God’s word was at the centre of his life. As his mind was transformed by the words of God, his behaviour in the world was transformed to match. And that meant not sitting around while Africans rotted and died in stinking ships.
Wilberforce simply didn’t know how to live with the comfortable gap between belief and action.

So for all its flaws, go see Amazing Grace, and pray that God would give us more people like William Wilberforce.

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