Monoenergism

Not to be confused withMonergism.

Monoenergism(Greek:μονοενεργητισμός) was a notion in earlymedieval Christian theology,representing the belief thatChristhad only one "energy" (energeia). The teaching of one energy was propagated during the first half of the seventh century by PatriarchSergius I of Constantinople.Opposition todyoenergism,its counterpart, would persist until Dyoenergism was espoused asOrthodoxyat theSixth Ecumenical Counciland monoenergism was rejected asheresy.

History

After the failure of EmperorJustinian Iand theSecond Council of Constantinopleto mend theChalcedonian schismand unify main Christian communities within theByzantine Empireby a singleChristology,similar efforts were renewed byHeraclius(610–641), who attempted to solve theschismbetween theChalcedonian(also calleddyophysite) party and thenon-Chalcedonianmiaphysiteparty, suggesting the compromise of monoenergism.

This compromise adopted the Chalcedonian dyophysite belief that Christ the IncarnateLogosof God is of and in two natures, but tried to address non-Chalcedonian miaphysite misgivings by the view that Christ had one "energy" (energeia), a term whose definition was left deliberately vague. Monoenergism was accepted by the Patriarchs ofConstantinople,Antioch,andAlexandria,as well as by theArmeniansand was not clearly criticized byPope Honorius Iof Rome in his 635 epistle. However, it was rejected byAthanasius I Gammoloand the strong opposition of PatriarchSophronius of Jerusalemwon wide support. This led Heraclius to abandon the teaching in 638 (though still condemning dyoenergism) and to attempt to enforce instead the doctrine ofmonothelitism,opposed most notably byMaximus the Confessor.This too failed to heal the schism and theologically unite the empire.

Both monoenergism as well as monotheletism were condemned as heresies by theSixth Ecumenical Council,held inConstantinoplein 680–681.

See also

• Essence–energies distinction
• Miaphysitism
• Monergism
• Monothelitism

Sources

• Sophronius of Jerusalem(2009). Pauline, Allen (ed.).Sophronius of Jerusalem and Seventh Century Heresy.Oxford Early Christian Texts. Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-954693-0.
• Conterno, Maria (2013)."Three Unpublished Texts on Christ's Unique Will and Operation from the Syriac Florilegium in the ms. London, British Library, Add. 14535".Millennium: Yearbook on the Culture and History of the First Millennium C.E.10:115–144.
• Hovorun, Cyril (2008).Will, Action and Freedom: Christological Controversies in the Seventh Century.Leiden-Boston: Brill.ISBN978-90-04-16666-0.
• Meyendorff, John(1983).Byzantine Theology: Historical Trends and Doctrinal Themes(Revised 2 ed.). New York: Fordham University Press.ISBN978-0-8232-0967-5.
• Meyendorff, John(1989).Imperial unity and Christian divisions: The Church 450-680 A.D.Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press.ISBN978-0-88141-056-3.
• Ostrogorsky, George(1956).History of the Byzantine State.Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

Further reading

• Chapman, John(1911)."Monothelitism and Monothelites".InHerbermann, Charles G.;Pace, Edward A.;Pallen, Condé B.;Shahan, Thomas J.;Wynne, John J. (eds.).Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 10. New York: The Encyclopedia Press (published 1913). pp. 502–508.