Aphthartodocetism
Aphthartodocetism is the teaching associated with Julian of Halicarnassus that Christ’s body was incorruptible from the moment of union, rather than only after the Resurrection.[^1]
Also known as: Aphthartodocetae · Julianists · Julianism · Doctrine of the incorruptibility of Christ's body
Definition and terminology
Aphthartodocetism is associated with Julian, bishop of Halicarnassus, who taught that Christ’s body was free from corruption from the moment of union, rather than becoming incorruptible only at the Resurrection. His followers were known to their opponents as Julianists, Aphthartodocetae, or Phantasiastae. The designation Aphthartodocetae referred to their teaching of bodily incorruptibility, expressed by the term aphtharsia.1
Teaching concerning Christ’s body
Julian maintained that Christ was free from the corruption affecting humanity in its fallen condition. He understood Christ, as the Son of Man, to be consubstantial with Adam before the Fall rather than with humanity in its present fallen state.2 Another supplied account describes Julian’s followers as teaching both the incorruptibility and immortality of Jesus’ body from the first moment of the Incarnation.3
The teaching prompted comparisons with earlier Docetism, which regarded Christ’s humanity, especially his body, as apparent rather than real. The source presents this as an analogy suggested by Julian’s doctrine, rather than simply identifying his stated teaching with Docetism.2
Opposition and related divisions
Opposition to Julian came from other opponents of the Council of Chalcedon, notably Severus, patriarch of Antioch. Julian wrote four works against Severus; fragments survive in Syriac and Greek, together with some recovered letters.4
A related division in Alexandria set the Theodosians, followers of Theodosius I and adherents of Severus, against the followers of Gaianus. The former upheld the corruptibility of Christ’s body, while the latter, also called Phantasiastae, upheld its incorruptibility. The account describes violent hostility between these groups and records that Cyrus of Phasis effected a union of the Theodosians and Gaianites on 3 June 633.5
References
Sources
- 1.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 72)
JULIAN (d. after 518), bishop of Halicarnassus who was a leader of MONOPHYSITISM. ... There he became the leader of the religious party known to its opponents as Julianists, or Aphthartodocetae (supporters of the doctrine of incorruptibility, aphtharsia, of the body of Christ), or Phantasiastae (supporters of the teaching of a merely phenomenal body of Christ). In fact, Julian taught that the body of Christ "was free of corruption from the moment of union" rather than from the Resurrection only.
- 2.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 72)
In the days of His flesh Christ was free from the "corruption" that infected all flesh; for as the Son of Man, he was homoousios (consubstantial) with Adam before the Fall, not with man in his present fallen state. Inevitably, this doctrine seemed to suggest analogies with the DOCETISM of an earlier century, a heretical view that the humanity of Christ, especially His body, was "apparent" rather than real.
- 3.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 2 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 559)
Many variant forms of monophysitism soon developed—for instance, that of the followers of JULIAN of Halicarnassus, who taught the incorruptibility and immortality of the body of Jesus from the first moment of the Incarnation.
- 4.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 72)
Julian was refuted by other opponents of Chalcedon, notably the moderate Monophysite SEVERUS, patriarch of Antioch, against whom Julian wrote four works. A large series of fragments of these in Syriac and Greek have survived. Some of his letters also have been recovered.
- 5.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 7 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 487)
THEODOSIANS, followers of THEODOSIUS I (d. c. 567), the Jacobite patriarch of Alexandria. They comprised the section of the Monophysite party known as Severians. Their adherence to Severus' belief in the corruptibility of the body of Christ earned them the name Corrupticolae ("worshipers of the corruptible") and the blood-spilling enmity of the followers of Gaianus, the Phantasiastae, who believed the body of Christ was incorruptible. ... On 3 June 633, Cyrus of Phasis managed to effect a union of the Theodosians and the Gaianites.
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This article was drafted from the sources listed above with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor before publication.