Julian of Halicarnassus
Julian of Halicarnassus was an anti-Chalcedonian bishop whose teaching on the incorruptibility of Christ’s body brought him into controversy with Severus of Antioch.[^1][^4]
Also known as: Julian · Julian, Bishop of Halicarnassus
Life and exile
Julian of Halicarnassus, who died after 518, was bishop of Halicarnassus, modern Bodrum in Turkey. His opposition to the Council of Chalcedon’s teaching on the nature of Christ led to his deposition and flight to Alexandria.1 During the reign of Justin I, Alexandria provided refuge for anti-Chalcedonian exiles, including both Julian and Severus of Antioch.2
Teaching on Christ’s body
Julian taught that Christ’s body was free from corruption from the moment of union, rather than becoming incorruptible only at the Resurrection. He held that Christ, as the Son of Man, was consubstantial with Adam before the Fall, rather than with humanity in its fallen condition.3
In Alexandria, Julian became the leader of a religious party known to its opponents as the Julianists, Aphthartodocetae, or Phantasiastae. The latter two names referred respectively to the incorruptibility of Christ’s body and to the allegation that his body was merely apparent. Julian’s teaching suggests analogies with Docetism, the view that Christ’s humanity, especially his body, was apparent rather than real.5
Julian’s teaching was opposed not only by supporters of Chalcedon but also by other opponents of that council, notably Severus, patriarch of Antioch. Julian wrote four works against Severus.4
Influence in Egypt
The controversy extended into Egyptian monastic communities. Gaianite monks adhered to Julian’s doctrinal position, while Theodosian monks followed that of Severus. During a period of Gaianite control of existing monasteries, Theodosian monks established separate monasteries dedicated to the Virgin Mother.6 Dayr al-Baramus was among the monasteries that came under Gaianite control.7
The Alexandrian debate over Christ’s knowledge also developed out of the controversy between Julian and Severus over the corruptibility or incorruptibility of Christ’s flesh. About 534, the deacon Themistius extended the argument for corruptibility to questions about Christ’s knowledge and fear; many supporters of Severus rejected his views.8
Surviving writings
Numerous fragments of Julian’s four works against Severus survive in Syriac and Greek. Some of his letters have also been recovered.4
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. Because he was opposed to the orthodox view of the nature of Christ declared at the Council of CHALCEDON, Julian was deposed from his see in Halicarnassus (modern Bodrum, Turkey) and fled to Alexandria, a center of monophysitism.
- 2.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 83)
In Egypt, however, Justin's measures had little effect. According to Zacharias Rhetor (Historia ecclesiastica 8.5), "the see of Alexandria was hardly disturbed, and Timothy succeeded Dioscorus [in 517] and he neither retired nor accepted the synod [of Chalcedon] in the days of Justin." Alexandria became a haven for anti-Chalcedonian exiles, including Severus and the bishop JULIAN OF HALICARNASSUS.
- 3.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 72)
In fact, Julian taught that the body of Christ "was free of corruption from the moment of union" rather than from the Resurrection only. 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.
- 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 5 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 72)
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. 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
- 6.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 3 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 181)
During that period the Theodosian monks, who adhered to the Christological doctrine of SEVERUS OF ANTIOCH, were in opposition to the Gaianite monks, who adhered to the doctrinal position of JULIAN of Halicarnassus. Since the Gaianites were in temporary control of the existing monasteries, the Theodosian monks established their own monasteries dedicated to the Virgin Mother as counterparts.
- 7.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 3 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 303)
In the Christological controversy that divided the Egyptian Monophysites into a party adhering to the views of SEVERUS OF ANTIOCH, led by the patriarch THEODOSIUS I, and a party adhering to the views of JULIAN OF HALICARNASSUS, led by GAIANUS, Dayr al-Baramus, like other monasteries of the valley, came under the control of the Gaianite faction among the monks.
- 8.The Coptic Encyclopedia, Volume 1 — Aziz S. Atiya (Editor in Chief) (p. 184)
In Alexandria the issue grew out of the controversy between SEVERUS OF ANTIOCH and JULIAN OF HALICARNASSUS on the corruptibility or incorruptibility of Christ's flesh. About 534 an Alexandrian deacon, Themistius, pushed the argument for corruptibility a further step by pointing to Christ's ignorance concerning the moment of the Day of Judgment and in his dealing with Lazarus (Jn. 11:34; Liberatus Breviarium 19.137; John of Damascus De haeresibus 85). He also attributed to Christ the human tendency to fear (John of Damascus De haeresibus 85). Among many of Severus' supporters, however, the view
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This article was drafted from the sources listed above with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor before publication.