Monophysite vs. Monophysitism - Assignment Example

Monophysitism and Fasting Explain the basic difference between monophysite & monophysitism. Monophysite is a term that de s a related group holding what Orthodox Catholics refer to as “heresies”. They originated in the 5th and 6th centuries A.D. and have in common the belief that the Person of Jesus Christ had a single nature/will/energy. This viewpoint was originated by Eutyches of Constantinople (5th c.). The Armenian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Syrian Jacobite Orthodox, Malabarese Othodox, and the Ethiopian Orthodox all embrace this belief.

The alternate Orthodox view is that the Person of Jesus Christ had two distinct natures, the human and the divine, and that they were united. Monophysitism was a reaction against the earlier Nestorian heresy, which viewed Christ as being two distinct persons with two distinct natures. Monophysitism is the viewpoint that Christ was a single, composite person with a single, composite nature that was neither God nor man, but a unique combination of both. Monophysites are the people and groups that embrace that viewpoint (Gregory, 2005). 2) Is fasting by Orthodox Christians in the Middle East based historically on the lack of food in the region?

Orthodox Christians observe various fasts, including each Wednesday and each Friday. Wednesday is considered to be the day that the Jews conspired against Jesus, while Friday is considered to be the day of His crucifixion (Belwal & Tafesse, January, 2010). However, the Bible instructs Christians to be joyful, not dismal, in fasting, as it is for God and not for man that they fast (Matt. 6:16-17). Fasting should not be done out of guilt or self-hatred (Deville, 2005). Fasting, for Middle Eastern Orthodox Christians, is not done out of survival guilt, following famine, nor even done in memory of the more than 100,000 Orthodox Christians massacred by the Turks, nor for the millions starved and killed in the ongoing Orthodox Christian Holocaust around the world (Moore, 1999).

It is done in obedience to Christ and in joy. ReferencesBelwal, R., & Tafesse, Y. (January, 2010). A study of the impact of orthodox Christians fasting on demand for biscuits in Ethiopia. African Jounal of Marketing Management, 2(1) 010-017.Deville, A. A. (2005). Catechesis of fasting. Retrieved from Catholic Education Resource Center: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0784.htmlGregory, A. (2005). Monophysites. Retrieved from True Orthodox Christianity: http://www.trueorthodoxy.

org/heretics_monophysites.shtmlMoore, R. F. (1999, October). In memory of the 50 million victims of the Orthodox Christian Holocaust. Retrieved from Serfes.org: http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/memoryof.htm