Henana of Adiabene
Encyclopedia
Henana of Adiabene was headmaster of the School of Nisibis
, the theological center of the Church of the East
(571
- 610
).
His predecessor was Abraham of Beth Rabban who had worked hard to make the legacy of Theodore of Mopsuestia
more accessible. Before he became headmaster, Henana of Adiabene had occupied the chair of biblical exegesis. His teacher was a certain Moses, who was probably Byzantine orthodox. Many of Henana's ideas were close to Byzantine theology,
and his appointment as head of the school might have been in line with a general uneasiness with the radical decrees of the Synod of Beth Lapat
.
Henana was a humble man, worked tirelessly, and stood to his convictions. Under his leadership the school initially continued to grow. He wrote extensive commentaries and other works, but only two works and a number of citations have been preserved. A speech for the commencement of the academic year from the time when Henana was director has survived, and in it Henana is described as the equal of Theodore in productivity, and with the authority to choose the best from among all traditions. However, Henana did not reconcile the teaching of Theodore with the other creeds; he tried to replace him.
in 451
. Accordingly, he believed in God's suffering on the Cross, impossible without a union between the two natures, and he accepted the decisions of Ephesus and believed that the term 'mother of God' was appropriate for the Virgin Mary.
Theodore had taught that man was created mortal. Henana believed that Adam was initially immortal, and that he became mortal through sin. It also appears that Henana rejected Theodore's idea that the book of Job
was a book of fiction composed by a Hellenist, and rejected his commentary on Job.
. It was popular among Byzantine monks, but disputed and finally condemned in 553
. One of the more extreme positions held by the followers of Origen was the belief in spherical bodies and the denial of the resurrection of the body of the Lord on the third day. This clashed head on with any literal interpretation of scripture, certainly with the rigorous literal interpretation of the Antiochene type.
. His name was Abimelek, and his great opponent Babai the Great
later glorified him in a biography of 'The Priest and Martyr Abimelek'.
In 596
Sabrisho, an alumnus of the school of Nisibis, was appointed successor of Ishoihab as Catholicos
. He immediately held a synod and anathematized the opponents of Theodore, though he did not mention Henana explicitly. At the same time or sometimes after, Gregory, another alumnus of the school of Nisibis, became Metropolitan of Nisibis, probably chosen by Sabrisho. Gregory first reproached and censored, later condemned the writings of Henana. Henana wrote a defense to Sabrisho that resulted in his excommunication by the other bishops.
But Henana was not without protection: Queen Shirin was a convert from the Nestorian
to the Monophysite
creed, and so was Gabriel of Shiggar, the influential royal physician. They supported Henana. As Babai the Great reports: 'the medical science at the court had taken sides with Henana. This tilted the scales in favor of Henana and upset the carefully prepared strategy of his enemies. Of course, all this was clear to Sabrisho.'
In 601
Bishop Gregory had to leave and was ordered by the king to live in the monastery of Shahdost. The Catholicos disagreed with the excommunication and was spared the royal
wrath. But Henana's position could not be saved. Even though he stayed head of the school, 300 souls left the same year. (There is some doubt on when exactly these events took place.
But all sources agree that they happened under the Catholicos Sabrisho).
Some of the exiles went to the monastery of Mar Abraham on Mt. Izla, others were welcomed by Marcos, bishop of Balad, at his school. Still others went to the rival school-monastery of Beth Sahde in Nisibis itself. Only 20 persons stayed with Henana, and the school hardly struggled on.
Of the many writings of Henana very little has been preserved, and the Church of the East
has
rejected him. But in order to refute him, Babai the Great clarified the Christology of the
Church of the East
, which otherwise might not have happened.
School of Nisibis
The School of Nisibis , for a time absorbed into the School of Edessa, was an educational establishment in Nisibis, modern-day Turkey. It was an important spiritual center of the early Syriac Orthodox Church, and like Gundeshapur, is sometimes referred to as the world's first university. The...
, the theological center of the Church of the East
Church of the East
The Church of the East tāʾ d-Maḏnḥāʾ), also known as the Nestorian Church, is a Christian church, part of the Syriac tradition of Eastern Christianity. Originally the church of the Persian Sassanid Empire, it quickly spread widely through Asia...
(571
571
Year 571 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 571 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Religion :* The Monophysites again reject the...
- 610
610
Year 610 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 610 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years...
).
His predecessor was Abraham of Beth Rabban who had worked hard to make the legacy of Theodore of Mopsuestia
Theodore of Mopsuestia
Theodore the Interpreter was bishop of Mopsuestia from 392 to 428 AD. He is also known as Theodore of Antioch, from the place of his birth and presbyterate...
more accessible. Before he became headmaster, Henana of Adiabene had occupied the chair of biblical exegesis. His teacher was a certain Moses, who was probably Byzantine orthodox. Many of Henana's ideas were close to Byzantine theology,
and his appointment as head of the school might have been in line with a general uneasiness with the radical decrees of the Synod of Beth Lapat
Synod of Beth Lapat
The Synod of Beth Lapat was council of the Church of the East, held in 484 under the leadership of Catholicos Bar Sauma. The most significant result of the synod was the church's official adoption of the doctrine of Nestorianism...
.
Henana was a humble man, worked tirelessly, and stood to his convictions. Under his leadership the school initially continued to grow. He wrote extensive commentaries and other works, but only two works and a number of citations have been preserved. A speech for the commencement of the academic year from the time when Henana was director has survived, and in it Henana is described as the equal of Theodore in productivity, and with the authority to choose the best from among all traditions. However, Henana did not reconcile the teaching of Theodore with the other creeds; he tried to replace him.
Christological dispute
Theodore held that a union of the two natures in Christ was unthinkable. Henana on the other hand favored a union of the two natures, the divine and the mortal, in Christ in one hypostasis, as specified at the Council of ChalcedonCouncil of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
in 451
451
Year 451 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marcianus and Adelfius...
. Accordingly, he believed in God's suffering on the Cross, impossible without a union between the two natures, and he accepted the decisions of Ephesus and believed that the term 'mother of God' was appropriate for the Virgin Mary.
Theodore had taught that man was created mortal. Henana believed that Adam was initially immortal, and that he became mortal through sin. It also appears that Henana rejected Theodore's idea that the book of Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
was a book of fiction composed by a Hellenist, and rejected his commentary on Job.
Origenism
Henana's Byzantine orientation was so complete that he even followed the Byzantine fashion of the day, which was the teaching of OrigenOrigen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
. It was popular among Byzantine monks, but disputed and finally condemned in 553
553
Year 553 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 553 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* The Ostrogoth Kingdom is conquered by the...
. One of the more extreme positions held by the followers of Origen was the belief in spherical bodies and the denial of the resurrection of the body of the Lord on the third day. This clashed head on with any literal interpretation of scripture, certainly with the rigorous literal interpretation of the Antiochene type.
Growing opposition
As Henana's break with tradition became more open, opposition grew. In Nisibis, the Deacon Elijah established the rival school of Beth Sahde, and made a man from the school of Balad director, who had also lived on the monastery of Mt. Izla and was a disciple of Abraham the Great of KashkarAbraham the Great of Kashkar
Abraham the Great of Kashkar was the father of the Assyrian monastic revival in the 6th century. He is hailed as a doctor and saint of the Assyrian Church of the East....
. His name was Abimelek, and his great opponent Babai the Great
Babai the Great
Babai the Great was an early church father of the Church of the East. He set several of the foundational pillars of the Church, revived the monastic movement, and formulated its Christology in a systematic way. He served as an unofficial head of the Nestorian Church from 611 to 628 AD, leaving a...
later glorified him in a biography of 'The Priest and Martyr Abimelek'.
In 596
596
Year 596 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 596 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Religion :* King Ethelbert of Kent asks for missionaries...
Sabrisho, an alumnus of the school of Nisibis, was appointed successor of Ishoihab as Catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
. He immediately held a synod and anathematized the opponents of Theodore, though he did not mention Henana explicitly. At the same time or sometimes after, Gregory, another alumnus of the school of Nisibis, became Metropolitan of Nisibis, probably chosen by Sabrisho. Gregory first reproached and censored, later condemned the writings of Henana. Henana wrote a defense to Sabrisho that resulted in his excommunication by the other bishops.
But Henana was not without protection: Queen Shirin was a convert from the Nestorian
Nestorianism
Nestorianism is a Christological doctrine advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428–431. The doctrine, which was informed by Nestorius's studies under Theodore of Mopsuestia at the School of Antioch, emphasizes the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus...
to the Monophysite
Monophysitism
Monophysitism , or Monophysiticism, is the Christological position that Jesus Christ has only one nature, his humanity being absorbed by his Deity...
creed, and so was Gabriel of Shiggar, the influential royal physician. They supported Henana. As Babai the Great reports: 'the medical science at the court had taken sides with Henana. This tilted the scales in favor of Henana and upset the carefully prepared strategy of his enemies. Of course, all this was clear to Sabrisho.'
In 601
601
Year 601 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 601 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Arts and sciences :* The earliest dated English words...
Bishop Gregory had to leave and was ordered by the king to live in the monastery of Shahdost. The Catholicos disagreed with the excommunication and was spared the royal
wrath. But Henana's position could not be saved. Even though he stayed head of the school, 300 souls left the same year. (There is some doubt on when exactly these events took place.
But all sources agree that they happened under the Catholicos Sabrisho).
Some of the exiles went to the monastery of Mar Abraham on Mt. Izla, others were welcomed by Marcos, bishop of Balad, at his school. Still others went to the rival school-monastery of Beth Sahde in Nisibis itself. Only 20 persons stayed with Henana, and the school hardly struggled on.
Legacy of Henana
Two years after the death of Henana, the teachings of Theodore were canonized by an episcopal gathering, and the Christology of Theodore became the official doctrine of the Church.Of the many writings of Henana very little has been preserved, and the Church of the East
Church of the East
The Church of the East tāʾ d-Maḏnḥāʾ), also known as the Nestorian Church, is a Christian church, part of the Syriac tradition of Eastern Christianity. Originally the church of the Persian Sassanid Empire, it quickly spread widely through Asia...
has
rejected him. But in order to refute him, Babai the Great clarified the Christology of the
Church of the East
Church of the East
The Church of the East tāʾ d-Maḏnḥāʾ), also known as the Nestorian Church, is a Christian church, part of the Syriac tradition of Eastern Christianity. Originally the church of the Persian Sassanid Empire, it quickly spread widely through Asia...
, which otherwise might not have happened.