Heresy as Disease

[Peter Tarras]

Dear NASCAS members, 

in his On the Councils, Theodore Abū Qurra makes use of a peculiar medical metaphor calling the councils a “medicine” that cured the “church’s body” of the “diseases” of various heresies. I’m interested in precedents of this metaphor, either in the Greek or Syriac tradition. I was also wondering if you are aware of any contemporary Arabic parallels. I am aware that this is a very pervasive metaphor already in late antiquity. However, I’m particularly interested in its use for framing heresy as disease.

Many thanks in advance!

Best,

Peter

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Peter Tarras, M.A.

Universität Würzburg

Institut für Philosophie

Arabic and Latin Glossary

Reisdenzplatz 2

97070 Würzburg

https://koenig-ludwig-haus.academia.edu/PeterTarras

[Andy Hilkens]

Dear Peter,

I seem to remember that such metaphors already occur with Ephrem of Nisibis, but I'm not entirely certain. A quick look at the following article or at some publications by Flavia Ruani on the topic of Ephrem's writings against the Manichaeans would probably answer that question.

Cassingena-Trévedy, François, ''L’usage de la métaphore dans le discours hérésiologique d’Éphrem de Nisibe'', Pages 87-108 in Les Pères de l'Église et les dissidents: Dessiner la communion. Disssidence, exclusion et réintégration dans les communautés chrétiennes des six premiers siècles. Actes du IVe colloque de la Rochelle, les 25, 26 et 27 septembre 2009. Edited by Delage, Pascal-Grégoire. Caritas Patrum. Paris: Cerf, 2010.

Best wishes,

Andy

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Van: nas...@googlegroups.com <nas...@googlegroups.com> namens Peter Tarras <tarr...@gmx.de>
Verzonden: vrijdag 5 februari 2021 8:08:06
Aan: nas...@googlegroups.com
Onderwerp: [nascas] Heresy as Disease

 

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[Stephan Huller]

Panarion = medicine chest

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[Alexandre Roberts]

Dear Peter,

This metaphor is related to conciliar language that frames heretics as diseased members of the body of the church that must be surgically removed to restore the health of that body. See for example the Acts of the Third Council of Constantinople, ed. R. Riedinger, Acta conciliorum oecumenicorum Series secunda, volumen secundum: Concilium universale Constantinopolitanum tertium, parts 1-2 (Berlin: de Gruyter, 1990-1992), 895.23-24 = no. 23: συμφέρει γάρ — εὐαγγελικῶς εἰπεῖν, — ἵνα ἓν μέλος ἀπόληται καὶ σέσωσται τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὅλης τὸ πλήρωμα.

Best wishes,

Alex

Alexandre Roberts
Assistant Professor of Classics
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

Reason and Revelation in Byzantine Antioch
https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520343498/

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[Alexandre Roberts]

P.S. The notion cited by this council is, as it says, from the Gospels (Matthew 5:29-30), there localized in a single human body rather than the body of the church.

[Peter Tarras]

Dear Alex,

thank you so much for these valuable hints!

Best,

Peter

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[Peter Tarras]

Dear Andy,

thanks for these suggestions!

Do you by chance have a digital copy of that article?

Best,

Peter

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