The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus - Coptic ...

GLOSSARY 329
hypostasis. Literally ‘substance’, a term whose meaning evolved during
the fourth century to describe the individual reality of each
member of the Trinity, whose overall unity was captured by the
term ousia.
Julianist. Followers of Bishop Julian of Halicarnassus (early sixth
century), who had espoused the Aphthartodocete doctrine of the
incorruptibility of Christ’s body.
Lavra. The term for a group of monks, or the buildings associated with
them, who spent much of their time as solitaries (anchorites), but
who subjected themselves to the control of a single abbot and might
share some of their daily activities.
Macedonians. Those associated with Bishop Macedonius of Constantinople
(342^62), who had supported the homoiousian position. The
term came to be applied to Pneumatomachi, those who denied the
full divinity of the Holy Spirit, even though there is no evidence to
connect Macedonius himself with this heresy.
Manichees. Followers of the Persian gnostic Mani (third century), who
had proclaimed a dualist view of the world as a battleground
between cosmic forces of good and evil. Mani drew on the New
Testament, especially Paul’s Epistles, as well as various eastern traditions.
His views remained attractive throughout the fourth century
and into the ¢fth, despite repeated imperial legislation against his
followers. Because it was an accepted heretical label, Manichee was
also used as a term of abuse to describe doctrinal opponents.
Monophysites (also known as Miaphysites). Supporters of the doctrine,
associated in particular with Egypt and the eastern provinces of the
Roman empire, that the incarnate Christ the Word possessed a
single nature (mia physis) which was drawn from the two elements
of divinity and humanity.
Neo-Arians/Semi-Arians. Labels used to brand a variety of doctrinal
positions, for example the homoiousian, which sought to adapt the
Nicene de¢nition of consubstantiality to admit the subordinate
status of God the Son.
Neo-Chalcedonians. Supporters of Chalcedon who, during the sixth
century, attempted to adapt its decisions and formulations to
accommodate more fully the doctrinal views of Cyril of Alexandria,
especially with regard to the one incarnate nature of God the Word,
with a view to reconciling Monophysites and reuniting the Eastern
Church.