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On the Incarnation
Athanasius of AlexandriaShort, readable, and central: why God became man, written from inside the Nicene fight.
Theodoret of Cyrus
393 – c. 460 · b. Antioch · Bishop of Cyrrhus
BishopTheologian
Quick facts
- Born
- 393, Antioch
- Died
- c. 460, Cyrrhus
- See
- Cyrrhus
- Region
- syria
- Era
- nicene
- Significance
- Major Father(3/4)
- Also known as
- Theodoret of Cyrrhus
Highlights
- Main contribution
- Theodoret was the careful Antiochene caught between stronger combatants.
- Primary source
- Theodoret, Hist. Eccl.
Bishop of Cyrrhus, Antiochene exegete and historian. Author of an Ecclesiastical History; defended Nestorius then accepted Chalcedon (451).
Why Theodoret matters
Theodoret was the careful Antiochene caught between stronger combatants. He defended Nestorius against Cyril's attacks while rejecting cruder divisions of Christ, and he spent decades being accused, deposed, rehabilitated, and pressured to anathematise former allies. His Ecclesiastical History continued Eusebius, and his biblical commentaries show Antiochene exegesis at its best. Chalcedon restored him in 451 after he accepted its settlement, making him a useful case study in how messy doctrinal clarification could be.
Recommended reading near Theodoret
A cover-visible starting point chosen from the curated reading path, either by this figure or by their era.
Chain to Jesus
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Common questions
- Who was Theodoret of Cyrus?
- Theodoret of Cyrus (393–460) — Bishop of Cyrrhus, Antiochene exegete and historian. Author of an Ecclesiastical History; defended Nestorius then accepted Chalcedon (451).
- Who did Theodoret of Cyrus oppose?
- Cyril of Alexandria and Apollinaris of Laodicea.
Sources for biography
- Theodoret, Hist. Eccl. primary
- Theodoret, Eranistes primary
- Theodoret, Epistulae primary
documented connections(4)
- cited Theodore of MopsuestiaTheodoret defended Theodore's writings.Theodoret, Eranistes
- opposed Cyril of AlexandriaTheodoret wrote a refutation of Cyril's Twelve Anathemas.Theodoret, Reprehensio XII Capitum Cyrilli
- cited Eusebius of CaesareaTheodoret continues Eusebius in his Hist. Eccl.Theodoret, Hist. Eccl. 1.1
- opposed Apollinaris of LaodiceaTheodoret treats Apollinarianism in his heresiological compendium and elsewhere as a Christological error denying Christ's full humanity.Theodoret, Haereticarum Fabularum Compendium 4.8
External resources
📖WikipediaFull encyclopedic biography with footnotes and further reading.🔗WikidataStructured data hub linking to library catalogues, archives, and academic sources worldwide.🏛️WikisourcePublic-domain primary texts and translations (search).⛪Catholic Encyclopedia1913 reference — long entries, useful for less-known figures (search for Theodoret of Cyrus).