§ 117. HISTORY OF ADOPTIONISM. 515
Elipandus, and esteemed, even by his antagonist Alcuin, for hie ability and piety. Neander regards him as the originator of Adoptionism ; at all events, lie redueed it to a formulated statement.
Confirmed by his friend, Elipandus taught the new doctrine with all the zeal of a young convert, although he was already eighty years of age; and, taking advantage of his influential position, he attacked the orthodox opponents with overbearing violence. ETIIERIUS, Bishop of Osma or Othma (formerly his pupil), and BEATUS, a presbyter, and after Alcuiu abbot at Libana in Asturia,1 took the lead in the defence of the old and the exposure of the new Christology. Elipandus charged them with confounding the natures of Christ, like wine and water, and with scandalous immorality, and pronounced the anathema on them.
Pope Hadrian, being informed of these troubles, issued a letter in 785 to the orthodox bishops of Spain, warning them against the new doctrine as rank Nestorianism.2 But the letter had no effect ; the papal authority plays a subordinate role in this whole controversy. The Saracen government, indifferent to the theological disputes of its Christian subjects, did not interfere.
But when the Adoption ist heresy, through the influence of Felix, spread in the French portion of Spain, and even beyond the Pyrenees into Septimania, creating a considerable commotion among the clergy, the Emperor Charlemagne called a synod to Regensburg (Ratisbon) in Bavaria, in 792, and invited the Bishop of Urgel to appear, that his case might be properly in vestigated. The Synod condemned Adoptionism as a renewal of the Nestorian heresy.
1 He is still honored in Spain as San Biego, but Elipandus called him a "disciple of Antichrist," heretical, schisrnatical, ignorant, and devoted to car nal lusts, and the very opposite of what his name Bcatus (Blessed) would suggest.
2 Hadrian is also reported to have written to Charlemagne, and called the Synod of Narbonne, 788; but the acts of this Synod (first published by Cattell, 1633) are rejected as spurious by Pagi, Walch, and Hefele (III. 662 sq.).
516 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 590-1049.
Felix publicly and solemnly recanted before the Synod, and also before Pope Hadrian, to whom he was sent. But on his return to Spain he was so much reproached for his weakness, that, regardless of his solemn oath, he yielded to the entreaties of his friends, and re-affirmed his former opinions.
Charlemagne, who did not wish to alienate the Spanish por tion of his kingdom, and to drive it into the protection of the neighboring Saracens, directed ALCTJIN, who in the mean time had come to France from England, to send a mild warning and refutation of Adoptionism to Felix. When this proved fruit less, and when the Spanish bishops, under the lead of Elipandus, appealed to the justice of the emperor, and demanded the resto ration of Felix to his bishopric, he called a new council at Frankfort on the Main in 794, which was attended by about three hundred (?) bishops, and may be called "universal/7 as far as the West is concerned.1 As neither Felix nor any of the Adoption ist bishops appeared in person, the council, under the lead of Alcuin, confirmed the decree of condemnation passed at Ratisbon.
Subsequently Felix wrote an apology, which was answered and refuted by Alcuin. Elipandus reproached Alcuin for having twenty thousand slaves (probably belonging to the con vent of Tours), and for being proud of wealth. Charles sent Archbishop Leidrad of Lyons and other bishops to the Spanish portion of his kingdom, who succeeded, in two visits, in con verting the heretics (according to Alcuin, twenty thousand).
About that time a council at Rome, under Leo III., pro nounced, on very imperfect information, a fresh anathema, erro neously charging that the Adoptionists denied to the Saviour any other than a nuncupative Godhead.
1 See a full account in Hefele III. 678 sqq. He calls it the most splendid of all tbe synods of Charlemagne. It was held apostolica auctoritate, two delegates of Pope Hadrian being present. But Charlemagne himself presided. The number of members is not given in the sources, but Baronius and many others after him say 300.