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Essentials of Faith       93


                                          and is correct and, in fact, is professed by us, we
                                          say  one nature. These [formulations]  are  similar
                                          and  are  not  due  to  heretical  opinions.  This  is
                                          evident from the fact that when we formulate this
                                          same [truth], we do not stop on one nature only,
                                          but demonstrate the property of both natures...."
                                          Continuing his argument, St. Nerses affirms:
                                          "…  Thus,  when  we  say  one  nature,  we  mean
                                          nothing but the indivisible and ineffable union of
                                          the Word with the flesh. On the other hand, we do
                                          not  avoid  saying  two  natures,  provided  that  it
                                          does  not  imply  division  according  to  Nestorius,
                                          but  only  to  demonstrate,  against  the  heterodox
                                          [teachings of] Eutyches and Apollinarius, that the
                                          natures are unconfused. For example, the human
                                          body  and  soul  are  different  natures:  one  earthly
                                          and the other heavenly, one visible and the other
                                          invisible,  one  temporal  and  the  other  immortal.
                                          Nevertheless, after their union, the human being
                                          is said to be one nature, not two. And when we
                                          say  that  the  human  being  has  one  nature,  we
                                          mean that there is no confusion [between soul and
                                          body] by considering him only soul or only body.
                                          The same applies to Christ. Although He is said
                                          to  be  one  nature,  this  is  not  said  in  order  to
                                          introduce confusion but for the ineffable union of
                                                                  8
                                          two natures with each other. "
                                             ‘Nature’ became a key term in the context
                                          of  christological  controversies.  For  the  Ar-
                                          menian  christology,  ‘nature’  was  perceived
                                          as  a  concrete  reality  and  was  used  in  the
                                          context  of  anti-Chalcedonian  christology  in
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