Eustathius of Antioch is recognised as a pivotally important ‘Nicene’ figure
in the early part of the ‘Arian’ controversy but, largely due to the paucity of sources,
there is very little in-depth discussion of his theology. The recent discovery that
Eustathius wrote Contra Ariomanitas et de anima, an anti-subordinationist treatise
focusing on the soul, now preserved in an epitome, both offers unprecedented
opportunities for understanding Eustathius’ theology. This thesis examines
Eustathius’ theological anthropology, an important aspect of his thought. It
considers the question with regards both intrinsic ontology and the meta-narrative of
human history – soteriology and eschatology – and situates it within the context of
fourth-century metaphysics and the uncertainty surrounding questions of human
society raised by Christianity’s new status under Constantine.
Eustathius’ picture of the relationship between the body and the soul relies on
a hylomorphic dualism indebted to Platonised Aristotelianism, emphasising the
interdependence of body and soul whilst sharply distinguishing them as substances.
He regards the soul as passible in itself. Eustathius regards human beings as
degraded both in existential state and in circumstance relative to the condition in
which they were created and articulates the gap between human potential and human
actuality primarily in terms of the relationship between Adam and Christ. Eustathius’
picture of Christ as perfect humanity is informed by a sense of radical disjunction
between God and creation, typical of fourth-century metaphysics, and he
consequently holds a relatively autonomous conception of human perfection.
Eustathius regards free will as freedom to discern and choose the right thing, which
relies on a fundamentally optimistic perception of human moral nature. Eustathius’
anthropology consistently grounds human essence and identity in earthly life and
correspondingly founds his soteriology on the fulfilment of current potential,
believing that Christ will reign, eschatologically, over an earthly kingdom
