III. Greek Bishop Nicholas—Immortality Is Gift of God

Amid the enshrouding darkness of the twelfth century that covered Europe, occasional gleams of light, though faint, continued to shine forth in different places—vestiges of that earlier faith on the nature of man, reappearing from time to time. One such was NICHOLAS, Greek bishop of Methone, in Messenia, called by Neander “the greatest theologian of his time.” ^{1111) Petavel, op. cit. p. 244.} Significantly, his principal work was a refutation of Proclus, one of the last of the pagan Neoplatonic philosophers—with all that such a position involved. Nicholas rose above popular opinion to declare against the triumph of Neoplatonic philosophy that had become so widespread, with the tomb of the past primitive faith now virtually sealed by declarations of popes and councils. Here is one of Nicholas’ terse utterances breaking significantly out of the general silence:CFF2 20.3

“When any created being is eternal, it is not so by itself, not in itself, not for itself, but by the goodness of God; for all that is made and created has a beginning, and retains its existence only through the goodness of the Creator.” ^{1212) Quoted in K. R. Hagenbach, Compendium of the History of Doctrines, vol. 2, pp. 4, 5.}CFF2 21.1

And again. “There are souls that perish.” ^{1313) Quoted in Petavel, op. cit., p. 244.} (See page 16.)CFF2 21.2