The Ecumenical Councils
• The meaning of ECUMENICAL is of,
relating to, or representing the whole of a
body of churches.
• A general council is a meeting of
worldwide Church leaders convened by
the pope, although this was not always the
case in early Church history. All bishops
are called to participate, but other officials
are also invited.
The Ecumenical Councils
• Ecumenical— – Constantinople,
Universal or world 381
wide in extent – Ephesus, 431
• It applies the first – Chalcedon, 451
seven church – Constantinople,
councils to which 553
all bishops were
invited. – Constantinople,
– Nicaea, 325 680
– Nicaea, 787
• Convened by: Emperor Constantine I,
following his victory over Licinius
• Defined the consubstantiality of the Father
and the Son; fixed the date for Easter;
began formulation of Nicene-
Constantinopolitan Creed.
• Condemned Arianism (Arius), which denied
the divinity of Christ
• The council decreed that Christ was human
as well as divine.
• The First General Council of
Constantinople, under Pope Damasus and
the Emperor Theodosius I, was attended
by 150 bishops.
• It was directed against the followers of
Macedonius (Macedonianism), which
denied the Divinity of the Holy Spirit.
• completed the formulation of the Nicene-
Constantinopolitan Creed.
• Convened by Emperor Theodosius II
• Attended by more than 200 bishops,
presided over by St. Cyril of Alexandria
representing Pope Celestine I
• Condemned Nestorius (Nestorianism) denied
the unity of the divine and human in Christ;
• defined that Mary is the Mother of God
(Theotokos) to emphasize the divinity of her
child.
• Attended by 165 bishops under Pope Vigilius
and Emperor Justinian I, condemned the
errors of Origen and certain writings (The
Three Chapters) of Theodoret, of Theodore,
Bishop of Mopsuestia and of Ibas, Bishop of
Edessa; it further confirmed the first four
general councils, especially that of
Chalcedon whose authority was contested by
some heretics.
• Eutychus’ doctrine was called Monophysitism
(mono—one, physis—nature)
• The Third General Council of
Constantinople, under Pope Agatho and
the Emperor Constantine Pogonatus,
was attended by the Patriarchs of
Constantinople and of Antioch, 174
bishops, and the emperor. It put an end
to Monothelitism by defining two wills in
Christ, the Divine and the human, as
two distinct principles of operation.
• The council restored images to the
churches.
• The Second Council of Nicaea was
convoked by Emperor Constantine VI and
his mother Irene, under Pope Adrian I, and
was presided over by the legates of Pope
Adrian; it regulated the veneration of holy
images. Between 300 and 367 bishops
assisted.
Conclusion
• Ecumenical councils were called by the
Roman Emperors primarily in the interest
of the unity of the empire.
– They also viewed themselves as theologians
and wanted to play a part in directing the
course of the church.
• These councils reflect the confusion which
arose when men tried to harmonize
human philosophy and Christianity.
Prayer
• Heavenly Father, please strengthen our hearts,
and remind us to encourage one another when
the troubles of life start to overwhelm us. Please
guard our hearts from depression. Give us the
strength up to rise up each day and fight against
the struggles which seek to weigh us down. We
ask this through your son, Jesus Christ and
enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
