Council of Chalcedon

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Council of Chalcedon

The Council of Chalcedon was the fourth ecumenical council of the Christian Church, convened in 451 AD in Chalcedon, a city of Bithynia in Asia Minor. It is recognized as an ecumenical council by the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Communion, and many Protestant denominations. The council is most famous for its definition of the full divinity and full humanity of Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity. This definition aimed to resolve disputes that arose from the teachings of Nestorianism and Eutychianism.

Background

The Council of Chalcedon was convened to address the Christological controversies surrounding the nature of Jesus Christ. The controversy began with the teachings of Nestorius, the Patriarch of Constantinople, who was accused of dividing Jesus into two separate persons—one divine and one human. This view was condemned at the First Council of Ephesus in 431. In reaction to Nestorianism, Eutyches, a monk from Constantinople, advocated a contrary position known as Monophysitism, which argued that Christ had one nature, a fusion of divine and human natures. The Second Council of Ephesus in 449, later dubbed the "Robber Council" for its lack of fairness and violence, supported Monophysitism. This led to significant theological and political conflict within the empire, necessitating a new council to resolve the issue.

The Council

The Council of Chalcedon was called by Emperor Marcian, with the support of Pope Leo I. It was attended by over 600 bishops from across the Christian world, making it one of the largest gatherings of Christian leaders to date. The council's most significant achievement was the Chalcedonian Definition, which stated that Jesus Christ is to be recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation—the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence.

Aftermath

The Council of Chalcedon had a profound impact on the development of Christian theology and the structure of the Christian Church. It led to a permanent division between the Chalcedonian churches and the non-Chalcedonian or Oriental Orthodox churches, which rejected the council's definitions. The council's decisions also contributed to the further estrangement between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity, which would eventually lead to the East-West Schism.

Legacy

The Council of Chalcedon is considered a pivotal moment in the history of Christianity. Its definitions of the nature of Christ form a cornerstone of Christian theology, especially in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant traditions. The council's teachings have been revisited in various ecumenical dialogues in an attempt to heal the divisions it caused.