Council of Ephesus

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This 431 council is distinguished from the "Second Council of Ephesus" in AD 449.
Council of Ephesus
Date 431
Accepted by Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Lutheranism
Previous council First Council of Constantinople
Next council (Oriental Orthodox) Second Council of Ephesus
(Roman Catholic, Orthodox, etc.) Council of Chalcedon
Convoked by Emperor Theodosius II
Presided by Cyril of Alexandria
Attendance 200-250 (papal representatives arrived late)
Topics of discussion Nestorianism, Theotokos, Pelagianism
Documents and statements Nicene Creed confirmed, condemnations of heresies, declaration of "Theotokos"
Chronological list of Ecumenical councils
Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria

The Council of Ephesus was held in the Church of Mary in Ephesus, Asia Minor in 431 under Emperor Theodosius II, grandson of Theodosius the Great; Ephesus was the city of Artemis (see Acts 19:28). Approximately 200 bishops were present. The proceedings were conducted in a heated atmosphere of confrontation and recriminations. It is counted as the Third Ecumenical Council, and was chiefly concerned with Nestorianism.

Nestorianism emphasized the dual natures of Christ. Patriarch Nestorius tried to answer a question considered unsolved: "How can Jesus Christ, being part man, not be partially a sinner as well, since man is by definition a sinner since the Fall". To solve that he taught that Mary, the mother of Jesus gave birth to the incarnate Christ, not the divine Logos who existed before Mary and indeed before time itself. The Logos occupied the part of the human soul (the part of man that was stained by the Fall). But wouldn't the absence of a human soul make Jesus less human? No, Nestorius answered because the human soul was based on the archetype of the Logos only to become polluted by the Fall, therefore Jesus was "more" human for having the Logos and not "less". Consequently, Mary should be called Christotokos, Greek for the "Christ-Bearer" and not Theotokos, Greek for the "God-Bearer." This was essentially a Christological controversy.

At the urging of its president, Cyril of Alexandria, the Council denounced Nestorius' teaching as erroneous and decreed that Jesus was one person, not two separate people: complete God and complete man, with a rational soul and body. The Virgin Mary was to be called Theotokos because she bore and gave birth to God as a man. This did not resolve the debate over the union of the two natures of Christ, and related issues were debated at the Council of Chalcedon.

The Council of Ephesus also declared the text of the Nicene Creed of 381 to be complete and forbade any additional change (addition or deletion) to it. In addition, it condemned Pelagianism.

Eight canons[1] were passed:

Canon 1 decreed a heretic named Celestius (so Scholion), anathema.

Canon 2-5 decreed Nestorianism anathema.

Canon 6 decreed those who do not abide by the canons of Ephesus are excommunicated.

Canon 7 decreed those who do not abide by Nicaea are anathema.

Canon 8: "Let the rights of each province be preserved pure and inviolate. No attempt to introduce any form contrary to these shall be of any avail." Mention is made of the Canons of the Apostles.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Ecumenical councils
Oriental Orthodox Nicaea I · Constantinople I · Ephesus I · Ephesus II
R. Catholic & Eastern Orthodox Nicaea I · Constantinople I · Ephesus · Chalcedon · Constantinople II · Constantinople III · Nicaea II · Constantinople IV
Eastern Orthodox Quinisext Council · Constantinople V · Synod of Jerusalem
Roman Catholic Lateran I · Lateran II · Lateran III · Lateran IV · Lyon I · Lyon II · Vienne · Constance · Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence · Lateran V · Trent · Vatican I · Vatican II
The Assyrian Church of the East accepts Nicea I and Constaninople I; Anglicans and most Protestant churches accept the first seven Catholic/Eastern Orthodox Councils.
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