The Creeds of the Church Session 5—The Theology of Chalcedon

Review: Nestorianism Apollinarianism Eutychianism

Nestorius of Constantinople Nestorius taught: The man, Jesus of Nazareth was a separate being from the Son of God. The Son of God could not pass through the womb of a woman. Nestorius of Constantinople

Apollinaris of Laodicea Apollinaris taught: Jesus had a human body but a divine nature (mind/spirit). In essence, Jesus was half-God and half-man. Tertium Quid—a “third thing,” neither God nor human. Apollinaris of Laodicea

Eutyches of Constantinople Eutyches taught: Jesus had a human nature that was subsumed or absorbed by the divine nature of the Son of God. He is similar to Apollinaris in seeing Jesus as partly God and partly human. Eutyches of Constantinople

Nestorianism—Jesus was a separate being from the divine Son of God. Tertiary Doctrines Secondary Doctrines Primary Doctrines Central The Gospel Nestorianism—Jesus was a separate being from the divine Son of God.

Apollinarianism—Jesus was partly God and partly human. Tertiary Doctrines Secondary Doctrines Primary Doctrines Central The Gospel Apollinarianism—Jesus was partly God and partly human.

Eutychianism—Jesus’ human nature was absorbed by the divine nature. Tertiary Doctrines Secondary Doctrines Primary Doctrines Central The Gospel Eutychianism—Jesus’ human nature was absorbed by the divine nature.

The Definition of Chalcedon

We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent,

teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body; consubstantial with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; Mother of God

one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; inconfusedly unchangeably indivisibly inseparably

the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the unity, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; one Person and one Subsistence

“Two Natures . . . One Person” “Person” = u`po,stasij (hypostasis) The hypostatic union is the name of the doctrine that Jesus Christ was one person possessing two natures.

as the prophets from the beginning [have declared] concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.

How does the doctrine that flows out of the Definition of Chalcedon help us love Jesus more?