The Seven Ecumenical Councils Lesson 10: The Fifth Ecumenical Council Constantinople II

Background to the Council

Background to the Council Lingering Debates over Chalcedon in Egypt and Syria Growing resentment of Constantinople’s government power in Egypt and Syria Emperor Zeno’s Annulment of Chalcedon in 476 Emperor: Everyone go back to the way things were before! Pope Felix III: Emperors don’t have authority over belief Schism between Constantinople and Rome until 519

Background to the Council Justinian the Great Crowned in 527 Considered it his duty to have an empire that was united politically and doctrinally Decreed all bishops must subscribe to Chalcedon But promised another Council to work out differences

Background to the Council Justinian promoted the ideas of Leontius of Byzantium Defended Chalcedon against various heresies Proposed a compromise idea: enhypostasia of the human nature of Christ in the divine Logos Might satisfy both Alexandrian and Antiochene moderates

Leontius’ Enhypostasis

Enhypostasis If, as all agree, a “nature” must have its own hypostasis (i.e. “personal existence”), how can one confess “two natures in one hypostasis”? – Core of the Debate Agreed with the Alexandrians that the eternal Logos/Word, God the Son, is the subject of the incarnation. I.e., the “personality” of Jesus is God the Son.

Enhypostasis Disagreed with the Alexandrians that the humanity of Christ is impersonal (Cyril had called this the anhypostasia of the human nature) Why? A nature without a hypostasis would be an abstraction, a mere idea.

Enhypostasis Does this then imply that there must be two persons/hypostases? Each nature has its own personhood? No. While each nature needs a personhood, it need not have its own personhood. I.e., it can be “hypostatized” in another.

Enhypostasis The human nature of Christ was not without hypostasis, but became hypostatic in the Person of the Logos. The human nature of Christ was not anhypostatic (impersonal), nor personal in itself, but enhypostatic, “personalized in the person of another”

Enhypostasis Three ways in which two beings may be united: 1) Close relationship, such as friendship or marriage Nestorianism: Two natures, two persons. 2) Blended into a third thing or hybrid Monophysitism: One hybrid nature, one person 3) United so that their distinct natures subsist in a single hypostasis – Incarnation of Christ Like a flame and wood united by fire in a torch

Enhypostasis Therefore, Jesus’ human nature is exactly like unfallen humanity But no independent existence apart from the Divine Logos I.e., Jesus was and is and always will be the Second Person of the Trinity The Divine Person assumed a human nature, joining it with his divine nature forevermore.

The Second Council of Constantinople

Constantinople II, 553 May 5 – June 2, 553 Called by Emperor Justinian the Great Presided by Eutychius, Patriarch of Constantinople Other Three Eastern Patriarchs also Present Pope Vigilius refused to attend and issued a document forbidding them from proceeding without him 152 Bishops attended (only 16 from the West)

Constantinople II, 553 Promoted/explained Leontius’ views as a clarification of Chalcedon’s rulings Also Condemned the “Three Chapters” Theodore of Mopsuestia, 350-428 Some of Theodoret of Cyrus’ writings, 393-458 Letter of Ibas of Edessa to Maris, 435-457 All three Antiochene, and long dead! Condemned Origen, 184-253, an Alexandrian

Constantinople II, 553 Ultimately failed to bring the non-Chalcedonians back (Busy defending against Islamic invasion) Mostly an Eastern Issue, though the Roman Church accepts it ACNA: affirms the “Christological clarifications” Many Protestants can’t follow the issues, nor really care!