Council of Ephesus

Encyclopedia : C : CO : COU : Council of Ephesus

This is distinguished from the so-called "Robber Council of Ephesus"AD 449.

Council of Ephesus
Date	431
Accepted by	Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Lutheranism
Previous council	First Council of Constantinople
Next council	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

The Council of Ephesus was held in Ephesus, Asia Minor in 431 under Emperor Theodosius II, grandson of Theodosius the Great. Approximately 200 Bishops were present. The proceedings were conducted in a heated atmosphere of confrontation and recriminations. It was the Third Ecumenical Council. It was chiefly concerned with Nestorianism.

Nestorianism emphasized the human nature of Jesus at the expense of the divine. The Council denounced Patriarch Nestorius' teaching as erroneous. Nestorius taught that Mary, the mother of Jesus gave birth to a man, Jesus, not God, the Logos (The Word, Son of God). The Logos only dwelled in Christ, as in a Temple (Christ, therefore, was only Theophoros, Greek for the "Bearer of God". Consequently, Mary should be called Christotokos, Greek for the "Mother of Christ" and not Theotokos, Greek for the "Mother of God." Hence, the name, Christological controversies. It is also of historical value to point out that Ephesus was the city of Artemis, see also Acts 19:28.

The Council decreed that Jesus was one person, not two separate "people": complete God and complete man, with a rational soul and body. The Virgin Mary is Theotokos because she gave birth not to a man but to God as a man. The union of the two natures of Christ took place in such a fashion that one did not disturb the other.

The Council 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[link] 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.

External links

[Eight canons promulgated by the Council of Ephesus]
[Medieval Sourcebook: Documents and letters concerning the Council of Ephesus]
[Extracts from the Acts of the council]
[Catholic Encyclopedia:] Ephesus, Council of; report of proceeding from the Catholic POV
[Michael J. Svigel, "The Phantom Heresy:Did the Council of Ephesus (431) Condemn Chiliasm?"]


Orthodox & Catholic	First Council of Nicaea \| First Council of Constantinople \| Council of Ephesus \| Council of Chalcedon \| Second Council of Constantinople \| Third Council of Constantinople \| Quinisext Council \| Second Council of Nicaea \| Fourth Council of Constantinople
Eastern Orthodox	Fifth Council of Constantinople \| Synod of Jerusalem
Roman Catholic	Council of Sutri \| First Lateran Council \| Second Lateran Council \| Third Lateran Council \| Fourth Lateran Council \| First Lyon Council \| Second Lyon Council \| Council of Vienne \| Council of Pisa \| Council of Constance \| Council of Siena \| Council of Basel \| Fifth Lateran Council \| Council of Trent \| First Vatican Council \| Second Vatican Council

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.

Council of Ephesus

See also

External links