1. The Seven Ecumenical Councils
Lesson 6: The First Council of Constantinople

2. Background to the Council

3. Antioch vs. Alexandria

4. Antioch vs. Alexandria Antioch
Stressed Jesus’ humanity, at times at the expense of his divinity
Had Semi-Arian and Arian tendencies
“Homoiousios” of “Similar Substance”
Jesus is not the God of the OT
Doubted the Spirit’s divinity also
Technically condemned at Nicaea, but lingered

5. Antioch vs. Alexandria ὁμοούσιος (homoousios) - “same substance”
 ὁμοιούσιος (homoiousios) - “similar substance”
Literally, an “iota” of difference!

6. Antioch vs. Alexandria Alexandria
Stressed Jesus’ divinity, at times at the expense of his humanity
Had Modalist tendencies
Not really an issue/controversy for the West at this time

7. Changing of the Emperors

8. Changing of the Emperors
Constantine I
Close to Arian clergy, esp. Eusebius
Eventually pardons Arius and allows him to come back
Nicaea still the law of the land
Succeeded by his sons: Constantine II, Constantius II, Constans

9. Changing of the Emperors
Constantine II
Co-emperor in the West with Constans
Died in battle with brothers three years into his reign

10. Changing of the Emperors
Constans
Emperor in the West
Brought Athanasius back from exile
Upheld Nicene Christianity

11. Changing of the Emperors
Constantius II
Emperor in the East, later of the whole Empire
Convinced Arian
Tolerated Athanasius and Nicene Christianity while Constans lived
Condemned Athanasius later, and advanced Arian bishops

12. Changing of the Emperors
Julian the Apostate
Succeeded Constantius II
Restored paganism as the state religion
Returned all exiled bishops, but diminished their public influence
Did not intentionally persecute Christians, but did not give them public office
Opposed by Athanasius; had him exiled

13. Changing of the Emperors
Jovian
Succeeded Julian
Reigned 8 months
Restored Christianity as the state religion
Valentinian I & Valens succeeded Jovian

14. Changing of the Emperors
Theodosius I
Succeeded Valens
Last ruler of a unified Empire
Championed Nicene Christianity
Summoned the Council in Constantinople

15. St. Athanasius the Great

16. St. Athanasius the Great
Athanasius contra mundum,
But especially Eusebius of Nicomedia
Present at Nicaea as Alexander’s aide
Champion of Nicene Christianity
“The Black Dwarf”
Served Anthony the Great (Life of St. Anthony)

17. St. Athanasius the Great
Highly incarnational in his theology - Against the Gentiles - On the Incarnation of the Word
Alexander asked for him on his deathbed to succeed him as bishop, but he ran away into the desert.
Weeks later, he was captured and forced to become the bishop of Alexandria , same year as Arius returned from exile

18. St. Athanasius the Great
Hated by Eusebius of Nicomedia, et al
Rumors of being a black magician
Rumors of being a tyrant over Egypt’s flock
Rumors of killing Arsenius, a rival bishop

19. St. Athanasius the Great
Summoned by Constantine to answer the charges – Synod of Tyre
Produced Arsenius!
Afterward tried to get an audience with Constantine in the new capitol, Constantinople
Eusebius convinced Emperor that Athanasius is dangerous and had him exiled to the West.
Eventually was exiled and restored several times

20. Other Important Figures

21. Other Important Figures
The Cappadocian Fathers (Asia Minor)
Basil the Great of Caesarea
Gregory of Nyssa, his brother
Gregory of Nazianzus, their friend the hymn-writer
Champions of Nicene theology in a political climate that favored the Arians

22. Other Important Figures
Apollinaris of Laodicea
How can the eternal Word become incarnate in Jesus?
Tried to reconcile issues from a Nicene perspective

23. Other Important Figures
The Word (i.e., God the Son) took the place of the rational soul - Jesus had a physical body. - Jesus did not have a human intellect. - Rather, the Word took the place of his intellect and human soul.
Gregory of Nazianzus: “That which he has not taken up he has not saved.”

24. Other Important Figures
St. Jerome
Also Present
Greatest Bible Scholar of the Early Church
Translated from Hebrew and Greek – Vulgate
“Protestant” canon

25. The See of Constantinople

26. The See of Constantinople
New Capitol of the Empire (“New Rome”)
Incumbent – Demophilus (Homoian Arian)
When he became Emperor, Theodosius would confirm Demophilus if he accepted the Nicene Creed. He would not.
Theodosius deposed him and ordered him to leave the city.

27. The See of Constantinople
Became a power struggle between Alexandria and Antioch
Gregory Nazianzus was elected, and was to be confirmed by the emperor.
Maxiumus the Cynic installed by pro-Alexandrian conspirators when Gregory was sick
Interrupted by civil officials mid-consecration

28. The See of Constantinople
Maximus fled to Thessalonica and appealed to the Emperor
The Emperor charged the bishop of Thessalonica to get the advice of Pope Damasus
Damasus repudiated Maximus and advised the Emperor to hold a council to deal with this and other church issues.

29. Basics of the Council

30. Basics of the Council Date: 381 Convoked by: Theodosius I
Presided by Timothy of Alexandria, Meletius of Antioch, Gregory Nazianzus, and Nectarius of Constantinople
Attendence: 150 (No Western bishops)
Major Document: Revised Nicene Creed

31. The Canons of Constantinople 1

32. The Canons of the Council
The Faith and Creed of Nicaea was affirmed.
The following heresies are anathematized

33. The Canons of the Council
Semi-Arians, Macedonians, Pneumatomachi
Taught by the Macendonius, bishop of Constantinople
Rejected the divinity of the Holy Spirit, but rather considered him “external to the one indivisible Godhead.”
Many persisted in the “Homoiousios” or “similar substance” with regard to the Son (and the Spirit)

34. The Canons of the Council
Apollinarians
Apollinaris applying Nicene concepts of Christ’s divinity
Affirmed Christ’s divinity
Partially denied his humanity
Human body
Divine, but not human soul/intellect

35. The Canons of the Council
Apollinarians
Makes Christ into a hybrid between God and man
Grey – a mix between black and white
Mule – a mix between donkey and horse
Spring – a transition between winter and summer

36. The Canons of the Council
Eunomians or Anomoeans
Founded by Aetius, led by Eunomius
Ultra-Arians
The Son was NOT “like to the Father in essence”
Simply a creature
Disliked homoiousios as much as homoousios

37. The Canons of the Council
Arians, Eudoxians
Ordinary Arians of the time
Led by Eudoxius who was secretly an Anomoean
Used homoiousios as a bridge to Anomoean thought, though wouldn’t affirm it for political reasons

38. The Canons of the Council
Sabellians, Modalists
Named for Sabellius, a heretic of prior generations
Son, Spirit, merely different appearances of the Father
Arians accused Catholics of this
Never an organized sect, but a constant reoccurring idea

39. The Canons of the Council
Marcellians
Named for Marcellus, bishop of Ancrya
Logos was an impersonal emanation from the Father, active in creation, that joined itself to humanity in Jesus.
One day the Logos would retire from Jesus and return to be united to the Father.
Historians question whether Marcellus himself actually taught this or whether it was misunderstandings and bad press

40. The Canons of the Council
Photinians
Followed Marcellus’ disciple, Photinus, bishop of Sirmium
Went beyond Marcellianism, and insisted on the mere humanity of Jesus

41. The Canons of the Council
Canon 2 – Limits the authority and jurisdiction of Patriarchs to their regions. Forbids the archbishops from meddling in other Provinces, unless invited. In heathen lands, there is flexibility, however.
Canon 3 – “The Bishop of Constantinople, however, shall have the prerogative of honor after the Bishop of Rome; because Constantinople is the New Rome.”

42. The Canons of the Council
Canon 4 – Maximus the Cynic is decreed to never have been a bishop, let alone the rightful bishop of Constantinople. Those ordained by him are not clergy; all he has done is invalid.
Canon 5 – Affirms the “Tome of the Western [Bishops]” regarding the unity of the Godhead, and receive those in Antioch who similarly affirm it. [Probably from a council a year later. We do not know which “tome” is referenced]

43. The Canons of the Council
Canon 6 – Protected the bishops from accusations by the excommunicated, heretical, or schismatic. Protected the bishops from some civil accusations [Also probably from a council a year later]
Canon 7 – Heretics/Schismatics who repent from some sects are received as baptized Christians who need to be catechized and confirmed. Others are received as heathens who need to be catechized and baptized. The distinction is based on their various beliefs.

44. The Creed

45. The Creed
The Creed that comes from Constantinople 1 is essentially the Creed as recited in most parishes today
We, not I
Filioque
See handout for comparison with 325
Called “Nicene Creed” because it is the mature faith of Nicaea, though it’s technically “Niceno-Constantinopolitan” Creed

46. The Creed Filioque – “And the Son” (See NPNF2 vol 14 Excursus)
Major point of contention between East and West
West recognizes this is not in the original
Not introduced by the Pope, but rather opposed by him originally
Never intended to imply two “Archai” or sources of the godhead

47. The Creed Filioque – “And the Son” (See NPNF2 vol 14 Excursus)
Possibly an unintentional insertion
The Eastern doctrine of the Trinity (cf. St. John of Damascus) has always been the Western doctrine as well.
Latin “ex Patre Filioque procedens” does not imply two sources for the Holy Ghost, though Greek “ἐκπορευόμενον ἐκ του Πατρός καί του Υἱου” does.

48. The Creed Filioque – “And the Son” (See NPNF2 vol 14 Excursus)
First appears circa 400 in Spain in a battle with the Priscillianist heresy.
First officially used in Spain at the Council of Toledo in Evidence that they didn’t realize it wasn’t in the original. Required Goth converts to use it
Rome protested. Not used by a pope in mass until 1014

49. The Creed
Article V Of the Holy Ghost: The Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.
Article VII Of the Creeds: The Three Creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanasius’s Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles’ Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrants of Holy Scripture

50. The Creed
Bp. John Pearson of Chester, An Exposition of the Creed, 1877:
“Now although the addition of words to the formal Creed without the consent, and against the protestations of the Oriental Church be not justifiable; yet that which was added is nevertheless a certain truth, and may be so used in that Creed by them who believe the same to be a truth; so long as they pretend it not to be a definition of that Council, but an addition or explication inserted, and condemn not those who, out of a greater respect to such synodical determination will admit no such insertions, nor speak any other language than the Scriptures and their Fathers spake.”