Monophysite Controversy

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Monophysite Controversy

• Council of Ephesus (431) and its aftermath.
• Major players Euthyches Dioscorus vs. Flavian
  Leo
• Council of Chalcedon, 451
• Did the councils divide or unite the church?

Pope Leo the Great
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Monophysite controversy

• The teaching of monk Eutyches human nature of
  Christ was absorbed by the divine nature after
  the incarnation
• Patriarch Flavian of Constantinople opposes this
  view
• Patriarch Dioscorus of Alexandria supports
  Eutyches and deposes Flavian at the Robbers
  Council in 449
• Council of Chalcedon (451) deals with the crisis
  and adopts the Chalcedonian definition

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Chalcedonian Definition, 451

• Christ is one person in two natures
• Without confusion
• Without change
• Without division
• Without separation

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Historical consequences of the councils of
Ephesus Chalcedon

• Persian Christians who did not accept the council
  of Ephesus formed Assyrian Church of the East
  (patriarch currently residing in Tehran, Iran)
• Non-Chalcedonian churches Coptic, Ethiopian,
  Syrian Orthodox, Malankar Syrian, Armenian

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Seminar