Copyright © By Dr. Adel Elsaie, Book Title: "Please Revise the Bible, Again"

3.10 The Early Ecumenical councils

 

 

The early church struggled with the Christian doctrines, and specifically with the identity of Jesus. Ecumenical councils were convened to resolve the theological differences and crises. During the early church, these councils were assembled under the auspice of the Roman Emperors and Empresses from the bishops, and others entitled to vote. These councils are convoked from the whole world under the presidency of the pope or his legates, and the decrees of which, having received papal confirmation, bind all Christians.

 

The very existence of the early church was affected by these Ecumenical councils. Churches who did not accept the decrees of the Ecumenical councils were condemned and their theologians were exiled and excommunicated. To examine the early church, it is important to start with the first seven Ecumenical councils,

1. Council of Nicaea (325) lasted two months and twelve days. 2048 bishops attended the council. It was directed against Arius and his supporters. The Emperor Constantine selected only 318 bishops for voting on the creed of Nicaea which stated, “The Creator, God the father, and the Redeemer, Son of God, were of the same nature, and that Jesus is the only begotten of the father.” The council also condemned Arianism and fixed the date for keeping Easter. This doctrine started the Arians and the Unitarians Cchurches.
2. First Council of Constantinople (381), under Pope Damasus and the Emperor Theodosius I, was attended by 150 bishops. It was directed against the followers of Macedonius, who denied the Divinity of the Holy Ghost. Thus the council affirmed the trinity and that God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are of the same substance. Also this council condemned Bishop Apollinaris who taught that Christ was divine but not human.
3. Council of Ephesus (431), of more than 200 bishops, presided over by St. Cyril of Alexandria representing Pope Celestine l, declared Mary the Mother of God against Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople, and renewed the condemnation of Pelagius for his denial of the original sin.
4. Council of Chalcedon (451), 150 bishops under Pope Leo the Great and the Emperor Marcian, decreed that Christ was truly God and truly man, two natures in one person, against Eutyches, who was excommunicated. This doctrine started the Monophysite churches.
5. Second Council of Constantinople (553), of 165 bishops under Pope Vigilius and Emperor Justinian I, condemned the errors of Origen and certain writings of Theodoret of Theodore, Bishop of Mopsuestia and of Ibas, Bishop of Edessa; it further confirmed the first four general councils, especially that of Chalcedon whose authority was contested by some heretics. This council also stated that “God died”, and the lord was “crucified in flesh.”
6. Third Council of Constantinople (680-681), under Pope Agatho and the Emperor Constantine Pogonatus, was attended by the Patriarchs of Constantinople and of Antioch, 174 bishops, and the emperor. It put an end to Monothelism by defining two wills in Christ, the Divine and the human, as two distinct principles of operation. It cursed Sergius, Pyrrhus, Paul, Macarius, and all their followers.
7. Second Council of Nicaea (787) was convoked by Emperor Constantine VI and his mother Empress Irene, under Pope Adrian I, and was presided over by the representatives of Pope Adrian. Between 300 and 367 bishops were present. It stated that it was theologically correct to depict Jesus, Mary, and the saints as icons, or statues.

 

As can be seen from the above early Christian sects and Ecumenical Councils, all basic Christian beliefs were challenged by early Christian bishops or theologians. Each decision of the above Ecumenical Councils was an interpretation of vague verse of the Bible, especially if Jesus himself did not explain it clearly and thus raises many important questions,

1. Does it make sense that God and Jesus are made of the same substance?
2. Does it make sense that God and Holy Ghost are made of the same substance?
3. Does it make sense to talk about the substance of God, and to make the above two assumptions?
4. Does it make sense to call Virgin Mary the mother of God or God’s bearer?
5. Does it make sense to consider Christ truly God and truly man?
6. Does it make sense to state that “God died”, and the lord was “crucified in flesh.”?
7. Does it make sense to state that Jesus has two wills?
8. Does it make sense to depict Jesus, Mary, and the saints as icons, or statues?

 

Furthermore, how can anyone provide an affirmative answer to the above questions to a person in the twenty first century? You be the judge.

 

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