The Seven Ecumenical Councils

The Seven Ecumenical Councils were a series of important gatherings in the early history of the Christian Church that took place between the 4th and 8th centuries. These councils addressed various theological and doctrinal issues and played a crucial role in shaping the beliefs and practices of the Christian faith.

1. First Council of Nicaea (325): This council was called to address the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Jesus Christ. The main figure at this council was St. Athanasius, who championed the orthodox view of the Trinity. The council produced the Nicene Creed, which affirmed the divinity of Christ and laid the groundwork for the doctrine of the Trinity.

2. First Council of Constantinople (381): This council reaffirmed the Nicene Creed and further clarified the Church's teachings on the Trinity and the divinity of the Holy Spirit. It also condemned the teachings of the Macedonians, who denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit.

3. Council of Ephesus (431): This council addressed the teachings of Nestorius, who held that Mary should not be called the "Mother of God" (Theotokos). The council affirmed the title of Theotokos and condemned Nestorius as a heretic.

4. Council of Chalcedon (451): This council addressed the teachings of Eutyches, who held a monophysite view of Christ's nature, denying his full humanity. The council affirmed that Christ had two natures (divine and human) in one person and rejected the teachings of Eutyches and Nestorius.

5. Second Council of Constantinople (553): This council condemned the teachings of the Three Chapters, which were associated with the Nestorian and Monophysite controversies. It affirmed the teachings of the previous councils on the nature of Christ and the Trinity.

6. Third Council of Constantinople (680-681): This council addressed the Monothelete heresy, which denied that Christ had two wills (divine and human). The council affirmed the two wills of Christ and condemned Monotheletism as a heresy.

7. Second Council of Nicaea (787): This council addressed the controversy over the use of icons in worship (iconoclasm). It affirmed the veneration of icons as legitimate and condemned the iconoclast heresy.

These councils produced important doctrinal statements and creeds that continue to be authoritative in the Christian Church. They also helped to establish the boundaries of orthodoxy and combat various heresies that threatened the unity of the faith.