The fourth of the historic conferences of theological greats to resolve the on-going christological controversy regarding Jesus's nature as God and man. Chalcedon was called by Emperor Marcian and Pope Leo I in 451
The NT clearly teaches that Jesus was the incarnation of God. But what exactly does this mean? How does the nature of God relate that the nature of man in Him? This debate had partially been settled by the great ecumenical council of Nicea called by the Emperor Constantine in 325, against the background of the Arian controversy. By the 5th cent., however, other questions had arisen that needed resolution. In particular, Nestorius (or his followers) was insisting that the two natures of Christ should be distinguished, to the point of dividing the one Person into two. On the other hand, Eutyches insisted that there was only one nature in Christ. The debate between them was threatening to split the Church, and the empire. The council at Chalcedon was summoned, primarily, to resolve this urgent question. In essence, the council's conclusion, published 22 October 451, affirmed:
that our Lord Jesus Christ is one and the same Son; the same perfect in Godhead and the same perfect in manhood,truly God and truly man, the same of a rational soul and body; consubstantial with the Father in Godhead and the same consubstantial with us in manhood; like us in all things except sin; begotten of the Father before all ages as regards his Godhead and in the last days the same, for us and for our salvation, begotten of the Virgin Mary the Theotokos as regards his manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only-begotten, make known in two natures without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the difference of the natures being by no means removed because of the union but the property of each nature being preserved and coalescing in one person (prosõpon) and one hypostasis, not parted or divided into two persons but one and the same Son, only begotten, divine Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets of old and Jesus Christ himself have taught us about him, and the creed of our fathers has handed down.
'Chalcedon,' as a result, has become a short-hand for the christological affirmation that Jesus is 'truly God' (vere Deus) and 'truly man' (vere homo).
This so-called Chalcedonian Definition has remained in the centuries since the supreme expression of an orthodox Christian and biblical faith; that, however, did not mean that it had resolved adequately the christological mystery.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Gerald Bray, Creeds, Councils & Christ. Leicester: InterVarsity Press, 1984.
P. Gregorios, ed., Does Chalcedon Divide or Unite?. Geneva: WCC, 1981.
J. Macquarrie, "The Chalcedonian definition," The Expository Times, 91 (Dec 1979):
R. V. Sellers, The Council of Chalcedon. London: SPCK, 1952.
©ALBERITH
190409lch