The Council of Constantinople was held in 381 AD and was the second ecumenical council in the history of Christianity. This council addressed several key issues that had arisen in the church since the previous Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.
One of the main issues addressed at the Council of Constantinople was the heresy of Arianism. Arius, a priest in Alexandria, taught that Jesus Christ was created by God the Father and therefore subordinate to the Father. This teaching went against orthodox Christian belief that Jesus is eternally begotten by the Father and equal to the Father in divinity. The council strongly affirmed the full divinity of Jesus Christ as being of one substance with the Father.
The council also addressed the heresy of Macedonianism, which denied the full divinity of the Holy Spirit as equal to the Father and Son. In response, the council affirmed the orthodox teaching that the Holy Spirit is fully God, worshipped and glorified together with the Father and Son.
In addition, the council addressed the issue of who had authority over the churches in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. The council determined that the Patriarch of Constantinople should have authority after the bishop of Rome, since Constantinople was the “New Rome.” This increased the authority and prestige of the see of Constantinople.
The council issued a creed, known as the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, that clearly articulated orthodox Trinitarian theology in contrast to the heresies of Arianism and Macedonianism. This creed affirmed belief in “one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible” and in “one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God.” It stated that Jesus Christ is “God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God” and is “begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.” It also declared belief in “the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and Son together is worshipped and glorified.” This creed remains an important statement of orthodox Trinitarian belief in Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Protestantism today.
In addition to these major issues, the council addressed other matters such as condemning the teachings of Apollinarius, who taught that Jesus did not have a human spirit, and establishing rules for receiving converts from heretical groups into the church. The council’s decisions helped resolve these controversies and establish greater unity in the church around central Christian doctrines.
The Council of Constantinople was very significant in the history of Christianity for several reasons:
- It reaffirmed the key doctrines about the Trinity and the full divinity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit that had been established at Nicaea. This helped safeguard orthodox theology from the Arian and Macedonian heresies.
- It asserted the authority of the sees of Rome and Constantinople, laying groundwork for the prominence of these sees in the church.
- It produced the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, an important statement of Christian belief that is still used today.
- Its decisions represented the triumph of Trinitarian theology over major heresies in a church-wide council.
- It paved the way for subsequent ecumenical councils to resolve important issues and establish orthodox doctrine.
Overall, the Council of Constantinople played a pivotal role in the history of the church. By resolving major theological controversies and affirming orthodox Trinitarian doctrine, it helped unite the church and provided greater theological clarity on central Christian beliefs about God and Jesus Christ. Its legacy continues today through creedal affirmations and Trinitarian doctrine embraced by Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians worldwide.
The Bible does not directly discuss the Council of Constantinople, since the council occurred several centuries after the books of the Bible were written. However, the theological issues addressed at the council are very relevant to biblical teaching on the nature of God and Christ. The Bible affirms key ideas asserted at the council, such as:
- There is one God eternally existing in three co-equal and co-eternal persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)
- Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully God, and of one being with the Father (John 1:1-18; John 10:30; Philippians 2:5-7)
- The Holy Spirit is fully divine, equal with the Father and Son (Matthew 28:19, Acts 5:3-4)
The creeds and doctrinal conclusions of the council summarized and framed key biblical teachings about the nature of God. By defending the full deity of Christ and the Spirit, the council upheld the biblical revelation of God as triune – three co-equal persons unified in one divine being.
The Council of Constantinople’s affirmations find strong support in Bible passages like:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). This verse puts the Father, Son, and Spirit together on equal standing.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1). This affirms the deity of Christ as the Word existing eternally with God.
“I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30). Jesus equates himself with the Father, affirming his divine status.
“Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…You have not lied to man but to God.” (Acts 5:3-4). The Holy Spirit is equated with God.
“For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” (Colossians 2:9). Jesus contains the fullness of God.
The conclusions of the Council of Constantinople aligned with the clear biblical teaching that there is one God existing eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. By defending this doctrine, the council upheld biblical truth about the triune identity of God.
While the Council of Constantinople occurred after the completion of the biblical canon, it represents an important chapter in church history that helped establish key biblical truths about God’s identity. The council’s conclusions find strong support in Scripture and its legacy continues to be felt today, as Christians worldwide recite the Nicene Creed affirming orthodox Trinitarian theology.
The Council of Constantinople played an important role in church history by addressing controversies over the nature of God and Jesus Christ. Here are some key lessons that can be learned from studying this council:
- The importance of defending orthodox theology – The council shows the importance of combating heresy and guarding the deposit of biblical truth about God’s identity.
- The value of church unity – By achieving consensus and issuing a unifying creed, the council demonstrated the importance of unity in the church around central doctrines.
- The because of written doctrine – The Nicene Creed has become a pillar of orthodoxy for centuries, underscoring the value of definitive doctrine in writing.
- The precedence of Scripture – Scripture was the ultimate standard that the council appealed to in condemning heresy and establishing truth about the Trinity.
- The role of church councils – As at Nicaea, the council demonstrated the potential of councils to resolve disputes and unify the church around biblical doctrine when operating properly.
- The difficulty of guarding orthodoxy – The rise of heresies shows the constant need for vigilance in preserving biblical truth against unorthodox teachings.
- The centrality of God’s triune nature – The fierce debate over the Trinity and deities of Christ and the Spirit points to the fundamental importance of the doctrine of the Trinity.
Studying church councils like Constantinople provides perspective as believers consider issues facing the church today. While not without flaws, councils that ground themselves in Scripture and engage issues prayerfully under the Spirit’s guidance can play a constructive role in testing doctrine and maintaining unity across the church on biblical essentials.
The Council of Constantinople affirmed several key teachings that remain foundational to orthodox Christianity today:
- The Trinity – God eternally exists as three co-equal divine persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit.
- The full deity of Christ – Jesus Christ is fully God, eternally begotten of the Father before all ages, of one being with the Father.
- The full deity of the Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit is fully divine, equal with the Father and Son, and worthy of worship and glorification.
- The unity of God – There is only one God, existing eternally in the three persons of the Trinity. The Trinity is a mysterious, paradoxical unity.
- The incarnation of Christ – The eternally divine Son became fully human while remaining fully God. He is both God and man in one person.
- Salvation by grace – Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ, not by good works, underscoring the need for Christ’s incarnation and sacrifice for sin.
These teachings remain foundational to how Orthodox, Catholic, and most Protestant Christians understand God. They directly impacted crucial doctrines like Christology, pneumatology, soteriology, and more. The Council of Constantinople played a vital role in establishing orthodox Trinitarian theology and guarding the deposit of truth about the nature of God’s identity handed down in Scripture. Its legacy is still felt today each time the Nicene Creed is recited in churches worldwide.
The Council of Constantinople had significant impacts on the church as a whole in several ways:
- It affirmed the doctrines of the Trinity and Christology. These views became entrenched as orthodoxy in the wider church.
- It elevated the status of Constantinople, recognizing it as second in rank only to Rome. This increased Constantinople’s authority in the church.
- It set important precedents for how ecumenical councils would function in addressing issues facing the church.
- It produced the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, which became foundational for defining orthodoxy.
- It represented a consensus that unified the church against the Arian and Macedonian heresies.
- It pushed Eastern and Western halves of the church closer together theologically after disputes over Arianism.
- It affirmed the priority and authority of the bishop of Rome, paving the way for claims of papal authority.
- It allowed bishops of Constantinople to consolidate ecclesiastical power and influence in the East.
- It set a precedent for emperors calling ecclesiastical councils, enhancing imperial authority over the church.
By resolving major theological controversies, the Council of Constantinople facilitated greater unity between the Eastern and Western churches. It also established important precedents in terms of church government, papal authority, imperial power over Christianity, and approaches to resolving disputes through councils. Its landmark creed has informed Christian orthodoxy to the present day. The Council of Constantinople left an enduring legacy and shaped Christianity in many ways beyond just Trinitarian and Christological doctrines.
The Council of Constantinople was significant because it provided greater resolution on key issues about the nature of God left unsettled after the Council of Nicaea. Here are some of its major contributions:
- It affirmed the full deity and eternal existence of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, rejecting the teachings of Arius.
- It affirmed the full deity and personhood of the Holy Spirit, rejecting Macedonianism.
- It produced the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, which provided more developed statements on the Trinity and Christology compared to earlier creeds.
- It unified the church around orthodox Trinitarian theology, helping resolve disputes that had divided the church.
- It set important precedents for convening ecumenical councils to address church-wide theological issues.
- It paved the way for the Council of Chalcedon in 451, which further developed Christological orthodoxy.
- It asserted the authority of the bishop of Constantinople after the bishop of Rome, elevating Constantinople’s status.
- It demonstrated the growing cooperation between church and imperial authorities in resolving ecclesiastical issues.
By providing greater clarity on Trinitarian theology and the nature of Christ, the Council of Constantinople paved the way for many later Christological and Trinitarian formulations. Its precedents shaped how the church addressed division doctrinally for centuries. Along with Nicaea, it remains one of the most significant councils in early church history.
The Council of Constantinople had a significant impact on Trinitarian and Christological doctrine for centuries afterward. Here are some of the key effects:
- Established key components of orthodox Trinitarian theology and Christology, which became entrenched in the church.
- Produced the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, an influential statement of faith still used in many churches today.
- Condemned the heresies of Arianism and Macedonianism, curtailing their influence.
- Reinforced the precedent of using councils to establish orthodoxy and resolve theological controversies.
- Strengthened the authority of the bishops of Rome and Constantinople, impacting church politics for centuries.
- Set the stage for later controversies and councils, like the disputers over Nestorianism and Monophysitism addressed at Chalcedon.
- Established key theological concepts like the hypostatic union that became essential to orthodox Christology.
- Preserved the teachings of influential theologians like Athanasius of Alexandria and Gregory of Nazianzus.
- Contributed to the growing divergence of Eastern and Western Christianity, which eventually split in the Great Schism of 1054.
- Shaped the theological trajectories of the Byzantine Empire and medieval Western Europe.
By affirming orthodox Trinitarian doctrine, the Council of Constantinople influenced Christian theology for centuries and down to the present day. Chalcedon and subsequent councils built upon its precedents and foundational theology. As such, it remains one of the most significant events in early church history.
The Council of Constantinople resolved controversies surrounding the nature of the Trinity and the person of Christ that threatened to divide the early church. Here are some key controversies it addressed:
- Arianism – Arius’ teaching that Christ was created by the Father, not eternally begotten, which challenged his divinity. The council condemned Arianism strongly.
- Macedonianism – Macedonius denied the full deity of the Holy Spirit. The council affirmed the Spirit’s divinity.
- Apollinarianism – Apollinarius taught Jesus lacked a human mind/spirit. The council condemned this view.
- The status of Constantinople – The council elevated Constantinople’s status, challenging the supremacy of Alexandria and others.
- Authority in the Church – Disputes over apostolic authority and whether Constantinople should have equal status with Rome.
- The reception of heretics – Debates over how to receive those baptized by Arian clergy back into the church.
- The date of Easter – Disagreements over the date of Easter between Eastern and Western Christians.
By condemning unorthodox views like Arianism and affirming historic teachings about the Trinity and Christ’s divine nature, the Council of Constantinople helped resolve these controversies and promoted greater unity in the early church around shared doctrine.
The Council of Constantinople represented a significant milestone in the development of Christian doctrine and church unity. By reaffirming orthodox Trinitarian theology, it ensured that key teachings about who God is were preserved for future generations. While not ending all theological controversy, it provided greater clarity on central questions about the nature of God and the person of Christ. Its legacy continues today through creedal affirmations across much of Christendom.