Alexander Schmemann

3. The Age Of The Ecumenical Councils (50 pages)

From Schmemann's A History of the Orthodox Church

Page 13

Even in Church circles in Constantinople, however, the extreme position of Eutyches frightened many. At the insistence of Eusebius of Doryleum, who had once been the first to attack Nestorius, the bishops then in the city about their own affairs, under the chairmanship of Flavian of Constantinople, reviewed the doctrine of Eutyches and were obliged to condemn it as unorthodox. Eutyches absolutely refused to confess two natures in Christ.
According to ancient custom, he complained to Rome, but Pope Leo the Great, when he learned of the proceedings of the court, which Flavian had sent him, wholly approved the decision of Constantinople.

The storm began again. Especially indignant were the monks, blind supporters of Cyril, followers less in spirit than in letter of some of his expressions, which he himself had rejected. The emperor, still the same weak-willed Theodosius, who inclined toward Eutyches and had not obtained a reversal of his condemnation from Flavian, decided once more to summon an ecumenical council — again in Ephesus. This time there could be no doubt of what he wanted from the council. Theodoret of Cyrrhus, the generally recognized leader of the Antiochene school, was forbidden to participate and the chairman, appointed ahead of time, was Dioscurus of Alexandria, whose Monophysite sympathies were no secret to anyone. Pope Leo refused to come to the council, since Attila’s hordes were then approaching Rome, but he sent two legates and a dogmatic epistle addressed to Flavian of Constantinople.

What took place in Ephesus on August 8, 449, has been known throughout history as the “Synod of Robbers.” Everything transpired under conditions of sheer terror. Dioscurus reigned, relying on the band of fanatic monks who flooded the city. He had what amounted almost to a formal order from the emperor to acquit Eutyches and destroy all opposition to the doctrine of the one nature. Under threat of beatings and pressure from the police, all the necessary decisions were made. Almost no one heard the indignant exclamation of the young Roman deacon: “I protest!” Half dead from beatings, Flavian still managed to write a letter to the Pope; he was deposed and exiled. The rest, giving way to force, signed. The Church had never before experienced such shame. The emperor ratified this disgrace with state sanctions, and all the enemies of Eutyches started on the bitter road of exile.
Again force and heresy triumphed over the Eastern Church.

Evil can only act by force, however, and sooner or later it is itself exposed. Regardless of all obstacles, the Roman legate Hilarion succeeded in returning to Rome, telling the pope what had occurred and transmitting Flavian’s appeal. Shortly afterward came Eusebius of Doryleum and messengers from Theodoret of Cyrrhus. Leo immediately sent ambassadors to Constantinople demanding from Theodosius a review of the whole matter. By now Theodosius was dead and had been replaced by his sister, Pulcheria, who in theological matters supported the moderate policy of the deposed Flavian. In Constantinople the atmosphere immediately changed; there was an end to the violence of the fanatics. Pulcheria and her husband, the Emperor Marcian, understood that the time had come once and for all to settle the theological question that had plunged the Church into such rebellion, and so establish a lasting peace.
Another ecumenical council, first assigned to Nicaea but later transferred to Chalcedon, a suburb of Constantinople, opened there in the Basilica of St. Euphemia on October 8, 451.

 

Previous Page / First / Next

Schmemann, A History of the Orthodox Church: Table of Contents

Cf.  Books for getting closer to Orthodox Christianity ||| Orthodox Images of the Christ ||| Byzantium : The Alternative History of Europe ||| Greek Orthodoxy - From Apostolic Times to the Present Day ||| A History of the Byzantine Empire ||| Videos about Byzantium and Orthodoxy ||| Aspects of Byzantium in Modern Popular Music ||| 3 Posts on the Fall of Byzantium  ||| Greek Literature / The New Testament

On Line Resources for Constantinople * On the future of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

Greek Forum : Make a question / Start a Discussion 

Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/schmemann-orthodoxy-3-councils.asp?pg=13