Saturday, May 16, 2009

Christian Creeds (Part 4)

4. The Chalcedonian Creed
This creed was adopted at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 in Asia Minor. The Chalcedonian Creed teaches about Christ. It is against Nestorianism that teaches that Christ has two persons - man Jesus and God the Word - and also against Euthichianism (Monophysitism) that teaches that Christ has one nature, that is, that His divine and human nature, being joined, formed a new nature.

Nestorianism was previously condemned at The First Council of Ephesus in 431. The Assyrian Church of the East was formed after this council and is Nestorian.

Some oriental churches did not accept the Chalcedonian Creed (Syriac Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, Eritrean Orthodox, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (India) and Armenian Apostolic churches). They are called Oriental Orthodox churches and are different from Eastern Orthodox churches that receive this creed. These churches teach Monophysism.

Other branches of traditional Christianity (Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Churches, and Protestant churches) accept this creed.

The text of the Chalcedonian Creed:
Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards his Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards his manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards his Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards his manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of him, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.


Besides the four main creeds, in Christianity, there are many others. However, each of them is accepted only by some denominations. The four main creeds are accepted by the most part of traditional Christianity.

No comments: