Council of Ephesus

Canon 7 closes creed-making: it is unlawful to compose or bring forward any faith rival to Nicaea, on pain of deposition for clergy and anathema for laity. The Nicene symbol is described as established by the fathers assembled with the Holy Spirit — a Spirit-guaranteed conciliar standard. The council also receives Cyril's letters and Pope Celestine's judgment as authoritative.

WORTH CORRECTINGCanon 7 is heavily cited by later parties in the filioque dispute, but the council is addressing an exposition brought by the presbyter Charisius, not any Western addition.

Canon 7 — "it is unlawful for any man to bring forward, or to write, or to compose a different (heteran) Faith."

Affirms Mary as Theotokos and the unity of Christ's person against Nestorius, whose position it deposes. The council's work is the single subject of Christ rather than a formula about natures — the two-natures language proper arrives at Chaledon twenty years later. Cyril's Twelve Anathemas, attached to the acts, are pure Christology.

WORTH CORRECTINGRecorded as two-natures because it belongs to the Chalcedonian trajectory and explicitly rejects the two-persons alternative, but Ephesus itself does not use the two-natures formula. Read the stance as directional.

Canon 7 — "it is unlawful for any man to bring forward, or to write, or to compose a different Faith."

Ephesus condemns Pelagianism by name and by person rather than by exposition. The canons strip any metropolitan who has adopted the doctrines of Celestius, and depose any cleric maintaining the doctrines of Nestorius or Celestius. Celestius was Pelagius's leading disciple, so the council ratifies the Western condemnation of Pelagianism at the ecumenical level. It offers no positive account of the fall, the will, or grace.

WORTH CORRECTINGThe canons define nothing positive about human nature. This stance is the weakest anti-Pelagian floor the condemnation entails — grace is necessary, nature is damaged. The text does not adjudicate between wounded, prevenient and bondage; don't read it as excluding the stronger Augustinian position, and don't read it as endorsing it.

Canon 4 — "If any of the clergy should fall away, and publicly or privately presume to maintain the doctrines of Nestorius or Celestius."