Council of Chalcedon on Authority of Scripture

451 · ECUMENICAL COUNCIL · DOCUMENT, NOT A PERSON

READ IN A PRIMARY SOURCEAFFIRMS°

STANCE

Scripture with tradition and church teaching office

Definition — "no one shall be suffered to bring forward a different faith, nor to write, nor to put together."

THE POSITION

The Definition ratifies a chain of prior authorities — the Nicene creed as pre-eminent, the 150 fathers of Constantinople, Cyril's synodical letters, and Leo's Tome to Flavian — then forbids anyone to produce a different faith. It grounds itself in the prophets of old time, the teaching of Christ, and the creed of the fathers together. Canon 1 extends the same principle to church order.

6 OTHERS HOLD THIS

Aquinas Basil the Great Chrysostom Constantinople I Ephesus Nicaea I

Scripture alone is the final, only infallible authorityJACOBUS ARMINIUS · VODDIE BAUCHAM · CALVIN · JONATHAN EDWARDS · THE CHURCH OF ELEVEN22 STATEMENT OF FAITH · M. HEISER · JOSH HOWERTON · SECOND LONDON BAPTIST CONFESSION · LUTHER · JOHN MACARTHUR · PHILIP MELANCHTHON · GAVIN ORTLUND · JOHN OWEN · JUSTIN PETERS · JOHN PIPER · R.C. SPROUL · WESLEY · WESTMINSTER CONFESSION · ZWINGLI

Scripture supreme, recognized and interpreted through the churchATHANASIUS · AUGUSTINE · IRENAEUS

See all 29 figures on authority of scripture →

ABOUT THIS FIGURE

Defined one person in two natures — unconfusedly, immutably, indivisibly, inseparably — against Eutyches. Received Leo's Tome and issued 30 canons.

2 OF 2 POSITIONS QUOTED

Everything Chalcedon holds →

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"Council of Chalcedon on Authority of Scripture", Examined Doctrine, July 2026 edition, https://examineddoctrine.com/position/chalcedon-451/scripture-authority (archived at https://examineddoctrine.com/editions/2026-07/position/chalcedon-451/scripture-authority).

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