Council of Ephesus on the person of Christ

431 · ECUMENICAL COUNCIL · DOCUMENT, NOT A PERSON

READ IN A PRIMARY SOURCEAFFIRMS°

STANCE

One person in two natures, unconfused and undivided

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

Canon 7

THE POSITION

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.

16 OTHERS HOLD THIS

Calvin Chalcedon Jonathan Edwards The Church of Eleven22 Statement of Faith Billy Graham Second London Baptist Confession Luther John MacArthur Philip Melanchthon William of Ockham John Owen John Duns Scotus R.C. Sproul Westminster Confession George Whitefield Zwingli

Word united to flesh, with the human soul underemphasizedATHANASIUS

Affirms both deity and humanity before the categories were fixedCHRYSOSTOM · IRENAEUS

See all 23 figures on the person of christ →

ABOUT THIS FIGURE

Affirmed Mary as Theotokos and the unity of Christ's person against Nestorius. Closed creed-making beyond Nicaea, and condemned the Pelagian Celestius.

4 OF 5 POSITIONS QUOTED

Everything Ephesus holds →

Cite this page

"Council of Ephesus on the person of Christ", Examined Doctrine, July 2026 edition, https://examineddoctrine.com/position/ephesus-431/christology (archived at https://examineddoctrine.com/editions/2026-07/position/ephesus-431/christology).

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