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Examined Doctrine

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

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

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.

12 OTHERS HOLD THIS

CalvinChalcedonJonathan EdwardsThe Church of Eleven22 Statement of FaithSecond London Baptist ConfessionLutherJohn MacArthurPhilip MelanchthonJohn OwenR.C. SproulWestminster ConfessionZwingli
Word united to flesh, with the human soul underemphasizedATHANASIUS
Affirms both deity and humanity before the categories were fixedCHRYSOSTOM · IRENAEUS
See all 19 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.

3 OF 3 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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