nov 7, 680 - 3rd Council of Constantinople

Description:

Date and Location:

-Convened from 680 to 681 AD.
-Held in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul, Turkey).

Purpose:

-Address the Monothelite controversy regarding the nature of Christ’s wills.
-Seek to unify the Church by resolving theological disputes that persisted after earlier councils.

Attendees:

-Attended by bishops from both the Eastern and Western Roman Empires.
-Convened by Emperor Constantine IV and presided over by Patriarch George I of Constantinople.

Key Outcomes:

Condemnation of Monothelitism:

-Declared Monothelitism, the belief that Christ had only one will (the divine will), as heretical.
-Affirmed the doctrine of Dyothelitism, stating that Christ possesses two wills, divine and human, corresponding to His two natures.

Theological Clarification:

-Clarified that the two wills of Christ are harmonious and operate in unity without conflict.
-Emphasized that Christ’s human will submits to His divine will, maintaining the integrity of both His divinity and humanity.

Anathemas and Decrees:

-Issued anathemas against prominent Monothelite proponents, including Patriarch Sergius I of Constantinople, Patriarch Pyrrhus of Constantinople, Patriarch Paul II of Constantinople, and Pope Honorius I of Rome.
-Rejected the Ecthesis (638) and the Type of Constans (648), official documents that had endorsed Monothelitism.

Significance:

-Considered the sixth ecumenical council by most Christian denominations.
-Played a crucial role in resolving the Monothelite controversy and affirming the Chalcedonian definition of Christ’s two natures and two wills.
-Strengthened the theological foundations of orthodox Christology.

Legacy:

-The council’s decisions were later confirmed by the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 AD.
-Its decrees contributed to the ongoing development of Christological doctrine and the rejection of heterodox views.
-Reinforced the unity of the Church around the orthodox understanding of Christ’s nature and will.

Notable Figures:

Emperor Constantine IV:

-Convened the council and played a significant role in supporting its decisions.
-Sought to achieve religious unity within the empire by resolving the Monothelite controversy.

Pope Agatho:

-Sent legates to the council who presented a letter outlining the orthodox position on Christ’s wills.
-His contributions were instrumental in shaping the council’s decrees.

Patriarch George I of Constantinople:

-Presided over the council and facilitated its proceedings.
-Supported the condemnation of Monothelitism and the affirmation of Dyothelitism.

Maximus the Confessor:

-Although not present at the council, his earlier theological work and steadfast opposition to Monothelitism significantly influenced the council’s decisions.
-His teachings on the two wills of Christ were pivotal in the formulation of the council’s decrees.


The Third Council of Constantinople was a significant event in the history of the Church, as it resolved the Monothelite controversy and further defined the orthodox understanding of Christ’s nature, reinforcing the theological legacy of previous ecumenical councils.

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