The Third Ecumenical Council The Council of Ephesus

The Third Ecumenical Council The Council of Ephesus St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church Saint Paul Servant Preparation Program Month 3. 7. 2004 • Charlotte, NC http: //www. coptic. org/stmarknc 3. 8. 2004 The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus-St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Pre-servant Meeting

• It was held at Ephesus in AD 431, at the invitation of the emperor Theodosius, the Lesser. • The council was attended by 200 bishops. • St. Cyril was the president of the council. The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

• The main cause of holding this council is to discus the heretic teachings of Nestorius, the patriarch of Constantinople. • He divided the nature of Christ into two separate persons: the Son of God and the Son of Man. The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

• Nestorius used Xristotokoj or Ihsoutokoj instead of Qeotokoj. • Nestoius condemned the magi because they worshiped baby Jesus. • In the Trisagion, he cut of the second half of each of the three. “Holy God, Holy mighty, Holy immortal” The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

• Nestorius tought that the Christ should be called not “God” but “God bearer”. • He preached that the divinity was separated from humanity at the moment of crucifixion. The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

• St. Cyril, the pillar of faith, the 24 th Pope of Alexandria stressed the unity of the Godhead and the Manhood without mixing or mingling or alteration or confusion. üHe was ordained as a patriarch in AD 412 üHe passed away in AD 444 The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

Qeotokoj • He also stressed the title "Theotokos" Qeotokoj i. e. the mother of God for St. Mary, in order to clarify that who was born from her is truly God, the incarnate Word and not an ordinary man on whom the Godhead descended subsequently. üThe twelve Cyril’s anathemas The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

Qeotokoj • References that prove that St. Mary is the mother of God: üLk. 1: 35, 43 üIsaiah 9: 6 • St. Gave the example of the live coal for union of divinity with the humanity. The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

Miaphysis • We believe that the Jesus Christ is fully divine and fully human. The two natures united in womb of the holy virgin Mary to become one new nature (Mia-physis and nor Mon-ophysis); the nature of Logos Incarnate. This union is without mingling or alteration or confusion or change. After union His divinity parted not from His humanity for a single moment nor a twinkling of an eye. The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

The Introduction of the Creed • The most important decision of the council was the introduction of the creed "We exalt you the mother of God. . “ • Nestorius was disposed from his see and excommunicated and his doctrines were condemned. He was exiled into Egypt where he died in Upper Egypt. The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC

Nestorianism • Nestorians spread in Persia, northern Iraq, India. • It was the type of Christianity in the Arab Peninsula in the time of emergence of Islam. • Nestorian Christianity (it is not Christianity) reached China in the seventh century. The Third Ecumenical Council-The Council of Ephesus • St. Mark Coptic Church • Charlotte, NC