Ecumenical Councils
In 325 A.D, 318 bishops attended this council for the heresy that Christ is not fully God
Council of Nicaea
This young deacon and future Pope of Alexandria earned the title "Father of Orthodoxy" for defending Christ's full divinity against Arianism at the Council of Nicaea.
St. Athanasius
Complete: "Yes, we believe in the _____, the Lord, the Life-Giver, Who proceeds from the _____, Who with the ____ and the _____ is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets."
"Yes, we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giver, Who proceeds from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.
"In the beginning was the ____, and the ____ was with God, and the ____ was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." John 1:1-3
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." John 1:1-3
In 381 A.D, this council was held for the heresy that the Holy Spirit was created and not divine.
Council of Constantinople
The belief that the Son of God was created, rather than eternally divine, is named after this priest who famously said “there was a time when the Son did not exist”.
Arius (Arianism)
How are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit connected according to their divine essence?
The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, and the Son is begotten not created of the Father.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten ___, that whoever believes in Him should not ____ but have __________ ___." John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
In 431 A.D, this council was held for the heresy that divided Christ's divinity and humanity and rejected St. Mary's title as Theotokos (Mother of God).
Council of Ephesus
This teacher was called the enemy of the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed that the Holy Spirit was created and not divine.
Macedonius
The alternate name for The Orthodox Creed, named as a combination of the 325 AD council and the 381 AD council
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed
"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the ____ that God has for us. God is ____, and he who abides in ____ abides in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:15-16
"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:15-16
This 24th Pope of Alexandria, known as the "Pillar of the Faith," defended the faith at the Council of Ephesus.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
This patriarch proclaimed that Christ was two persons and two hypostases, separating the divine and human natures.
Nestorius
This 4th-century Pope of Alexandria, mentor of St. Athanasius, participated in council committee that formatted the first draft of the Creed.
Pope Alexander I
"And the ____ became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the _____, full of ____ and ____." John 1:14
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14
Held in A.D. 451, this council is not recognized as an ecumenical council by the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Council of Chalcedon
A false title for St. Mary, the Mother of God (Theotokos), which translates to "Christ-bearer" or "Mother of Christ".
Christotokos
In the Creed, we say Jesus is "of one essence with the Father." St. Athanasius famously defended this exact 10-letter Greek word meaning "same substance" to prove Jesus is truly God.
Homoousios (ho-moi-ou-si-os)
"But sanctify the Lord God in your _____, and always be ready to give a ______ to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with ______ and ____" 1 Peter 3:15
"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" 1 Peter 3:15