- Fourth Council of Constantinople (Eastern Orthodox)
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For the 8th Catholic Ecumenical Council, see Fourth Council of Constantinople (Catholic).
Fourth Council of Constantinople (879-880) Date 879 - 880 Accepted by Eastern Orthodoxy Previous council Second Council of Nicaea Next council Fifth Council of Constantinople Convoked by Emperor Basil I Attendance 383 bishops Topics of discussion Photius' patriarchate Documents and statements Restoration of Photius, protection of Nicene creed Chronological list of Ecumenical councils The Fourth Council of Constantinople of 879-880 is believed to have been the Eighth Ecumenical Council by some Eastern Orthodox.[1] Photius had been appointed Patriarch of Constantinople but deposed by a Council of Constantinople called in 869 by Emperor Basil I the Macedonian and Pope Adrian II.[2] Called in 879, this Greek Fourth Council of Constantinople, held after Photios had been reinstated on order of the emperor, annulled the earlier one.[2] Today, the Roman Catholic Church recognizes the council in 869-870 as "Constantinople IV", while the Eastern Orthodox Churches recognize the councils in 879-880 as "Constantinople IV". At the time that these councils were being held, this division was not entirely apparent.
These two councils represent a break between East and West. The previous seven ecumenical councils are recognized as ecumenical and authoritative by both East and West.
Contents
Photius
In 858, Photius, a scholar who taught philosophy and lectured at the University of Constantinople, was appointed Patriarch of Constantinople,[2] making him equal to the Patriarch of Rome per Canon 28 of the Council of Chalcedon according to the Greek Church.[3] Canon 28 was never ratified by Pope Leo I. Emperor Michael III had deposed the previous patriarch, Ignatius.[2] Ignatius refused to abdicate, setting up a power struggle between the emperor and the pope.[2] In 867, another council in Constantinople deposed the pope, declared him anathema, and excommunicated him.[2] In addition, Roman claims of papal primacy and the filioque clause were condemned.[4][5]
Historical Note
Eventually Canon 28 was accepted in the West. In 1215 at the Fourth Council of the Lateran the Roman church accepted Constantinople's position – albeit when Constantinople was in western hands following the Fourth Crusade. Subsequently at the Council of Florence this was confirmed to the Greek Patriarch of Constantinople.
"...and so the opposition of Rome gave way after seven centuries and a half, and the Nicene Canon which Leo declared to be “inspired by the Holy Ghost” and “valid to the end of time”[6]The Council of 879-880
After the death of Ignatius in 877, Photius mounted the See of Constantinople for a second time. A Council, comprising the representatives of all the five patriarchates, including that of Rome (all in all 383 bishops), was called in 879 and reinstated Photius as Patriarch.
The council also condemned any alteration whatsoever to the original Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, thereby condemning the addition of the filioque clause to the creed as heretical[4][5] — a view strongly espoused by Photius in his polemics against Rome. Later on, Roman Catholics came to separate the two issues and insist on the theological orthodoxy of the clause. According to Philip Schaff, "To the Greek acts was afterwards added a (pretended) letter of Pope John VIII to Photius, declaring the Filioque to be an addition which is rejected by the church of Rome, and a blasphemy which must be abolished calmly, and by degrees."[7]
Whether the council was confirmed by Pope John VIII is also a matter of dispute. The council was held in the presence of papal legates, who approved of the proceedings, though this is not considered binding in the Latin Church. Historian Francis Dvornik argues that the pope accepted the acts of the council and annulled those of the council of 869-870. Other Roman Catholic historians, such as Warren Carroll, dispute this view, arguing that the pope rejected the council. Philipp Schaff opines that the pope, deceived by his legates about the actual proceedings, first applauded the emperor but later denounced the council.[7]
In any case, the pope de facto accepted the reinstatement of Photius as patriarch. However later, in the wake of further conflicts between East and West in the 11th century, the council was repudiated by the West.
On 8 March 870, three days after the end of the counsel the Papal and Eastern delegates met with the Bulgarian ambassadors led by the kavhan Peter to decide the status of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Since the Bulgarians were not satisfied with the positions of the Pope after prolonged negotiations, they reached favorable agreement with the Byzantines and the decision was taken that the Bulgarian Church should become Eastern Orthodox.[8]
This council has been accepted by many Orthodox Christians as the "Eighth Ecumenical Council" and is referred to as such in the Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs of 1848.[9] But it has not been universally accepted as ecumenical, though it is held in high esteem at least as a local council.[citation needed]
Notes
- ^ The Filioque: History of a Doctrinal Controversy pg103 By A. Edward Siecienski Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (May 12, 2010) ISBN 978-0195372045 [1]
- ^ a b c d e f "Photius." Cross, F. L., ed. The Oxford dictionary of the Christian church. New York: Oxford University Press. 2005
- ^ [2]
- ^ a b "The Union: a method of Pope-centrist ecumenism" at www.pravoslavie.ru
- ^ a b "Moscow-Bari-Rome" at www.pravoslavie.ru
- ^ Phillip Schaff - Excursus on the Later History of Canon XXVIII at CCEL
- ^ a b Philip Schaff, Conflict of the Eastern and Western Churches
- ^ Zlatarski, History of the Bulgarian State during the Middle Ages, vol. 1, ch. 2, Sofia, 1971, p. 159
- ^ http://classic-web.archive.org/web/20051109101828/www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/encyc_1848.aspx
External links
- Philip Schaff's Church History: Conflict of the Eastern and Western Churches
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Fourth Council of Constantinople (on the Council of 869)
- Legion of Mary, Eight Ecumenical Council (on the Council of 869)
- George Dion Dragas. The Eighth Ecumenical Council: Constantinople IV (879/880) and the Condemnation of the Filioque Addition and Doctrine (An Eastern Orthodox perspective on the Council of 879)
- T. R. Valentine, The Eighth and Ninth Ecumenical Councils (An Eastern Orthodox perspective on the Council of 879)
- The First-Second Council from the Rudder
Ecumenical councils — (See also First seven Ecumenical Councils) Councils recognized by: Councils names (with year)West & East
E. Orthodox, Roman Catholic & Old CatholicNicaea I (325) · Constantinople I (381) · Ephesus (431) · Chalcedon (451) · Constantinople II (553) · Constantinople III (680–81) · Nicaea II (787)Eastern Orthodox
only & partly recognizedQuinisext Council (692) · Constantinople IV (879–80) · Constantinople V (1341–51) · Synod of Jerusalem (1672)Roman Catholic only Constantinople IV (869–70) · Lateran I (1123) · Lateran II (1139) · Lateran III (1179) · Lateran IV (1215) · Lyon I (1245) · Lyon II (1274) · Vienne (1311–12) · Constance (1414–18) · Florence (1431–45) · Lateran V (1512–14) · Trent (1545–63) · Vatican I (1869–70) · Vatican II (1962–65)Reformed (Calvinism) only Anglicans, Lutherans, Calvinists & other Protestants recognize the first four of these councils, and in some cases the first seven.
Other Protestants have various views · Oriental Orthodoxy accept the first three councils and the Assyrian Church of the East the first two.Categories:- Ecumenical councils
- Church councils in Constantinople
- 879
- 9th-century Christian church councils
- Church councils accepted by the Roman Catholic Church
- Church councils accepted by the Eastern Orthodox Church
- Bulgarian Orthodox Church
- Schisms in Christianity
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