Council of Constantinople (360)

For the Second Ecumenical Council, see First Council of Constantinople.

In 359, the Roman Emperor Constantius II requested a church council, at Constantinople, of both the eastern and western bishops, to resolve the split at the Council of Seleucia. According to Socrates Scholasticus, only about 50 of the Eastern bishops, and an unspecified number of the western ones, actually attended.[1]

Acacius of Caesarea declared that the Son (Jesus Christ) was similar to the Father (God) "according to the scriptures," as in the majority decision at the Council of Ariminum and close to the minority at the Council of Seleucia. Basil of Ancyra, Eustathius of Sebaste, and their party declared that the Son was of similar substance to the Father, as in the majority decision at Seleucia, a position known as homoiousia. Maris of Chalcedon, Eudoxius of Antioch, and the deacons Aëtius and Eunomius declared that the Son was of a dissimilar substance from the Father, a position known as anomoeanism or heteroousia.[2][3]

The Heteroousians defeated the Homoiousians in an initial debate, but Constantius banished Aëtius,[4] after which the council, including Maris and Eudoxius,[5] agreed to the homoian creed of Ariminum with minor modifications.[6][7]

After the Council of Constantinople, the homoiousian bishop Acacius deposed and banished several bishops, including Macedonius I of Constantinople, Basil, Eustathius, Eleusius of Cyzicus, Dracontius of Pergamum, Neonas of Seleucia, Sophronius of Pompeiopolis, Elpidius of Satala and Cyril of Jerusalem.[8][9]

Wulfila also attended the council and endorsed the resulting creed.[10]

At the same time, Acacius also deposed and banished the Anomoean deacon Aëtius.[11]

  1. ^ Socrates Scholasticus, Church History, book 2, chapter 41.
  2. ^ Philostorgius, in Photius, Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius, book 4, chapter 12 and book 5, chapter 1.
  3. ^ Socrates Scholasticus, Church History, book 2, chapter 41.
  4. ^ Philostorgius, in Photius, Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius, book 4, chapter 12 and book 5, chapter 1.
  5. ^ Socrates Scholasticus, Church History, book 2, chapter 41.
  6. ^ Philostorgius, in Photius, Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius, book 4, chapter 12 and book 5, chapter 1.
  7. ^ Socrates Scholasticus, Church History, book 2, chapter 41.
  8. ^ Philostorgius, in Photius, Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius, book 5, chapter 1.
  9. ^ Socrates Scholasticus (1853). "Book 2, Chapter 42: On the deposition of Macedonius, Eudoxius obtains the Bishopric of Constantinople". The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates, Surnamed Scholasticus, or the Advocate. London: Henry G. Bohn. pp. 159–160 – via Hathitrust.
  10. ^ Socrates Scholasticus, Church History, book 2, chapter 41.
  11. ^ Philostorgius, in Photius, Epitome of the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius, book 5, chapter 1.