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Chalcedonian Christianity is the branches ofChristianity that accept and upholdtheological resolutions of theCouncil of Chalcedon, the fourthecumenical council, held in AD 451.[1] Chalcedonian Christianity accepts theChristological Definition of Chalcedon, aChristian doctrine concerning theunion oftwo natures (divine and human) in onehypostasis ofJesus Christ, who is thus acknowledged as a single person (prosopon).[2][3] Chalcedonian Christianity also accepts the Chalcedonian confirmation of theNiceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, thus acknowledging the commitment of Chalcedonism toNicene Christianity.[4][5]
Chalcedonian Christology is upheld byCatholicism,Eastern Orthodoxy,Lutheran,Anglican,Calvinist, and most branches ofProtestantism, and thus comprises the overwhelming majority of Christianity.[6]
Those present at the Council of Chalcedon acceptedTrinitarianism and the concept ofhypostatic union, and rejectedArianism,Modalism, andEbionism asheresies (which had also been rejected at theFirst Council of Nicaea in AD 325). Those present at the council also rejected the Christological doctrines of theNestorians,Eutychians, andMonophysites.
The Chalcedonian doctrine of theHypostatic Union states that Jesus Christ has two natures, divine and human, possessing a complete human nature while remaining one divinehypostasis. It asserts that the natures are unmixed and unconfused, with the human nature of Christ being assumed at the incarnation without any change to the divine nature. It also states that while Jesus Christ has assumed a true human nature, body and soul, which shall remain hypostatically united to his divine nature for all of eternity, he is nevertheless not a human person,[7][8][9][10] as human personhood would imply a second created hypostasis existing within Jesus Christ and violating the unity of the God-man.
The Hypostatic Union was also viewed asone nature inRoman Christianity by a minority around this time.[11] Single-nature ideas such asApollinarism andEutychianism were taught to explain some of the seeming contradictions in Chalcedonian Christianity.[citation needed]
