- not to be confused with the Council of Seleucia-Ctesiphon
The Synod of Seleucia-Ctesiphon met in AD 410 under the presidency of Mar Isaac, the bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon...
of 410.
The
Council of Seleucia was an
early ChristianEarly Christianity is commonly known as the Christianity of the roughly three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus and the First Council of Nicaea in 325....
church
synodA synod is a council of a church, usually a Christian church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application...
at Seleucia Isauria (now
SilifkeSilifke is a town and district in south-central Mersin Province, Turkey, west of the city of Mersin.Silifke is near the Mediterranean coast, on the banks of the Göksu River, which flows from the nearby Taurus Mountains, surrounded by attractive countryside along the river banks.-Etymology:Silifke...
, Turkey).
In
358-Roman Empire:* An earthquake strikes Nicaea.* The Franks capitulate to Julian in Belgium.* Julian allows the Franks to form a Roman foederatii in Toxandria.* An invasion of Pannonia by the Quadi and the Sarmates is repulsed by Constantius II.-Religion:...
, the
Roman EmperorThe Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office: Latin titles such as imperator , augustus, caesar and princeps were all associated with it...
Constantius IIFlavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II was a Roman Emperor of the Constantinian dynasty.-Early life:...
requested two councils, one of the western bishops at Ariminum and one of the eastern bishops at
NicomediaNicomedia was founded by Nicomedes I of Bithynia at the head of the Gulf of Astacus which opens to the Propontis. The city was founded in 712/11 BC as a Megarian colony and, in early Antiquity, was called Astacus...
to resolve the
Arian controversyThe Arian controversy describes several controversies related to Arianism which divided the Christian church from before the Council of Nicaea in 325 to after the Council of Constantinople in 381...
over the nature of the divinity of Jesus Christ, which divided the 4th-century church.
An earthquake struck Nicomedia, killing the bishop Cecropius of Nicomedia, among others, and on September 27th,
359-Roman Empire:* Battle of Amida: Shapur II of Persia conquers Amida from the Romans.* December 11—The first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, Honoratus, takes office.-Art:...
the eastern council (of about 160 bishops) met at
SeleuciaSeleucia was the first capital of the Seleucid Empire, and one of the great cities of antiquity standing in Mesopotamia, on the Tigris River.Seleucia may refer to:...
instead.
- not to be confused with the Council of Seleucia-Ctesiphon
The Synod of Seleucia-Ctesiphon met in AD 410 under the presidency of Mar Isaac, the bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon...
of 410.
The
Council of Seleucia was an
early ChristianEarly Christianity is commonly known as the Christianity of the roughly three centuries between the Crucifixion of Jesus and the First Council of Nicaea in 325....
church
synodA synod is a council of a church, usually a Christian church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application...
at Seleucia Isauria (now
SilifkeSilifke is a town and district in south-central Mersin Province, Turkey, west of the city of Mersin.Silifke is near the Mediterranean coast, on the banks of the Göksu River, which flows from the nearby Taurus Mountains, surrounded by attractive countryside along the river banks.-Etymology:Silifke...
, Turkey).
In
358-Roman Empire:* An earthquake strikes Nicaea.* The Franks capitulate to Julian in Belgium.* Julian allows the Franks to form a Roman foederatii in Toxandria.* An invasion of Pannonia by the Quadi and the Sarmates is repulsed by Constantius II.-Religion:...
, the
Roman EmperorThe Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office: Latin titles such as imperator , augustus, caesar and princeps were all associated with it...
Constantius IIFlavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II was a Roman Emperor of the Constantinian dynasty.-Early life:...
requested two councils, one of the western bishops at Ariminum and one of the eastern bishops at
NicomediaNicomedia was founded by Nicomedes I of Bithynia at the head of the Gulf of Astacus which opens to the Propontis. The city was founded in 712/11 BC as a Megarian colony and, in early Antiquity, was called Astacus...
to resolve the
Arian controversyThe Arian controversy describes several controversies related to Arianism which divided the Christian church from before the Council of Nicaea in 325 to after the Council of Constantinople in 381...
over the nature of the divinity of Jesus Christ, which divided the 4th-century church.
An earthquake struck Nicomedia, killing the bishop Cecropius of Nicomedia, among others, and on September 27th,
359-Roman Empire:* Battle of Amida: Shapur II of Persia conquers Amida from the Romans.* December 11—The first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, Honoratus, takes office.-Art:...
the eastern council (of about 160 bishops) met at
SeleuciaSeleucia was the first capital of the Seleucid Empire, and one of the great cities of antiquity standing in Mesopotamia, on the Tigris River.Seleucia may refer to:...
instead. The council was bitterly divided, and procedurally irregular, and the two parties met separately and reached opposing decisions.
Basil of AncyraBasil of Ancyra, was a priest in Ancyra, Galatia during the fourth century. Very meager information about his life is preserved in a metaphrastic work: “Life and Deeds of the Martyred Priest Basil.” He fought against the pagans and the Arians. Basil defended Bishop Marcellus against the prelate...
,
Macedonius I of ConstantinopleMacedonius was a Greek bishop of Constantinople from 342 up to 346, and from 351 until 360. He inspired the establishment of the Macedonians, a sect later suppressed as heretical....
, and Patrophilus, afraid the council would depose them, had delayed their arrival;
Cyril of JerusalemCyril of Jerusalem was a distinguished theologian of the early Church . He is venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Anglican Communion...
and
Eustathius of SebasteEustathius, was bishop of Sebastia in Armenia. Together with Basil of Ancyra, he was the author of the sect of the Macedonians....
also faced unresolved charges.
On the first day,
Acacius of CaesareaAcacius of Caesarea in Greek Ἀκάκιος Mονόφθαλμος was a Christian bishop, the pupil and successor in the Palestinian see of Caesarea of Eusebius AD 340, whose life he wrote. He is remembered chiefly for his bitter opposition to St. Cyril of Jerusalem and for the part he was afterwards enabled to...
, George of Alexandria, Uranius of Tyre, and
Eudoxius of AntiochEudoxius was the eighth bishop of Constantinople from January 27, 360 to 370, previously bishop of Germanicia and of Antioch, and was one of the most influential Arians....
, among others, wished to resolve the charges against these bishops, and the challenges to their credentials, before voting on theological matters.
George of LaodiceaGeorge of Laodicea, , often called the Cappadocian, was from 356 to 361 Arian archbishop of Alexandria....
, Sophronius of Pompeiopolis, and Eleusius of Cyzicus, among others, wished to vote on theological matters first, and won the first procedural votes.
On the second day, George of Laodicea opened the council to Basil and the other disputed bishops from their party, ignoring the charges, and closed the council to Acacius and the opposing bishops. They reaffirmed an Creed of Antioch from
341-Roman Empire:* Emperor Constans bans pagan sacrifices and magic rituals under penalty of death.* Constans begins a campaign against the Franks.-Religion:* The Council of Encaenia is held in Antioch.* Paul I is restored as Patriarch of Constantinople....
which declared that the Son was of similar substance to the Father.
On the following days, however, to reach broader agreement, Basil and the disputed bishops did not attend, while Acacius and the others did. Acacius proposed a new creed, with notes stating that the Son was like the Father, compromising between the controversial language of
NicaeaThe Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in 325...
and Antioch, and condemning Anomoeanism.
In the end, the council divided again. Basil, George of Laodicea, and their party deposed or excommunicated their opponents, including Acacius, George of Alexandria, Uranius, Theodulus of Chaeretapa, Theodosius of Philadelphia, Evagrius of Mytilene, Leontius of Tripolis,
Eudoxius of AntiochEudoxius was the eighth bishop of Constantinople from January 27, 360 to 370, previously bishop of Germanicia and of Antioch, and was one of the most influential Arians....
,
AsteriusThe name "Asterius" may refetr to:* Asterion, name of two sacred kings of Crete.* Asterius of Ostia , christian martyr and saint* Asterius of Caesarea , christian martyr and saint* Asterius , christian martyr and saint...
, Eusebius, Abgarus, Basilicus,
PhoebusPhoebus is the Latin form of Greek Phoibos "Shining-one", a byname used in classical mythology for either the god Apollo, or the god Helios, or the sun, generally....
,
FidelisFidelis can be:* "Fidelis" is a Latin term meaning "faithful".* It is the name of several historical monks, and some saints, including Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen and Saint Fidelis of Como.* A Catholic-based political advocacy organization....
,
EutychiusEutychius was the last Exarch of Ravenna .The entire exarchate had risen in revolt at the imposition of iconoclasm in 727; the Lombards, the Papacy, and the Italian cities all moved to eliminate Byzantine authority. In response, Emperor Leo III sent Eutychius to take control of the situation...
,
MagnusMagnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was sometimes used as a first name among Romans but was not particularly common among them, the most well-known Roman of that name being the third-century usurper. The name gained wider currency in the Middle Ages, various European peoples, and their royal houses,...
, and
EustathiusEustathius or Eustathios may refer to:* Eustathius of Antioch, Patriarch of Antioch * Eustathius of Sebaste * Eustathius of Cappadocia Neoplatonist, orator, and diplomat...
, as well as one of those who had already faced charges, Patrophilus. Acacius and his party challenged the decisions, as did the Anomoeans.
Later that year, Constantius called for a council in Constantinople to consider the decision at Ariminum and resolve the split at Seleucia.
Acacius' proposed creed
Acacius' proposed creed read, including its preface:
We having yesterday assembled by the emperor's command at Seleucia, a city of Isauria, on the 27th day of September, exerted ourselves to the utmost, with all moderation, to preserve the peace of the church, and to determine doctrinal questions on prophetic and evangelical authority, so as to sanction nothing in the ecclesiastic confession of faith at variance with the sacred Scriptures, as our Emperor Constantius most beloved of God has ordered. But inasmuch as certain individuals in the Synod have acted injuriously toward several of us, preventing some from expressing their sentiments, and excluding others from the council against their wills; and at the same time have introduced such as have been deposed, and persons who were ordained contrary to the ecclesiastical canon, so that the Synod has presented a scene of tumult and disorder, of which the most illustrious Leonas, the Comes, and the most eminent Lauricius, governor of the province, have been eye-witnesses, we are therefore under the necessity of making this declaration. That we do not repudiate the faith which was ratified at the consecration of the church at Antioch; [423] for we give it our decided preference, because it received the concurrence of our fathers who were assembled there to consider some controverted points. Since, however, the terms homoousion and homoiousion have in time past troubled the minds of many, and still continue to disquiet them; and moreover that a new term has recently been coined by some who assert the anomoion of the Son to the Father: we reject the first two, as expressions which are not found in the Scriptures; but we utterly anathematize the last, and regard such as countenance its use, as alienated from the church. We distinctly acknowledge the homoion of the Son to the Father, in accordance with what the apostle has declared concerning him, [424] "Who is the image of the invisible God."
We confess then, and believe in one God the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, and of things visible and invisible. We believe also in his Son our Lord Jesus Christ, who was begotten of him without passion before all ages, God the Word, the only-begotten of God, the Light, the Life, the Truth, the Wisdom: through whom all things were made which are in the heavens and upon the earth, whether visible or invisible. We believe that he took flesh of the holy Virgin Mary, at the end of the ages, in order to abolish sin; that he was made man, suffered for our sin, and rose again, and was taken up into the heavens, to sit at the right hand of the Father, whence he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. We believe also in the Holy Spirit, whom our Lord and Saviour has denominated the Comforter, and whom he sent to his disciples after his departure, according to his promise: by whom also he sanctifies all believers in the church, who are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Those who preach anything contrary to this creed, we regard as aliens from the catholic church.