451 AD — Council of Chalcedon
Ecumenical Tradition
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We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood;
truly God and truly man, of a reasonable soul and body; consubstantial with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood;
in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood;
one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably;
the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved, and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons,
but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ; as the prophets from the beginning have declared concerning Him, and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has handed down to us.
The English translation presented follows the traditional rendering used in Catholic and/or Protestant traditions.
This text is provided for study, research, and educational purposes in Christian theology and church history.
The Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) was convened by Emperor Marcian in response to a decades-long controversy about the nature of Christ. Two extreme positions had emerged: Nestorianism, which seemed to divide Christ into two separate persons, and Eutychianism (Monophysitism), which merged his two natures into one. Chalcedon walked a precise middle path, insisting Christ is one person in two natures — fully divine and fully human — united without confusion, change, division, or separation.
The council was attended by approximately 520 bishops. Its Definition was accepted by Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant traditions. The Oriental Orthodox churches (Coptic, Ethiopian, Armenian, Syriac) rejected it, producing a schism that has never been formally healed, though modern ecumenical dialogue has made significant progress.
The Chalcedonian Creed is the statement of Christian belief adopted at the Fourth Ecumenical Council in 451 AD. It defines Jesus Christ as one person with two complete natures — fully divine and fully human — united without confusion or separation.
According to Chalcedon, Christ is fully divine (consubstantial with the Father) and fully human (consubstantial with us, with a rational soul and body, like us in all things except sin). These two natures are united in one person without being mixed, changed, divided, or separated.
Two heresies had distorted the church's understanding of Christ. Nestorianism appeared to divide Christ into two separate persons. Eutychianism merged his two natures into one mixed nature. Chalcedon corrected both extremes with a precise definition that held together full divinity and full humanity in one person.
Most do — it is accepted by Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestant churches. The Oriental Orthodox churches (Coptic, Ethiopian, Armenian, Syriac) rejected Chalcedon and have maintained a separate tradition ever since. Modern ecumenical dialogue has found significant common ground, but formal reunion has not occurred.
Hypostatic union is the theological term for what Chalcedon describes: the union of Christ's divine and human natures in one person (hypostasis). Christ is not part God and part man, but fully and completely both, united in one personal identity without mixture or separation.
Explore our articles, study guides, and historical commentary on the Chalcedonian Creed.