The Ecumenical Creeds

The Chalcedonian Formula

The Fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon, by Vasily Surikov (1876) — The Council of Chalcedon (451), painted by Vasily Surikov: Emperor Marcian and Empress Pulcheria preside over the assembled bishops.

The Definition of Chalcedon · A.D. 451

The Creed of Chalcedon was adopted at the fourth and fifth sessions of the fourth œcumenical Council, held at Chalcedon, opposite Constantinople, A.D. 451…It embraces the Nicæno-Constantinopolitan Creed, and the christological doctrine set forth in the classical Epistola Dogmatica of Pope Leo the Great to Flavian…It is directed against the errors of Nestorius and Eutyches…It substantially completes the orthodox Christology of the ancient Church…As the Nicene doctrine of the Trinity stands midway between Tritheism and Sabellianism, so the Chalcedonian formula strikes the true mean between Nestorianism and Eutychianism.

— Philip Schaff, The Creeds of Christendom, vol. 1

Date: October 22, A.D. 451, at the Council of Chalcedon

Against: Eutychianism (one mixed nature) and Nestorianism (two separated persons)

Confesses: One person in two natures, without confusion, change, division, or separation

Text: From Schaff, Creeds of Christendom, vol. II

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.

On “the Mother of God.” The Greek is Theotokos, “God-bearer.” The council used it to defend the deity of Christ, confessing that the one Mary bore is himself true God, not merely a man later joined to God. The phrase guards Christ’s person; it isn’t an exaltation of Mary, and the creed at once qualifies it “according to the Manhood.”

More Ecumenical Creeds

The Apostles’ Creed 2nd to 8th c.

The Nicene Creed 325 / 381

The Athanasian Creed 5th to 6th c.

Reformed Confessions The full hub

Text from Philip Schaff, The Creeds of Christendom, vol. II (1877), now in the public domain. Formatted for Reformed Dogmatika. Spelling Americanized; wording unaltered.

Support the Work

Help Keep Reformed Dogmatika Freely Available

Reformed Dogmatika is offered freely as a theological library. If this resource has served you, consider helping us continue publishing thoughtful, confessionally Reformed resources.

Support Reformed Dogmatika →