Fourth Council of Constantinople (Eastern Orthodox)

Fourth Council of Constantinople
Fourth Council of Constantinople
Date	879–880
Accepted by	Eastern Orthodoxy
Previous council	Second Council of Nicaea
Next council	Fifth Council of Constantinople
Convoked by	Emperor Basil I
Attendance	383 bishops
Topics	Photius' patriarchate
Documents and statements	Restoration of Photius, protection of Nicene creed
	Chronological list of ecumenical councils

The Fourth Council of Constantinople was held in 879–880. It confirmed the reinstatement of

patriarch of Constantinople

.

The result of this council is accepted by the

Eastern Orthodox as having the authority of an ecumenical council.^[1] Eastern Orthodox sometimes call it the eighth ecumenical council.^[2]

Background

The Council settled the dispute that had broken out after the deposition of Ignatius as Patriarch of Constantinople in 858. Ignatius, himself appointed to his office in an uncanonical manner, opposed Caesar Bardas, who had deposed the regent Theodora. In response, Bardas' nephew, the youthful Emperor Michael III engineered Ignatius's deposition and confinement on the charge of treason. The patriarchal throne was filled with Photius, a renowned scholar and kinsman of Bardas. The deposition of Ignatius without a formal ecclesiastical trial and the sudden promotion of Photios caused scandal in the church. Pope Nicholas I and the western bishops took up the cause of Ignatios and condemned Photios's election as uncanonical. In 863, at a synod in Rome the pope deposed Photios, and reappointed Ignatius as the rightful patriarch. However, Photius enjoined the support of the Emperor and responded by calling a Council and excommunicating the pope.

This state of affairs changed when Photius's patrons, Bardas and Emperor Michael III, were murdered in 866 and 867, respectively, by

Council held at Constantinople

from 5 October 869 to 28 February 870. Photius was deposed and barred from the patriarchal office, while Ignatius was reinstated.

Council of 879–880

After the death of

bishops). Anthony Edward Siecienski writes: "In 879 the emperor called for another council to meet in Constantinople in the hopes that the new pope, John VIII (872-882) would recognize the validity of Photius's claim upon the patriarchate. This council, sometimes called the eighth ecumenical in the East was attended by the papal legates (who had brought with them a gift from the pope—a pallium for Photius) and by over 400 bishops, and who immediately confirmed Photius as rightful patriarch."^[2]

The council also implicitly condemned the addition of the

Filioque clause to the creed but also denounced the clause as heretical (a view strongly espoused by Photius in his polemics against Rome), while Roman Catholics separate the two and insist on the theological orthodoxy of the clause. According to non-Catholic Philip Schaff, "To the Greek acts was afterwards added a (pretended) letter of Pope John VIII to Photius, declaring the Filioque to be an addition which is rejected by the church of Rome, and a blasphemy which must be abolished calmly and by degrees."^[5]

Confirmation and further reception

The council was held in the presence of papal legates, who approved of the proceedings.^[6]

Roman Catholic historian

Warren Carroll, dispute this view, arguing that the pope rejected the council. Siecienski says that the Pope gave only a qualified assent to the acts of the council.^[4] Philip Schaff opines that the pope, deceived by his legates about the actual proceedings, first applauded the emperor but later denounced the council.^[5] In any case, the Pope had already accepted the reinstatement of Photius as Patriarch.^[2]

On 8 March 870, three days after the end of the council, the papal and Eastern delegates met with the

Eastern Christian.^[7]

The

seven ecumenical councils are recognized as ecumenical and authoritative by both East and West, many Eastern Orthodox Christians recognize the council of 879 as the Eighth Ecumenical Council, arguing that it annulled the earlier one.^[2] This council is referred to as Ecumenical in the Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs of 1848.^[8] The Catholic Church, however, recognizes the council of 869 as the eighth ecumenical council and does not place the council of 879 among its ecumenical councils.^[9]

References

^ Dragas, George Dion (1999). "The Eighth Ecumenical Council: Constantinople IV (879/880) and the Condemnation of the Filioque Addition and Doctrine". The Greek Orthodox Theological Review. 44 (1–4): 357–369. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Siecienski 2010, p. 103.
^ "Photius." Cross, F. L., ed. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York: Oxford University Press. 2005. Quote: "It was only after Ignatius' death (877) that Photius, by order of the Emperor, once more became Patriarch."
^ ^a ^b Siecienski 2010, p. 104.
^ ^a ^b Philip Schaff, Conflict of the Eastern and Western Churches
^ Nichols, Aidan (1992). Rome And The Eastern Churches. Edinburgh, Scotland: Liturgical Press.
^ Zlatarski, History of the Bulgarian State during the Middle Ages, vol. 1, ch. 2, Sofia, 1971, p. 159
^ "Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs, 1848". Orthodox Christian Information Center. Archived from the original on 2005-11-09. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
^ "The 21 Ecumenical Councils". Catholic Answers. Retrieved 2023-01-12.

Bibliography

Dvornik, Francis (1948). The Photian Schism: History and Legend. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Ostrogorsky, George (1956). History of the Byzantine State. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Siecienski, Anthony Edward (2010). The Filioque: History of a Doctrinal Controversy.
ISBN 9780195372045
.

Nichols, Aidan. Rome And The Eastern Churches. Liturgical Press.