Monophysitism

Definition and Meaning

Monophysitism derives from a Greek term meaning "one nature." It refers to the position that after the Incarnation, Jesus Christ does not possess distinct divine and human natures but has only one nature. A nature is the set of properties that constitutes what God or a human being is.

Orthodox Christology confesses that Christ is truly God and truly man. According to Monophysitism, however, the human nature is absorbed into or mingled with the divine nature. Critics argue that this obscures the truth that Christ was made like human beings.

Biblical and Historical Background

The biblical texts underlying this controversy include the following:

• "And the Word was made flesh" (John 1:14)
• Hebrews 2:14-17, which states that Christ took part of flesh and blood and was made like unto his brethren
• Hebrews 4:15, which states that he "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin"

In the fifth century, Eutyches, a monk in Constantinople, taught that after the union Christ has only one nature. His teaching was a reaction against Nestorianism, which was criticized for dividing the two natures too sharply. In 451 the Council of Chalcedon condemned Eutyches. The council defined Christ as one person in two natures, "without confusion, without change, without division, without separation."

The churches of Egypt, Syria, Armenia, and other regions did not accept this definition and separated from the rest of the church. These are the churches known today as the Oriental Orthodox Churches. They, too, reject Eutyches. They decline the label "Monophysite," describing their position instead as "Miaphysitism," the view that the two natures were united into one without mixture. In dialogues held during the late twentieth century between these churches and the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, the view reportedly emerged that the differences are largely a matter of terminology. In the seventh century, Monothelitism arose from an attempt to reconcile the two sides.

In the Korean Church

Korean Protestant denominations generally accept the Christology of the Council of Chalcedon, so they do not differ markedly from one another on this subject.

• Presbyterian: Chapter 8 of the Westminster Confession of Faith confesses that the two natures are joined in one person without conversion, composition, or confusion.
• Methodist and Anglican: Their respective doctrinal standards, the Articles of Religion and the Thirty-Nine Articles, confess the same teaching.

Ordinary church members rarely encounter this term. It appears mainly in church history and systematic theology courses at theological seminaries, where ancient Christological controversies are studied.