First Council of Constantinople

First Council of Constantinople 381, second ecumenical council. It was convened by Theodosius I, then emperor of the East and a recent convert, to confirm the victory over Arianism. The council drew up a dogmatic statement on the Trinity and defined Holy Spirit as having the same divinity expressed for the Son by the Council of Nicaea 56 years earlier. That statement has been lost, but the work of the council established the orthodox teaching of the Trinity as it is held today. The traditional belief ascribing the present form of the Nicene Creed (see creed ) to this council has been questioned by modern scholars. The council condemned all varieties of Arianism along with a new heresy, Apollinarianism. The sessions, which were attended only by bishops of the East, lasted two months. Gregory of Nazianzus was reinstated as bishop of Constantinople and then made president of the council when its first president, Meletius of Antioch, died. Gregory resigned when the council disregarded his wishes and elected Flavian of Antioch as Meletius' successor at Antioch.

Constantinople, First Council of (381). It was convened by Theodosius I to unite the E. Church at the end of the Arian controversy. It came to be regarded as the Second Oecumenical Council, even though no W. bishops were present. The work of the Council of Nicaea on the doctrine of Christ was ratified, and the humanity of Christ was safeguarded by condemning Apollinarianism. The so-called Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (see NICENE CREED), traditionally ascribed to this Council, was probably not drawn up by it, but it may well have been endorsed by it.