Third Council of Constantinople
Against monothelitism and monoenergism, the council confessed two natural wills and two natural operations in the one Christ, corresponding to His divine and human natures.
Historical context
Maximus the Confessor and the Lateran synod of 649 belong to the debate before this council. Maximus died in 662 and did not attend the council.
Key points
- The council speaks of natural wills, not two personal subjects.
- The human will is not erased by union with the Word.
- Read the definition of faith in Session XVIII before reducing the controversy to a label.
Scripture
- Luke 22:42 — Christ's prayer in Gethsemane was a key passage in the debate.
Primary sources
The definition declares:
The council's dogmatic definition explicitly confesses two natural wills and two natural operations in Christ.
in him are two natural wills and two natural operations
Passage context and translation
The council's Definition of Faith rejects Monothelitism by confessing that Christ's complete divinity and humanity include two natural wills and operations united in his one person. The prior wording in this record came from Pope Agatho's letter earlier on the linked page.
Before the excerpt
defining all this we likewise declare that
After the excerpt
indivisibly, inconvertibly, inseparably, inconfusedly, according to the teaching of the holy Fathers.