EUTYCHIANS

A sect of the fifth century, who appear to have been seduced into an erroneous view of the nature of Christ by the vehemence of their opposition to the heresy of the Nestor i ans. These latter had a erted the distinctne of the two natures in Christ; the Eutychians confounded them together, and supposed ltie human to be merged in the divine. Their originator. Eutyches, was the abbot of a monastery at Constantinople, aiid was excommunicated in the year 448 by a synod which was convened there for that purpose. This decision was controverted by another council at Ephesus in the following year; but the new opinions were finally condemned by the council of Chalcedon in 451, which established the orthodox doctrine that Christ was perfect God and perfect man, consubstantial with the Father as to his divinity, and with man as to his humanity, the two natures being united in him without conversion, without confusion, and without division. [s. 440]