
The Council of Constantinople - 381 AD
1 hour 6 minutes Posted Jun 8, 2026 at 4:39 pm.
Introduction00:01:45 - Fourth Century Review00:16:00 - The Council begins00:20:20 - The Macedonians00:23:00 - Meletius of Antioch00:28:30 - Gregory of Nazianzus00:38:40 - Nectarius of Constantinople00:44:40 - The Canons of Constantinople00:49:20 - Aftermath00:55:30 - The Creed, or lack thereofRoman EmperorsConstantine the Great (Emperor who convened the Council of Nicaea)Constans (Son of Constantine, ruler of the West)Constantius II (Son of Constantine, ruler of the East)Julian the Apostate (Nephew of Constantine who rejected Christianity)Jovian (Imperial bodyguard commander who briefly succeeded Julian)Valentinian I (Western Emperor who appointed his brother Valens)Valens (Pro-Arian Eastern Emperor killed at Adrianople)Theodosius the Great (Spanish general made Emperor who convened the Council of 381)The Cappadocian Fathers & Allied TheologiansGregory of Nazianzus (Theologian, short-lived chairman of the Council, and Bishop of Constantinople)Basil the Great (Bishop of Caesarea who orchestrated the pro-Nicene strategy)Gregory of Nyssa (Brother of Basil, theologian who delivered Meletius’s funeral oration)Meletius of Antioch (Initial chairman of the Council of Constantinople whose sudden death caused turmoil)Other Historical Church FiguresAmbrose of Milan (Influential Western bishop and advisor to emperors)Nectarius of Constantinople (The unbaptized Senator suddenly elected as Bishop and Council chairman)Paulinus of Antioch (Rival pro-Nicene bishop of Antioch backed by Rome and Alexandria)Euzoius of Antioch (Arian bishop appointed to replace Meletius)Maximus the Cynic (Rival candidate whose claim to the see of Constantinople was invalidated by Canon 4)Augustine of Hippo (Prolific Western Church Father referenced in the aftermath)Jerome (Translator of the Vulgate, referenced in the 4th-century timeline)Theological Figures (Eponymous Heresiarchs Mentioned)Arius (Originator of the Arian controversy regarding the Son's divinity)Macedonius I of Constantinople (Pneumatomachian leader whose followers denied the divinity of the Spirit)Eunomius of Cyzicus (Leader of the radical "Anomoean" or hardcore Arian faction)Photinus of Sirmium (4th-century bishop who taught a form of Biblical Unitarianism/Dynamic Monarchianism)Paul of Samosata (3rd-century adoptionist Bishop of Antioch)Apollinaris of Laodicea (Taught that Jesus had a human body but a divine mind instead of a human soul)Sabellius (3rd-century theologian who taught Modalism/Sabellianism)Marcellus of Ancyra (Strict Monarchian theologian condemned for his views on the lifespan of Christ's kingdom)Eudoxius of Constantinople (Prominent Arian bishop referenced in Canon 1)
0:00
1:06:36
Show notes
The Council of Constantinople as part of Sam and Hank's church Fathers series.
This podcast uses Anchor (from Spotify) for stats, tracking, and dynamic audio. Learn more on this podcast's About tab. Dynamic Audio may cause this episode's timestamps to be slightly off.
