1 - Acts of the Home Synod at Constantinople (November 448):

Summary

Eutyches (ca. 378–454) became a polarizing figure in the post-Cyrillian Christological debates leading up to the Council of Chalcedon in 451. A monk since his youth, Eutyches was eventually ordained a presbyter and around 410 became an archimandrite of a monastery outside the walls of Constantinople. At the Council of Ephesus in 431 he emerged as part of Cyril of Alexandria’s circle of supporters and a fierce opponent of Nestorius. Unexpectedly, however, on November 8, 448, when the Home Synod of Constantinople was in session, presided over by Archbishop Flavian, Bishop Eusebius of Dorylaeum accused Eutyches of heresy. The proceedings against the archimandrite were conducted over the course of seven sessions, concluding with his deposition on November 22. The acts of this synod offer a rare glimpse into the debate over Eutyches, allowing the reader to observe the bishops and Eutyches in action as the former prosecute their case and the latter attempts to thwart their efforts. The acts also are a precious record of the archimandrite’s views, which are difficult to reconstruct because his extant writings are few, short, and theologically sparse.