以弗所公会议（431）Council of Ephesus (431)

聂斯脱利428年从安提阿传统被任命为君士坦丁堡主教，立即介入首都异端与纪律冲突。其讲道人反对称马利亚为“上帝之母”（Theotokos），偏好“基督之母”，担心无始神性被说成由女人产生或能够受苦。聂斯脱利允许在正确解释下使用称号，却强调神性与人性不可混合。民众早已在礼仪中使用“上帝之母”，争论很快越过术语，触及讲道、首都权力和谁有权界定虔敬。 Nestorius, formed in Antiochene tradition, became bishop of Constantinople in 428 and immediately entered the capital's conflicts over heresy and discipline. One of his preachers objected to Mary as Theotokos, preferring Christotokos lest unoriginated divinity be said to originate from a woman or suffer. Nestorius could permit Theotokos under qualification but stressed that divinity and humanity must not be confused. Popular liturgy already used the title, and debate quickly involved preaching, capital authority, and who defined devotion.

亚历山大主教西里尔认为“道成了肉身”意味着永恒圣子亲自成为人，因此马利亚所生、在十字架受苦的是同一位道成肉身者；并非神性本质会出生或死亡，而是这些人性经历可真实归属于圣子。若把福音中的神性与人性语句分配给两个行动主体，救赎联合就会被破坏。聂斯脱利担心西里尔语言吞没人性，西里尔则怀疑对手把基督分成两个儿子。双方各自的最坏推论在论战中取代了对方较谨慎的自我表述。 Cyril of Alexandria argued that “the Word became flesh” meant the eternal Son personally became human. The one born of Mary and suffering on the cross was the same incarnate Word; divine nature as such did not begin or die, but human experiences truly belonged to the Son. Assigning divine and human Gospel statements to two acting subjects would break saving union. Nestorius feared Cyril swallowed humanity, while Cyril suspected two sons. Polemic increasingly substituted each side's worst inference for the other's guarded self-description.

西里尔向埃及修士和罗马主教策肋定陈述案件；430年罗马会议要求聂斯脱利限期撤回，西里尔受托执行，又附上十二条谴责，安提阿派认为措辞危险。皇帝狄奥多西二世召集会议于以弗所，命坎迪迪安伯爵维持秩序而非决定教义。西里尔及大量主教先到，安提阿约翰因路途延误。西里尔在6月22日不顾坎迪迪安和聂斯脱利要求等待而开会，宣读文书后罢黜聂斯脱利；城中支持Theotokos的群众以灯火庆祝。 Cyril presented his case to Egyptian monks and Pope Celestine. A Roman synod in 430 demanded Nestorius recant within a deadline, commissioning Cyril, who added Twelve Anathemas that Antiochenes found dangerous. Theodosius II summoned a council at Ephesus and ordered Count Candidian to preserve order, not decide doctrine. Cyril and many bishops arrived before John of Antioch, delayed by travel. On 22 June Cyril opened despite requests from Candidian and Nestorius to wait, read dossiers, and deposed Nestorius; crowds favoring Theotokos celebrated with lamps.

安提阿约翰数日后到达，召集自己的会议，指控西里尔和以弗所主教门农违法，宣布罢黜二人。罗马使节七月抵达后认可西里尔会议，但也要求按程序重读文件。皇帝最初把双方罢黜都视为有效，命聂斯脱利、西里尔和门农受拘押；宫廷游说、主教代表和民众压力随后改变局面。聂斯脱利被送回修院，西里尔获释返亚历山大。称“以弗所会议一致裁决”会隐藏同一城市同时存在两套自称合法的会议及帝国最终选择其中一套的过程。 John of Antioch arrived days later, convened his own synod, charged Cyril and Bishop Memnon with illegality, and deposed them. Roman legates arrived in July, approved Cyril's assembly, yet required procedural rereading. The emperor initially accepted both sets of depositions and detained Nestorius, Cyril, and Memnon; court lobbying, episcopal delegations, and popular pressure shifted policy. Nestorius returned to a monastery and Cyril was released to Alexandria. “The council unanimously decided” hides two rival legal assemblies in one city and an imperial decision to privilege one.

西里尔与安提阿约翰在433年接受《联合信式》，承认基督一位、神人二性联合，并保留Theotokos；双方用不同语言达成有限和平，西里尔没有要求安提阿方面逐字接受十二条谴责。聂斯脱利后来被进一步流放至埃及，其《赫拉克利德市集》在近代重现，显示他否认自己教导“两个人”，并认为迦克墩公式接近本意。文本不能自动证明其早期表达无问题，却要求把“聂斯脱利本人”和后世“聂斯脱利主义”分开。 Cyril and John accepted a Formula of Reunion in 433: one Christ, union of divine and human natures, and Theotokos. Different vocabularies achieved limited peace without requiring Antiochenes to repeat Cyril's Twelve Anathemas verbatim. Nestorius was later exiled further into Egypt. The modern recovery of his Bazaar of Heracleides shows him denying belief in two persons and regarding Chalcedon's formula as near his intent. That does not automatically clear his earlier communication, but requires separating Nestorius from later “Nestorianism.”

波斯帝国内的东方叙利亚教会因政治边界和自身神学发展逐渐尊重摩普绥提亚的狄奥多若传统，拒绝以弗所对聂斯脱利的处理；称今日亚述东方教会只是“聂斯脱利派”既不准确也延续胜利者标签。另一方面，西里尔继承者狄奥斯库若在449年以弗所会议压制对手，该会后被称“强盗会议”；451年迦克墩以“一位格、二性”试图结合西里尔统一与安提阿区分，却又造成非迦克墩教会分离。431不是终局，而是教义澄清与制度断裂同时加速的中点。 Within the Persian Empire, the East Syriac church developed under different politics and honored Theodore of Mopsuestia's tradition, rejecting Ephesus's handling of Nestorius. Calling today's Assyrian Church simply “Nestorian” is inaccurate and perpetuates a victor's label. Meanwhile Cyril's successor Dioscorus suppressed opponents at Ephesus in 449, later branded the Robber Council. Chalcedon in 451 tried to join Cyrilline unity and Antiochene distinction in “one person, two natures,” yet contributed to non-Chalcedonian separation. The year 431 accelerated both clarification and institutional rupture rather than ending debate.