Monophysitism

Monophysitism (from Greek: Μόνος "Monos" (Solitary) and Φύσις Physis (Nature)) is the theology that Jesus Christ either had only one nature – either human or divine, or it approaches the Miaphysitic view and theology and teaches that his humanity and divinity was united in one nature. It thus stands in contrast to Dyophysitism, the theology that Jesus has two distinct and inseparable natures. The denominations, branches, and churches that profess Monophysitism are called the Anti-Chalcedonian Orthodox Churches (Oriental Orthodoxy comprises virtually all of these churches), and stands in contrast to those of the Chalcedonian Creed, which upholds and believes in the Dyophysitic theology of Jesus.

There are two main doctrines that can be called Monophysite (English pronunciation: /məˈnɒfəsɪt/):

Eutychianism says that the human and divine natures of Christ were combined into one new single nature, and his human nature was "dissolved like a drop of honey in the sea".

Apollinarism, or Apollinarianism, says that Christ had a human body and human "living principle" but that the Divine Logos had taken the place of the nous, or "thinking principle". That is analogous but not identical to what might be called a mind today.

After Nestorianism, which was taught by Nestorius, Archbishop of Constantinople, was refused at the First Council of Ephesus, Eutyches, an archimandrite at Constantinople came up with new ideas. Monophysitism and Eutycheism were also refused at the Council of Chalcedon in 451.

Later, Monothelitism was developed as an attempt to bridge the gap between the Monophysite and the Chalcedonian position, but it was also rejected by the members of the Chalcedonian synod though it had at times the support of the Byzantine emperors and one of the Popes of Rome, Honorius I. Some thought that Monothelitism was at one time held by the Maronite Church, but the Maronite community, for the most part, dispute that by stating that it has never been out of communion with the Catholic Church.

Miaphysitism, the christology of the Oriental Orthodox churches, is sometimes considered a variant of Monophysitism, but those churches view their theology as distinct from Monophysitism and anathematize Eutyches.