Dyophysitism

Dyophysitism (/daɪˈɒfɪsaɪtɪzəm/; from Greek δύο dyo, "two" and φύσις physis, "nature") is the Christological position that Jesus Christ is in two distinct, inseparable natures: divine and human. It is accepted by the majority of Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Church of the East, Anglicanism, Methodism, Reformed Christianity and Lutheranism. It is rejected by the Oriental Orthodox churches, who hold to Miaphysitism—that Jesus Christ is of two natures united into one composite nature—while rejecting Monophysitism as heresy along with other extant denominations.

Those who subscribe to the "two natures after the union" formula on either Chalcedonian and Nestorian side were referred to as dyophysites (/daɪˈɒfəsaɪts/). It is related to the doctrine of the hypostatic union and prosopic union.

Development of dyophysite Christology was gradual; dyophysite tradition and its complex terminology were finally formulated as a result of the long Christological debates that were constant during the 4th and 5th centuries. Variations of dyophysite Christology steadily emerged in the teachings of Valentinus, Paul of Samosata, Diodore of Tarsus, Theodore of Mopsuestia, and others.

Dyophysitism stands in opposition to the views of monophysitism, the doctrine of Jesus having a sole divine nature, and miaphysitism, the doctrine that Christ is of both divine and human natures fully united into one composite nature. The Chalcedonian definition of dyophysitism holds that the two natures are completely and perfectly united in the one Person and hypostasis of Jesus Christ, in union with each other and co-existing without mixture, confusion or change; the Nestorian definition, on the other hand, holds that the two natures are united in a Prosopic union, as opposed to the Hypostatic union elaborated upon by Cyril of Alexandria and upheld by the Oriental Orthodox Churches. The importance of dyophysitism was often emphasized by prominent representatives of the Antiochene school in contrast to the Alexandrian school.

The miaphysites upheld the idea of one nature in Christ based on their understanding of Cyril of Alexandria's teachings, including his Twelve Anathemas, namely number 4 which states:

"If anyone shall divide between two persons or subsistences those expressions which are contained in the Evangelical and Apostolical writings, or which have been said concerning Christ by the Saints, or by himself, and shall apply some to him as to a man separate from the Word of God, and shall apply others to the only Word of God the Father, on the ground that they are fit to be applied to God: let him be anathema."

Dyophysitism was articulated in the Council of Chalcedon in 451, which produced the Chalcedonian Definition, that states:

We confess that one and the same Christ, Lord, and only-begotten Son, is to be acknowledged in two natures without confusion, change, division or separation. the distinction between the natures was never abolished by their union, but rather the character proper to each of the two natures was preserved as they came together in one person (prosopon) and one hypostasis.