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Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series #14
Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Series 2, Volume 14 - Enhanced Version
With over twenty volumes, the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers is a momentous achievement. Originally gathered by Philip Schaff, the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers is a collection of writings by classical and medieval Christian theologians. The purpose of such a collection is to make their writings readily available. The entire work is divided into two series, each with fourteen volumes. The second series focuses on a variety of important Church Fathers, ranging from the fourth century to the eighth century. This volume contains the writings of the Seven Ecumenical Councils. Spanning four centuries, they are: the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople, the Council of Ephesus, the Council of Chalcedon, the Second Council of Constantinople, the Third Council of Constantinople, and the Second Council of Nicaea. The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers are comprehensive in scope, and provide keen translations of instructive and illuminating texts from some of the great theologians of the Christian church. These spiritually enlightening texts have aided Christians for over a thousand years, and remain instructive and fruitful even today!
Tim Perrine
CCEL Staff Writer
This edition of the Early Church Fathers series has been optimized for use on the Kindle with a hierarchical Table of Contents that minimizes the number of page turns required to locate a section of the volume. This edition is among the most accurate electronic editions available, but Hebrew characters do not display on the Kindle.
Tim Perrine
CCEL Staff Writer
This edition of the Early Church Fathers series has been optimized for use on the Kindle with a hierarchical Table of Contents that minimizes the number of page turns required to locate a section of the volume. This edition is among the most accurate electronic editions available, but Hebrew characters do not display on the Kindle.
1958 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1956
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57 people want to read
About the author
Philip Schaff
1,646 books66 followersPhilip Schaff was educated at the gymnasium of Stuttgart, and at the universities of Tübingen, Halle and Berlin, where he was successively influenced by Baur and Schmid, by Tholuck and Julius Müller, by David Strauss and, above all, Neander. At Berlin, in 1841, he took the degree of B.D., and passed examinations for a professorship. He then traveled through Italy and Sicily as tutor to Baron Krischer. In 1842 he was Privatdozent in the University of Berlin, where he lectured on exegesis and church history. In 1843 he was called to become professor of church history and Biblical literature in the German Reformed Theological Seminary of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, then the only seminary of that church in America.
On his journey he stayed in England and met Edward Pusey and other Tractarians. His inaugural address on The Principle of Protestantism, delivered in German at Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1844, and published in German with an English version by John Williamson Nevin was a pioneer work in English in the field of symbolics (that is, the authoritative ecclesiastical formulations of religious doctrines in creeds or confessions). This address and the "Mercersburg Theology" which he taught seemed too pro-Catholic to some, and he was charged with heresy. But, at the synod at York in 1845, he was unanimously acquitted.
Schaff's broad views strongly influenced the German Reformed Church, through his teaching at Mercersburg, through his championship of English in German Reformed churches and schools in America, through his hymnal (1859), through his labours as chairman of the committee which prepared a new liturgy, and by his edition (1863) of the Heidelberg Catechism. His History of the Apostolic Church (in German, 1851; in English, 1853) and his History of the Christian Church (7 vols., 1858-1890), opened a new period in American study of ecclesiastical history.
In 1854, he visited Europe, representing the American German churches at the ecclesiastical diet at Frankfort and at the Swiss pastoral conference at Basel. He lectured in Germany on America, and received the degree of D.D. from Berlin.
In consequence of the ravages of the American Civil War the theological seminary at Mercersburg was closed for a while and so in 1863 Dr. Schaff became secretary of the Sabbath Committee (which fought the “continental Sunday”) in New York City, and held the position till 1870. In 1865 he founded the first German Sunday School in Stuttgart. In 1862-1867 he lectured on church history at Andover.
Schaff was a member of the Leipzig Historical Society, the Netherland Historical Society, and other historical and literary societies in Europe and America. He was one of the founders, and honorary secretary, of the American branch of the Evangelical Alliance, and was sent to Europe in 1869, 1872, and 1873 to arrange for the general conference of the Alliance, which, after two postponements on account of the Franco-Prussian War, was held in New York in October 1873. Schaff was also, in 1871, one of the Alliance delegates to the emperor of Russia to plead for the religious liberty of his subjects in the Baltic provinces.
He became a professor at Union Theological Seminary, New York City in 1870 holding first the chair of theological encyclopedia and Christian symbolism till 1873, of Hebrew and the cognate languages till 1874, of sacred literature till 1887, and finally of church history, till his death. He also served as president of the committee that translated the American Standard Version of the Bible, though he died before it was published in 1901.
His History of the Christian Church resembled Neander's work, though less biographical, and was pictorial rather than philosophical. He also wrote biographies, catechisms and hymnals for children, manuals of religious verse, lectures and essays on Dante, etc. He translated Johann Jakob Herzog's Real-Encyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche into English.
On his journey he stayed in England and met Edward Pusey and other Tractarians. His inaugural address on The Principle of Protestantism, delivered in German at Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1844, and published in German with an English version by John Williamson Nevin was a pioneer work in English in the field of symbolics (that is, the authoritative ecclesiastical formulations of religious doctrines in creeds or confessions). This address and the "Mercersburg Theology" which he taught seemed too pro-Catholic to some, and he was charged with heresy. But, at the synod at York in 1845, he was unanimously acquitted.
Schaff's broad views strongly influenced the German Reformed Church, through his teaching at Mercersburg, through his championship of English in German Reformed churches and schools in America, through his hymnal (1859), through his labours as chairman of the committee which prepared a new liturgy, and by his edition (1863) of the Heidelberg Catechism. His History of the Apostolic Church (in German, 1851; in English, 1853) and his History of the Christian Church (7 vols., 1858-1890), opened a new period in American study of ecclesiastical history.
In 1854, he visited Europe, representing the American German churches at the ecclesiastical diet at Frankfort and at the Swiss pastoral conference at Basel. He lectured in Germany on America, and received the degree of D.D. from Berlin.
In consequence of the ravages of the American Civil War the theological seminary at Mercersburg was closed for a while and so in 1863 Dr. Schaff became secretary of the Sabbath Committee (which fought the “continental Sunday”) in New York City, and held the position till 1870. In 1865 he founded the first German Sunday School in Stuttgart. In 1862-1867 he lectured on church history at Andover.
Schaff was a member of the Leipzig Historical Society, the Netherland Historical Society, and other historical and literary societies in Europe and America. He was one of the founders, and honorary secretary, of the American branch of the Evangelical Alliance, and was sent to Europe in 1869, 1872, and 1873 to arrange for the general conference of the Alliance, which, after two postponements on account of the Franco-Prussian War, was held in New York in October 1873. Schaff was also, in 1871, one of the Alliance delegates to the emperor of Russia to plead for the religious liberty of his subjects in the Baltic provinces.
He became a professor at Union Theological Seminary, New York City in 1870 holding first the chair of theological encyclopedia and Christian symbolism till 1873, of Hebrew and the cognate languages till 1874, of sacred literature till 1887, and finally of church history, till his death. He also served as president of the committee that translated the American Standard Version of the Bible, though he died before it was published in 1901.
His History of the Christian Church resembled Neander's work, though less biographical, and was pictorial rather than philosophical. He also wrote biographies, catechisms and hymnals for children, manuals of religious verse, lectures and essays on Dante, etc. He translated Johann Jakob Herzog's Real-Encyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche into English.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 23, 2024
The Seven Ecumenical Councils. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series Two. Vol. 14.
This volume is a list of the canons of each council with running commentary by the then-leading patristic scholars. The subtitle can read: “Getting the Bishops to Behave.” While the format is not user-friendly, as the reader who just wants a list of the canons might be reading for a while, the knowledge is certainly learned and welcome.
Although the book is labeled The Seven Ecumenical Councils, many of the more important regional councils (e.g., Carthage, Sardica, Trullo) are listed. Pride of place, both in history and in this review, is given to Nicea, Ephesus, and Chalcedon.
Nicea
Although the Nicene Creed is close to the Nicene-Constantinapolitan Creed, there are differences. For one, Jesus is begotten “of the substance of the Father.” Does that make a big difference? Maybe, although I cannot think of one at the moment.
The canons of Nicea make for interesting reading, though little of it is of much theological substance. Canon 17 condemns clergy who take interest on loans (36). Canon 20 warns against associating with wizards (47). Absent from the canons is any discussion of the canon of Scripture. This is important on at least two grounds. For one, we have no record here of the church “creating a canon.” Moreover, we have no record here of Constantine deciding which books are in the canon of scripture.
Ephesus
Ostensibly convened to deal with the problem of Nestorius and whether one can call Mary the Mother of God, the Council of Ephesus provided us with the pinnacle of Christological reflection. Cyril of Alexandria, the sphragidis ton pateron, the seal of the Fathers, cogently argued that “was made flesh,” and not merely united to the person of man (198). He was not “converted into flesh, [but] he made his indwelling in such a way as we may say that the soul of man does in his own body” (202-203). He is “hypostatically one in flesh.”
Cyril will speak of “two natures,” but it is “of two” (ek duo), transfering the human and divine to the person. He follows with a list of anathemas against Nestorius:
… those who refuse to call Mary “Theotokos.”
… who refuse to say the Logos was united hypostatically to flesh.
(This anathema is misleading, for it speaks of those who “after the hypostatic union divide the hypostases in the one Christ. By hypostasis Cyril does not mean “person.” He means “existent reality” of a thing. In a sense, Cyril anathematizes those who divide the natures after the union, but even then nature does not mean what later thinkers meant by it).
Chalcedon
For us today, Chalcedon might be a victim of its own familiarity. We speak of the two natures of Christ remaining unconfused, undivided, etc. We often miss the subtle metaphysical themes at play. Chalcedon had to respond to a number of challenges. It had to rebuke Eutyches, who saw human nature absorbed into the divine, yet it had to be careful not to fall into Nestorianism. It is best captured in the Tome of Leo, the highlights of which are noted below:
“For each of the natures retains its proper character without defect; and as the form of God does no take away the form of a servant, so the form of a servant does not impair the form of God” (255).
“For each “form” does the acts which belong to it, in communion with the other; the Word, that is, performing what belongs to the Word, and the flesh carrying out what belongs to the flesh; the one shines in miracles, the other succumbs to injuries” (256).
Session II goes on to say that “Leo and Cyril taught the same thing” (259). At the risk of anathema, I do not see how Cyril would agree with this. Cyril anathematized those who spoke of two “existent realities” after the union. Leo does precisely that. Natures do not act. Persons do. Christopher Beeley openly states that “Leo’s position is essentially the same as Nestorius” (Beeley, Unity of Christ, 276). Chalcedon bypasses the earlier narrative dynamics of Gregory and Cyril (economy of salvation) and moves into technical language (282).
We also do not see as much (if at all) talk of the Word uniting to the properties of flesh. I do not think that is accidental. “Flesh” does not easily allow a tidy separation of natures after the union.
The Synod of Laodicea gives us a snapshot of what a worship service looked like.
“The Congregation is gathered together, the men on one side and the women on the other.
1) The readings immediately begin. The are interrupted with chants,
2) These psalms are chanted antiphonally.
3) The bishop, if present, gives the homily.
4) The catachumens are dismissed before the mysteries are celebrated.
5) The communicants then pray the standard, “For the peace and good estate of the world…”
6) They then chant the “Sursum Corda.”
7) As the eucharist is celebrated, the people chant Ps. 34.
Conclusion
The format of this volume, as with many Schaff volumes, leaves much to be desired. Key councils are often hard to find, and when found, they are usually buried within, not footnotes, by side-column explanations of some text a few pages earlier. Nonetheless, this volume has remained a standard “go-to” for good reason.
This volume is a list of the canons of each council with running commentary by the then-leading patristic scholars. The subtitle can read: “Getting the Bishops to Behave.” While the format is not user-friendly, as the reader who just wants a list of the canons might be reading for a while, the knowledge is certainly learned and welcome.
Although the book is labeled The Seven Ecumenical Councils, many of the more important regional councils (e.g., Carthage, Sardica, Trullo) are listed. Pride of place, both in history and in this review, is given to Nicea, Ephesus, and Chalcedon.
Nicea
Although the Nicene Creed is close to the Nicene-Constantinapolitan Creed, there are differences. For one, Jesus is begotten “of the substance of the Father.” Does that make a big difference? Maybe, although I cannot think of one at the moment.
The canons of Nicea make for interesting reading, though little of it is of much theological substance. Canon 17 condemns clergy who take interest on loans (36). Canon 20 warns against associating with wizards (47). Absent from the canons is any discussion of the canon of Scripture. This is important on at least two grounds. For one, we have no record here of the church “creating a canon.” Moreover, we have no record here of Constantine deciding which books are in the canon of scripture.
Ephesus
Ostensibly convened to deal with the problem of Nestorius and whether one can call Mary the Mother of God, the Council of Ephesus provided us with the pinnacle of Christological reflection. Cyril of Alexandria, the sphragidis ton pateron, the seal of the Fathers, cogently argued that “was made flesh,” and not merely united to the person of man (198). He was not “converted into flesh, [but] he made his indwelling in such a way as we may say that the soul of man does in his own body” (202-203). He is “hypostatically one in flesh.”
Cyril will speak of “two natures,” but it is “of two” (ek duo), transfering the human and divine to the person. He follows with a list of anathemas against Nestorius:
… those who refuse to call Mary “Theotokos.”
… who refuse to say the Logos was united hypostatically to flesh.
(This anathema is misleading, for it speaks of those who “after the hypostatic union divide the hypostases in the one Christ. By hypostasis Cyril does not mean “person.” He means “existent reality” of a thing. In a sense, Cyril anathematizes those who divide the natures after the union, but even then nature does not mean what later thinkers meant by it).
Chalcedon
For us today, Chalcedon might be a victim of its own familiarity. We speak of the two natures of Christ remaining unconfused, undivided, etc. We often miss the subtle metaphysical themes at play. Chalcedon had to respond to a number of challenges. It had to rebuke Eutyches, who saw human nature absorbed into the divine, yet it had to be careful not to fall into Nestorianism. It is best captured in the Tome of Leo, the highlights of which are noted below:
“For each of the natures retains its proper character without defect; and as the form of God does no take away the form of a servant, so the form of a servant does not impair the form of God” (255).
“For each “form” does the acts which belong to it, in communion with the other; the Word, that is, performing what belongs to the Word, and the flesh carrying out what belongs to the flesh; the one shines in miracles, the other succumbs to injuries” (256).
Session II goes on to say that “Leo and Cyril taught the same thing” (259). At the risk of anathema, I do not see how Cyril would agree with this. Cyril anathematized those who spoke of two “existent realities” after the union. Leo does precisely that. Natures do not act. Persons do. Christopher Beeley openly states that “Leo’s position is essentially the same as Nestorius” (Beeley, Unity of Christ, 276). Chalcedon bypasses the earlier narrative dynamics of Gregory and Cyril (economy of salvation) and moves into technical language (282).
We also do not see as much (if at all) talk of the Word uniting to the properties of flesh. I do not think that is accidental. “Flesh” does not easily allow a tidy separation of natures after the union.
The Synod of Laodicea gives us a snapshot of what a worship service looked like.
“The Congregation is gathered together, the men on one side and the women on the other.
1) The readings immediately begin. The are interrupted with chants,
2) These psalms are chanted antiphonally.
3) The bishop, if present, gives the homily.
4) The catachumens are dismissed before the mysteries are celebrated.
5) The communicants then pray the standard, “For the peace and good estate of the world…”
6) They then chant the “Sursum Corda.”
7) As the eucharist is celebrated, the people chant Ps. 34.
Conclusion
The format of this volume, as with many Schaff volumes, leaves much to be desired. Key councils are often hard to find, and when found, they are usually buried within, not footnotes, by side-column explanations of some text a few pages earlier. Nonetheless, this volume has remained a standard “go-to” for good reason.
April 15, 2008
This book is very helpful if you need a collection of canon law from the ecumenical councils. I'm sure it would not be everybody's cup of tea. It was interesting to me insofar as to read the canons of various councils I've heard so much about. Percival inserts commentary from various scholars of the councils, which I tended to skim rather than read carefully. But I benefited from reading the canons and acts of the councils.
May 1, 2024
Philip Schaff's "Nicene & Post-Nicene Series 2 Vol 14: The Decrees and Canons of the Seven Ecumenical Councils (Nicene Fathers)" stands as an invaluable resource for those interested in delving into the doctrinal foundations of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, and Methodist traditions. This meticulous English translation grants readers access to the profound insights and deliberations of the early church, fostering a deeper understanding of church doctrine. Schaff's excursuses provide invaluable historical context and elucidate the nuanced meanings behind the council documents and their implementation, enriching the reader's comprehension of the theological landscape of the time. A must-have reference for scholars and practitioners alike, this volume aides greatly in ensuring alignment with the historical tenets of these venerable Christian traditions.
July 29, 2025
To be frank, I have served on a variety of boards, church councils, and Quaker committees to know that if you have all bishops there assembled crying "Anathema be upon anyone who believes ..." then one has assembled a body where everyone is in agreement thereby leaving out bishops who believe otherwise. it is sad that these councils, particularly the Council of Nicea, were not attended by Marcionites, Gnostic, and all bodies of believers in Jesus. We might have an entirely all together different church today.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews