Catholic Church History · Ecumenical Councils
Third Council of Constantinople
AD 680–681 · Two Natural Wills and Operations in the One Christ
“But yet not my will, but thine be done.”
What You Will Learn
- Why Constantinople III was called and which crisis it addressed.
- What the council taught, decided, or reformed.
- How to distinguish lasting doctrine from historically conditioned discipline.
- Why the council still matters for Catholic faith and life.
On This Page
The Catholic Answer in Brief
The Third Council of Constantinople condemned Monothelitism and confessed that Jesus Christ possesses two natural wills and two natural operations, divine and human. These are not rival personal centers. Christ’s human will belongs to the one divine Person of the Son and freely follows His divine will.
Council at a Glance
- Place: Constantinople.
- Years: AD 680–681.
- Principal controversy: Monothelitism and Monoenergism.
- Dogmatic center: Christ’s two natural wills and operations.
- Papal contribution: the teaching of Pope Saint Agatho and a Roman synod.
Historical Setting
After Chalcedon, imperial attempts to reconcile divided Christians proposed that Christ had only one operation or one will. The formula seemed to preserve personal unity, but it compromised the completeness of His humanity. A human nature without a human will would not be fully human.
What the Council Taught and Decided
Two Wills, One Person
The council confessed two natural wills and two natural operations corresponding to Christ’s two natures. The human will is not opposed to the divine will but submits freely and perfectly to it.
Why Christ’s Human Will Matters
Human obedience is healed from within because the Son obeyed the Father with a genuinely human will. The agony in Gethsemane reveals real human willing, not theatrical appearance.
Condemnations
The council condemned leading promoters of Monothelitism. Pope Honorius I was also condemned posthumously for failing to preserve the apostolic teaching and for allowing error to be fostered, not for issuing an ex cathedra definition.
Common Misconceptions
Two Wills Do Not Make Two Persons
Will is a natural faculty; the acting subject is the one Person of the Son.
Christ’s Human Will Was Not Sinful
It was truly human and perfectly obedient.
Honorius Does Not Refute Vatican I
His condemned conduct did not meet the defined conditions of an infallible papal definition.
Why Constantinople III Matters
Constantinople III illuminates Christian discipleship. Grace does not destroy human freedom; it heals and elevates it. Christ saves human willing by assuming it and offering perfect filial obedience to the Father.
Key Truths
- Constantinople III is the sixth ecumenical council.
- Christ possesses a divine will and a human will.
- He possesses divine and human natural operations.
- His human will freely follows His divine will.
- The council rejected Monothelitism.
Reflection Questions
- Which doctrinal or pastoral problem required the Church to speak more precisely?
- What part of this council’s teaching is permanent doctrine, and what part belongs to changeable discipline?
- How does this council deepen my understanding of Christ, the Church, or Christian unity?
- What error or oversimplification should I now avoid?
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, You promised to remain with Your Church and to send the Holy Spirit to guide her in truth.
Grant me humility to receive the faith faithfully, wisdom to distinguish doctrine from discipline, and charity when studying the conflicts and wounds of Christian history. May the teaching of Constantinople III draw me closer to You and strengthen my communion with Your Church. Amen.
Selected Sources and Further Reading
- Catholic Encyclopedia — Third Council of Constantinople
- Council Fathers — Decrees and Acts of Third Council of Constantinople
- Catechism of the Catholic Church 475
Source note: This CatholicG33k page is a concise theological and historical guide. It intentionally summarizes rather than duplicates the full Catholic Encyclopedia article or the complete conciliar acts. External source documents open in a new browser tab.