Monothelitism

Monothelitism is a 7th-century Christological heresy that teaches that Jesus Christ had only one will—a divine will—rather than two distinct wills, one human and one divine. This heresy arose as an attempt to resolve the ongoing theological controversies over the nature of Christ, particularly following the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD), which affirmed that Christ has two natures, one divine and one human, united in one person. Monothelitism was condemned by the Third Council of Constantinople (680–681 AD) as incompatible with orthodox Christian doctrine, which teaches that Christ possesses two wills, corresponding to His two natures.

History of Monothelitism

1. Context and Origins: The origins of Monothelitism are rooted in the earlier Christological controversies that dominated the early centuries of the church. After the Council of Chalcedon, the church had affirmed that Christ is one person with two natures, fully divine and fully human (known as the Chalcedonian Definition). This, however, did not end theological debates, as questions about how these two natures related to each other persisted.

   In the 7th century, in an attempt to reconcile the Monophysites (who believed that Christ had only one, divine nature) with the Chalcedonian Christians, Patriarch Sergius of Constantinople proposed Monothelitism as a compromise. He suggested that while Christ has two natures, He possesses only one will (Greek: thelema)—a divine will—thereby sidestepping the issue of the relationship between Christ’s two natures. This doctrine became particularly influential in the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium), where political and theological unity was crucial.

2. Imperial Support: Monothelitism gained official support under the Byzantine emperors, especially Heraclius (610–641 AD). He and other political leaders hoped that the doctrine would heal the divisions between the Chalcedonian and Monophysite churches in the empire. In 638 AD, Heraclius issued the Ecthesis, an imperial decree that promoted Monothelitism as the official doctrine of the church. This imperial support gave Monothelitism wide influence, particularly in the East.

3. Opposition and the Role of Maximus the Confessor: Despite its imperial backing, Monothelitism faced significant theological opposition. The most notable opponent of Monothelitism was Maximus the Confessor (580–662 AD), a monk and theologian who ardently defended the orthodox position that Christ must have two wills, one corresponding to each of His two natures. Maximus argued that if Christ did not have a human will as well as a divine will, He could not truly be considered fully human, and thus He could not redeem humanity fully. Maximus suffered persecution, exile, and even mutilation (his tongue and hand were cut off) for his defense of the two wills of Christ.

4. The Sixth Ecumenical Council (Third Council of Constantinople): After decades of debate and political strife, Monothelitism was officially condemned as a heresy by the Third Council of Constantinople in 680–681 AD, which is also known as the Sixth Ecumenical Council. The council affirmed that Jesus Christ has two wills, a divine will and a human will, in perfect harmony, corresponding to His two distinct natures. The council declared that the human will of Christ was fully subject to and united with His divine will but was nevertheless a true human will. This declaration solidified the orthodox position and condemned Monothelitism as a distortion of the Chalcedonian doctrine of Christ.

Theology of Monothelitism

Monothelitism teaches that while Christ possesses two natures (one divine and one human), He has only one will—His divine will. Proponents of Monothelitism believed that maintaining the unity of Christ’s person necessitated a single will, arguing that having both a human and a divine will would imply a division within Christ, which they feared would compromise His unity as one person.

Key Points of Monothelitism:

1. One Divine Will: Monothelitism teaches that Christ’s will is singular and divine. It denies that Christ has a separate, distinct human will, even though it acknowledges that He has two natures.
2. Compromise with Monophysitism: Monothelitism was intended as a compromise with Monophysitism, which taught that Christ had only one nature (the divine). By proposing one will, Monothelitism tried to bridge the gap between Chalcedonian theology (two natures) and Monophysitism.
3. Christ’s Humanity Diminished: By denying a human will, Monothelitism ultimately diminished the full humanity of Christ. Orthodox opponents argued that this undermined the doctrine of the Incarnation, which holds that Christ took on full human nature, including a human will.

Why Monothelitism is Heretical

Monothelitism was condemned as heretical because it contradicted the biblical teaching that Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully human. Orthodox Christology, as affirmed at the Council of Chalcedon and later councils, teaches that Christ has two distinct natures, divine and human, and that each nature must have its own corresponding will.

1. Christ Must Have a Human Will: The key objection to Monothelitism is that if Christ does not have a human will, He is not truly human. The Bible teaches that Christ took on human flesh (John 1:14) and became like us in every way, except without sin (Hebrews 4:15). If Christ did not have a human will, He would not fully share in our humanity. The two wills, human and divine, are essential to maintaining the doctrine of the Incarnation.

2. Redemption Requires Christ’s Human Will: Orthodox theologians, such as Maximus the Confessor, argued that for Christ to redeem humanity, He had to have a human will that freely submitted to the divine will. Christ’s obedience to the Father, even unto death, is a key aspect of the redemption (Philippians 2:8). This obedience required a human will that chose to submit to God. Without a human will, Christ could not represent humanity and atone for our sins.

3. Two Wills in Harmony: The Third Council of Constantinople affirmed that Christ’s two wills—divine and human—are perfectly united and harmonious. The human will of Christ is not opposed to the divine will but is in perfect submission to it. This preserves both the unity of Christ’s person and the full reality of His humanity. The two wills operate in perfect cooperation, reflecting the fact that Christ is one person with two natures, fully God and fully human.

The Historic Christian Orthodox View

The orthodox view of Christology, as defined by the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) and reaffirmed by the Third Council of Constantinople (680–681 AD), teaches that Jesus Christ is one person with two natures, fully divine and fully human. Each nature possesses its own corresponding will, and both wills exist in perfect harmony.

1. Two Natures, Two Wills:

   • Christ has both a divine nature and a human nature, and therefore He must also have two distinct wills—a divine will and a human will—in keeping with those natures. The divine will is eternal and perfect, while the human will, though created, is in perfect submission to the divine will.
   • The human will of Christ is necessary for Him to be fully human and to truly experience human temptation, suffering, and obedience (Hebrews 4:15; Luke 22:42).

2. Hypostatic Union:

   • The hypostatic union affirms that the two natures of Christ—divine and human—are united in the one person of Jesus Christ. The two natures do not mix or change but are perfectly united in one person. This union is without confusion or division, and each nature retains its own distinct properties.

3. Salvation Through Christ’s Obedience:

   • Christ’s full human obedience to the Father is essential to His work of salvation. This obedience required a true human will that could submit to God. Christ’s human will was active in His work of redemption, making His atoning sacrifice on the cross effective for human beings.

Conclusion

Monothelitism was an attempt to preserve the unity of Christ’s person by asserting that He had only one will, a divine will. However, this teaching was rejected as heretical by the church because it undermined the full humanity of Christ and distorted the doctrine of the Incarnation. The Third Council of Constantinople (680–681 AD) affirmed the orthodox position that Christ has two wills, divine and human, in accordance with His two natures, and that these wills are in perfect harmony. This teaching is crucial for maintaining the biblical truth that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human, and that He redeemed humanity through His perfect human obedience to the Father.