Page 80 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

Essentials of Faith 81

d) Mystical theology. Persecution, suf-
fering, and martyrdom, which have become
the permanent aspects of Armenian Chris-
tian life, have impacted and permeated the
theology of the Armenian Church. At the
same time, the growth of monasticism has
significantly enhanced the mystical and con-
templative approaches and trends in the
Church's theological thought.
Of the first seven councils designated as
ecumenical and recognized by the Eastern
Orthodox churches, the Armenian Church
has accepted the first three, Nicea in 325
against Arianism, Constantinople in 381
against Apollinarianism, and Ephesus in 431
against Nestorianism. It has formally rejected
the Council of Chalcedon (451) against Euty-
chianism, and has taken no formal position
on the Council of Constantinople II in 553
against the "Three Chapters," Constantinople
III in 681 against Monothelitism, and Nicea II,
787 against iconoclasm. Therefore, generally
speaking, Armenian theology is in line with
the theology of Eastern Orthodox churches,
except for the teachings related to the chris-
tology of the Council of Chalcedon. Accord-
ing to the Armenian Church, the first three
ecumenical councils defined the essentials of
the Christian faith, whereas the subsequent
councils added no significant elements to
the teachings of these councils; they either
reinterpreted or reconfirmed their basic