Editing Council of Ephesus (section)

==Background==
Nestorius' doctrine, [[Nestorianism]], which emphasized the distinction between Christ's human and divine natures and argued that Mary should preferably be called ''Christotokos'' (Christ-bearer) over ''Theotokos'' (God-bearer), had brought him into conflict with other church leaders, most notably [[Cyril of Alexandria|Cyril]], [[Pope of Alexandria#Patriarch|Patriarch of Alexandria]]. Nestorius himself had requested the Emperor to convene the council, hoping that it would prove his [[orthodoxy]]; the council in fact condemned his teachings as [[heresy]]. The council declared Mary as ''Theotokos'' ([[Mother of God]]).<ref>Carl E. Braaten and Robert W. Jenson (2004), ''Mary, Mother of God''</ref>

Nestorius' dispute with Cyril had led the latter to seek validation from [[Pope Celestine I]], who offered his support for Cyril to request that Nestorius recant his position or face [[excommunication]]. Nestorius pleaded with the [[Eastern Roman Emperor]] [[Theodosius II]] to call a council in which all grievances could be aired, hoping that he would be vindicated and Cyril condemned.{{citation needed|date=December 2024}}

Approximately 250 [[bishop]]s were present. The proceedings were conducted in a heated atmosphere of confrontation and recriminations and created severe tensions between Cyril and Theodosius II. Nestorius was decisively outplayed by Cyril and removed from his [[Episcopal see|see]], and his teachings were officially [[anathematized]]. This precipitated the [[Nestorian Schism]], by which churches supportive of Nestorius, especially in the [[Persian Empire of the Sassanids]], were severed from the rest of [[Christendom]] and became known as [[Nestorian Christianity]], or the [[Church of the East]], whose present-day representatives are the [[Assyrian Church of the East]], the [[Ancient Church of the East]], the [[Chaldean Syrian Church]], and the [[Chaldean Catholic Church]] (which restored communion with [[Catholic Church|Rome]]). {{citation needed|date=December 2024}}