Council of Nicea II, 787

Images, the Humanity of Christ, Tradition¹

ACTION VIII

306. We admit that images should be venerated. Those of us who are not so minded we subject to anathema. . . .

307. If anyone does not confess that Christ, our Lord, has been described according to His humanity . . . let him be anathema.

308. If anyone rejects all ecclesiastical tradition either written or not written . . . let him be anathema.

The Errors of the Adoptionists²

[From the epistle of Hadrian "Si tamen licet" to the bishops of Gaul and of Spain, 793]

309. On that occasion selections of perfidious words from a disordered pen were read; among other things which must be rejected, was the matter arranged with false arguments giving rise, however, to perfidy concerning the adoption of Jesus Christ, the Son of God according to the flesh. This the Catholic Church has never believed, has never taught, has never given assent to those believing wickedly. . . .

310. . . . O, you impious, and you who are ungrateful for so many benefits, do you not fear to whisper with a poisonous mouth that He, our liberator, is an adopted Son, as it were, a mere man subject to human misfortune, and what is a disgrace to say, that He is a servant. . . . Why are you not afraid, O, querulous detractors, O, men odious to God, to call Him servant, who has freed you from the servitude of the devil? . . . For, although in the imperfect representation of the prophet He was called servant [cf. Job 1:8 ff.] because of the condition of servile form which He assumed from the Virgin . . . we understand that this was said both historically of holy Job and allegorically of Christ. . . .