The Two Republics, or Rome and the United States of America

CHAPTER XIX. THE POPE MADE AUTHOR OF THE FAITH

Pretensions of the bishops of Rome—“Irrevocable” and “universal”—Leo demands another council—The general Council of Chalcedon—“A frightful storm”—Condemnation of Dioscorus—Leo’s—letter the test—Leo’s letter approved—Leo’s letter “the true faith”—Unity of the council is created—Leo’s doctrine seals the creed—The creed of Leo and Chalcedon—Royalty ratifies the creed—The council to Leo—Imperial edicts enforce the creed—Leo “confirms” the creed—The work of the four councils

LEO persisted in his refusal to recognize the validity of the acts of the second Council of Ephesus, and insisted that another general council should be called. As it was the will of Leo alone that made, or could now make, the late council anything else than strictly regular and orthodox according to the Catholic system of discipline and doctrine, it is evident that if another general council was called, it would have to be subject to the will of Leo, and its decision upon questions of the faith would be but the expression of the will of Leo. This is precisely what Leo aimed at, and nothing less than this would satisfy him. TTR 447.1

Leo had now been bishop of Rome eleven years. He was a full-blooded Roman in all that term implies. “All that survived of Rome, of her unbounded ambition, her inflexible perseverance, her dignity in defeat, her haughtiness of language, her belief in her own eternity, and in her indefeasible title to universal dominion, her respect for traditionary and written law, and of unchangeable custom, might seem concentrated in him alone.”—Milman. ¹ TTR 447.2

Yet Leo was not the first one in whom this spirit was manifested. His aspirations were but the culmination of the arrogance of the bishopric of Rome which had been constantly growing. To trace the subtle, silent, often violent, yet always constant, growth of this spirit of supremacy and encroachment of absolute authority, is one of the most curious studies in all history; though it cannot be followed in detail in this book. Not only was there never an opportunity lost, but opportunities were created, for the bishop of Rome to assert authority and to magnify his power. Supremacy in discipline and in jurisdiction was asserted by Victor and Stephen; but it was not until the union of Church and State that the field was fully opened to the arrogance of the bishopric of Rome. A glance at the successive bishops from the union of Church and State to the accession of Leo, will give a better understanding of the position and pretensions of Leo than could be obtained in any other way. TTR 447.3