Abstract

The article is a sort of summary of more extensive studies published in “Die Konzilien zur Bilderfrage im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert, 2005”. The problems are reduced to three points: 1. In Byzantium during the eighth/ninth century the emperor was the only person responsible for theology and church politics. Thus, the councils duty was not to discuss problems, but to confirm the emperor's decision. 2. At the Seventh Ecumenical Council Tarasios used the idea of “pentarchy” as his main argument. But at the latest with the Arabic expansion of the seventh century three of the five patriarchies were no longer part of the “Reichskirche” and in the eighth century Rome took its bearing to the Francs. The concept to understand the unity of the church as the unity of the five patriarchs was used when the real basis for it was actually no longer given. 3. In the sixth century the picture in the Eastern Church gained in importance. It is an object, that works miracles and therefore receives veneration. Emperors who considered this to be superstitious forbade pictures (icons). A third position acknowledged pictures for didactical reasons and commemoration. This legitimated pictures on councils, while once admitted, customs considered superstitious were again introduced in Eastern Church.