Final answer:
Monophysitism was a theological belief that Jesus had a single, divine nature, in response to early Christian debates about his nature. It was particularly popular in Egypt and eventually led to the founding of the Coptic Church but was declared heretical by the Council of Chalcedon.
Step-by-step explanation:
Monophysitism was a theological position within early Christianity that emerged as a response to debates concerning the nature of Jesus Christ. This belief posited that Jesus had only one, divine nature, rather than two natures, one divine and one human, as argued by Dyophysitism. Monophysitism rose to prominence particularly in Egypt, where it became the dominant belief, eventually leading to the establishment of the Coptic Church. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE declared Monophysitism heretical, which caused a schism and solidified the Coptic Church's independent trajectory.
The emergence of Monophysitism was an attempt to clarify the Christian understanding of Christ's existence, responding to the controversies that arose from the Arian controversy settled by the Council of Nicaea. It challenged the established orthodoxy, which leaned towards a two-natured (Dyophysite) Christology. Cultural and linguistic differences among early Christians, along with political dynamics of the day, played a role in the spread and rejection of various theological positions, including Monophysitism.