The Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church: A History

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There have been twenty-one universal gatherings 'ecumenical councils' of the Catholic Church. The first opened in , the last closed in , and the names of many ring out in the history of the church: Though centuries separate the councils, each occurred when the church faced serious crises, sometimes with doctrinal matters, sometimes with moral or even political matters, and sometimes with discerning the church's relation to the world.

The councils determined much of what the Catholic Church is and believes. Additionally, many councils impacted believers in other Christian traditions and even in other faiths. In this accessible, readable, and yet substantial account of the councils Joseph Kelly provides both the historical context for each council as well as an account of its proceedings. Readers will discover how the councils shaped the debate for the following decades and even centuries, and will appreciate the occasional portraits of important conciliar figures from Emperor Constantine to Pope John XXIII.

This is clear and well-written history of the councils, and while reading about some fo the councils is not enjoyable, I thought his account of Vatican II very well done, though of course short. Kelly read 21 Mar This is clear and well-written history of the councils, and while reading about some of the Though centuries separate the councils, each occurred when Liturgical Press Bolero Ozon.

The Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church: Christians in the GrecoRoman World. The First Council of Nicea. Niceas Historical and Ecclesial Significance.

The Second Council of Lyons. Episcopal conferences and plenary councils are other bodies, meetings of bishops of one country, nation, or region, such as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This article does not include councils of a lower order or regional councils. Ecumenical in the Catholic view does not mean that all bishops attended the councils, which was not even the case in Vatican II.

Nor does ecumenical imply the participation of or acceptance by all Christian communities and Churches. Ecumenical refers to "a solemn congregations of the Catholic bishops of the world at the invitation of the Pope to decide on matters of the Church with him". The papal approval of the early councils did not have a formal character, which was characteristic in later councils.

The Catholic Church did not officially declare these Councils to be ecumenical. This became theological practice. Not all of the twenty-one councils were always accepted as ecumenical within the Catholic Church. A book on ecumenical councils by Cardinal Dominicus Jacobazzi excluded them as did other scholars. There is a sole meeting of the early Christian Church the New Testament period which has been generally regarded as a Council and which is included in the traditional Catholic reckoning as the first of the Ecumenical Councils, whereas other denominations usually count the First Council of Nicaea as such.

It is unique among the ancient pre-ecumenical councils in that it is considered by Catholics to be the first Ecumenical Council and by Orthodox to be a prototype and forerunner of the later ecumenical councils. Both Catholics and Orthodox regard it as expressing a key part of Christian doctrine and moral teaching.

The council decided that Gentile converts to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the Law of Moses , including the rules concerning circumcision of males.

The Council did, however, arguably retain prohibitions on eating meat sacrificed in pagan rites, on fornication and on idolatry. These decisions are sometimes referred to as the Apostolic Decree. The prime account of the Council is found in Acts of the Apostles chapter These comprised the hierarchs of the undivided Church i. Most importantly, the council defined the equality of God the Father and Christ, his son. It taught that Jesus was of the same substance as God the Father and not just merely similar. The Council issued 20 canons [6] and repudiated Arianism.

Most importantly, it defined the divinity of the Holy Spirit , which is derived but not defined in the Bible. Thus the Council built on the Apostolic Tradition. The council met from May until July during the pontificate of Pope Damasus I and issued four canons. The Council of Chalcedon defined the two natures divine and human of Jesus Christ. It issued 28 canons, the last one defining equality of the bishops of Rome and Constantinople, which was rejected by the papal delegates and Pope Leo the Great , and therefore not binding for the Catholic Church.

The Council again dealt with the issue of the two natures of Christ, as monophysitism had spread through Christianity despite the decisions of Chalcedon. The Council met from May 5 until June 2, in eight sessions during the pontificate of Pope Vigilius , who was imprisoned during the Council by the emperor. Several Catholic provinces refused to accept the Second Council of Constantinople because of the political pressures.

The Council repudiated Monothelitism , and reaffirmed that Christ, being both human and divine, had both human and divine wills. It met in sixteen sessions from November 7, until September 16, It also discussed the views of Honorius. In , the emperor outlawed pictorial presentations of Christ and the saints and created thus the first iconoclasm. The Pope argued against it and convened in a local council in Rome to no avail. Pictures of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints were used to stimulate piety and imitation. The Council met in eight sessions from September 24, until October 23, during the pontificate of Pope Hadrian I.

It issued twenty canons. This freed the pontiffs to some degree from the power of the emperor in Constantinople, but it also led to a schism , because the emperors and patriarchs of Constantinople interpreted themselves as the true descendants of the Roman Empire dating back to the beginnings of the Church. The Council condemned Photius, who questioned the legality of the papal delegates presiding over the Council and ended the schism.

The Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church: A History

Successors of Charlemagne insisted increasingly on the right to appoint bishops on their own, which led to the Investiture Controversy with the popes. The Concordat of Worms signed by Pope Calixtus II included a compromise between the two parties, by which the pope alone appoints bishops as spiritual head while the emperor maintains a right to give secular offices and honors.

Pope Calixtus invoked the council to ratify this historic agreement. The Council met from March 18 to April 5, In important decisions regarding the celibacy of Catholic priests, clerical marriages of priests and monks, which up to were considered illegal, were defined and declared as non-existing and invalid. The Council established the two-third majority necessary for the election of a pope. Still valid today are the regulations that outlawed simony , and the elevation to Episcopal offices for anyone under thirty.

The council also ruled it illegal to sell arms or goods which could assist armaments to Muslim powers. Saracens and Jews were forbidden from keeping Christian slaves.

The 21 Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church

Catharism was condemned as a heresy. This council is well documented: Reports include the saga of an Irish bishop whose income consisted in the milk from three cows. If one of the cows would stop giving milk, the faithful were obliged to donate another animal.

The Council mandated every Christian to go at least once a year on Easter to confession and to receive the Holy Eucharist. The Council formally repeated Catholic teaching, that Christ is present in the Eucharist and thus clarified transubstantiation.

It dealt with several heresies without naming names but intended to include the Catharists and several individual Catholic theologians. It made several political rulings as well. The Council continued the political rulings of the previous council by deposing Frederick II , as German king and as emperor. Frederick was accused of heresy, treason and arresting a ship with about prelates willing to attend a meeting with the Pope. Frederick outlawed attendance at the council and blocked access to Lyon from Germany.

Therefore, the majority of council fathers originated from Spain, France and Italy. The Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church: A History by Joseph F. There have been twenty-one universal gatherings 'ecumenical councils' of the Catholic Church. The first opened in , the last closed in , and the names of many ring out in the history of the church: Though centuries separate the councils, each occurred when the church faced serious crises, sometimes with doctrinal matters, sometim There have been twenty-one universal gatherings 'ecumenical councils' of the Catholic Church.

Though centuries separate the councils, each occurred when the church faced serious crises, sometimes with doctrinal matters, sometimes with moral or even political matters, and sometimes with discerning the church's relation to the world.

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The councils determined much of what the Catholic Church is and believes. Additionally, many councils impacted believers in other Christian traditions and even in other faiths.

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In this accessible, readable, and yet substantial account of the councils Joseph Kelly provides both the historical context for each council as well as an account of its proceedings. Readers will discover how the councils shaped the debate for the following decades and even centuries, and will appreciate the occasional portraits of important conciliar figures from Emperor Constantine to Pope John XXIII. Paperback , pages. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about The Ecumenical Councils of the Catholic Church , please sign up.

Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Mar 06, Jacob Frank rated it really liked it Shelves: The Ecumenical Councils were something like constitutional conventions, wherein the church repeatedly reworked and re-elaborated its self-definition.

Often enough though, issues were decided by the course of political history, rather than through debate. For example, the first handful of councils revolved around the ecclesiastical power struggle between the sees of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Constantinople, and the political and military contest between the western Roman, Thought-provoking.

For example, the first handful of councils revolved around the ecclesiastical power struggle between the sees of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Constantinople, and the political and military contest between the western Roman, Gothic, Frankish, German, etc. The theological niceties seemed largely to be a sort of code for articulating the underlying political struggle. And the debate was not resolved at a theological level, but rather by the conquest of Alexandria, Antioch, and eventually Constantinople, by Arab and Turkish forces.

Similarly, the size and political status of the papal territory was settled by Italian nationalists and by Mussolini, not through conciliar dialogue or via papal decree. In sum, the book was well worth reading, and certainly highlights the progress that was made at Vatican II, particularly with regard to issues such as the freedom of religion and the importance of the laity. Feb 27, Tyler rated it really liked it Shelves: It would be very good for someone who didn't know much at all about the councils.

I knew a fair amount already and still very much enjoyed it though. Oct 10, Michael McCluskey rated it liked it.

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