Michael Brooks
The Catholic Church recognizes 21 ecumenical councils, the first seven of which are accepted as legitimate by both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. These first seven councils, from the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD to the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 AD, were attempts to reach an orthodox consensus and unify Christendom. The Quinisext Council, held between the sixth and seventh ecumenical councils, is not accepted by the Roman Catholic Church. There is a growing reluctance among some Catholics to accept the authority of church councils, and the relationship of the Papacy to the validity of ecumenical councils is a ground of controversy between Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox churches.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Councils Recognised | 21 |
| First Council | Council of Jerusalem, c. 50 AD |
| First Seven Councils | Recognised as Ecumenical |
| Councils After First Seven | 14 |
| Councils Rejected | Quinisext Council |
| Councils Accepted by Other Denominations | Anglican, Utrecht and Polish National Old Catholic, Scandinavian Lutherans |
| Councils Addressed | Relationship between Jesus Christ and God the Father |
| Councils Condemned | Nestorianism, Monophysitism/Eutychianism, Pelagianism, Catharism |
| Councils Defined | Virgin Mary as Theotokos, Two Natures of Christ, Papal Infallibility and Primacy |
| Councils Reaffirmed | Authority of Pope, Doctrine of Indulgences, Transubstantiation |
| Councils Initiated | Counter-Reformation |
| Councils Promoted | Religious Instruction |
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What You'll Learn
- The Catholic Church recognises 21 ecumenical councils, not just 7
- The first seven councils were convened in modern-day Turkey
- The first council was the Council of Nicaea in 325
- The Quinisext Council is not recognised by the Catholic Church
- The first seven councils were attempts to reach an orthodox consensus
The Catholic Church recognises 21 ecumenical councils, not just 7
The Catholic Church recognises 14 additional councils called or confirmed by the Pope, bringing the total number of ecumenical councils it recognises to 21. The Council of Constantinople, for example, only became ecumenical when its decrees were accepted in the West. The Council of Ephesus, which proclaimed the Virgin Mary as the Theotokos ("Mother of God"), is another example of a council recognised by the Catholic Church. The Council of Chalcedon, which defined the two natures (divine and human) of Jesus Christ, is also among the 21 ecumenical councils recognised by the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church's recognition of these 21 ecumenical councils spans nearly 1,900 years. The earliest council, the Council of Jerusalem, took place around AD 50 and is not typically considered an ecumenical council. The most recent council, Vatican II, focused on pastoral issues and aimed to make the Church more effective in engaging with the modern world.
The ecumenical nature of some councils was initially disputed but later accepted. For instance, the First Lateran Council and the Council of Basel were excluded from a 1539 book on ecumenical councils by Cardinal Dominicus Jacobazzi and other scholars. However, they are now recognised by the Catholic Church as ecumenical councils.
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The first seven councils were convened in modern-day Turkey
The first seven ecumenical councils were convened in modern-day Turkey. These councils were held between the 4th and 9th centuries, beginning with the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and ending with the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 AD. The other five councils that took place in between these two events were the First Council of Constantinople in 381, the Council of Ephesus in 431, the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the Second Council of Constantinople from 553 to 553, and the Third Council of Constantinople from 680 to 681.
The councils were convened by the emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire and were an attempt to reach an orthodox consensus, restore peace, and develop a unified Christendom. They were attended by bishops and other church authorities from across the empire, who discussed and ruled on questions of Christian doctrine, administration, and discipline.
The First Council of Nicaea, convened by Emperor Constantine I, resulted in the unification of Christian doctrine and the definition of beliefs for Christendom. The council agreed on the divinity of Christ and established Christianity as Rome's official religion. It also set the date for the celebration of Easter, the most important feast in the religious calendar.
The First Council of Constantinople, convened by Emperor Theodosius I, sought to unite the church, which remained divided over the issue of Christ's nature and his relationship with God the Father. The council resulted in the final victory of Nicene orthodoxy within the Empire, despite the continued presence of Arianism and other heterodox understandings.
The Council of Ephesus, held during the reign of Emperor Theodosius II, decided that the Virgin Mary is the Theotokos, or Mother of God, because she gave birth to God and not to a man.
The Council of Chalcedon, convened by Emperor Marcian, discussed the nature of Christ and declared that Christ has two natures, both perfect human and perfect divine, unified in one person. This was against the belief of the Monophysites, who believed in the full union of God and man in a single nature in the person of Christ.
The Second Council of Constantinople, convened by Pope Vigilius and Emperor Justinian I, condemned Nestorianism, which denied the unity of the divine and human in Christ. It also reaffirmed the doctrine of indulgences and the jurisdiction of the pope.
The Third Council of Constantinople, convened by Pope Agatho and Emperor Constantine IV, focused on the reorganization and preservation of the church hierarchy within the empire.
The Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches accept all seven of these councils as legitimate. However, there are differences among various Christian denominations in terms of which councils they accept and what conditions must be met for a council to be considered ecumenical.
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The first council was the Council of Nicaea in 325
The council brought together bishops from across Christendom, with attendance estimates ranging from 250 to 300. It was held in the imperial palace of Nicea, and Constantine opened the council with a formal entrance and a speech in Latin. The council is considered the first effort to attain consensus in the church through an assembly representing all of Christendom, and it set a precedent for subsequent general councils to adopt creeds and canons.
The Council of Nicaea addressed various issues, including the suppression of the Melitian schism, an early breakaway sect led by Melitius of Lycopolis. The council decreed that Melitius should remain in his city but without any authority to ordain or appoint clergy. Additionally, the council formulated a creed, a declaration, and a summary of the Christian faith, consolidating the various creeds that were already in existence.
The council also made several other decrees, such as the requirement for standing prayers on Sundays and during the season of Pentecost, and the determination that Easter must not coincide with the first day of Unleavened Bread (Passover) in the Hebrew calendar. Furthermore, it addressed the treatment of those who had transgressed or fallen away from the faith, decreeing that they should be dealt with mercifully if they genuinely repented.
The Council of Nicaea is recognized as a significant event in the history of Christianity, and it marked the beginning of the period of the first seven ecumenical councils. It laid the foundation for subsequent councils to shape and define Christian doctrine and maintain unity within the church.
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The Quinisext Council is not recognised by the Catholic Church
The Quinisext Council, also known as the Council of Trullo, was held in AD 692 between the sixth and seventh ecumenical councils. The council issued organisational, liturgical, and canonical rules but did not discuss theology. While the Eastern Orthodox Church considers it ecumenical, the Roman Catholic Church does not recognise the Quinisext Council as legitimate.
The Catholic Church recognises 21 ecumenical councils over a period of nearly 1900 years, with the first being the Council of Jerusalem in AD 50, which is not typically considered ecumenical. The first seven ecumenical councils, recognised by both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, were convened in what is now Turkey between AD 325 and AD 787. These councils aimed to establish orthodoxy, peace, and a unified Christendom. The Catholic Church also recognises 14 additional councils called or confirmed by the Pope after the first seven.
The Quinisext Council is not numbered among the seven general councils by the Orthodox but is considered a continuation of the fifth and sixth. The Roman Catholic Church does not accept it, and there is no universal recognition of it among the Eastern Orthodox as ecumenical. The authority of ecumenical councils is recognised in principle by Catholics, but there is disagreement over which councils are considered ecumenical and the conditions for a council to be deemed so.
The recognition of a council as ecumenical is influenced by factors such as the presence of all five patriarchs of the Pentarchy, the approval of a pope, and the universality of its acceptance. The Quinisext Council's lack of recognition by the Catholic Church may be attributed to these factors. The Catholic Church's recognition of councils has evolved over time, with some initially disputed councils, like the First Lateran Council and the Council of Basel, eventually gaining acceptance.
While the Quinisext Council is not recognised by the Catholic Church, it is important to note that there is a growing reluctance among some Catholics to accept the authority of church councils in general. This reluctance raises questions about the fidelity and infallibility of councils, highlighting a divide among Catholics regarding the deference given to ecclesiastical gatherings.
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The first seven councils were attempts to reach an orthodox consensus
The first seven ecumenical councils were attempts to reach an orthodox consensus, restore peace, and develop a unified Christendom. These councils were recognised by both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. The councils were: the First Council of Nicaea in 325, the First Council of Constantinople in 381, the Council of Ephesus in 431, the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the Second Council of Constantinople in 553, the Third Council of Constantinople from 680 to 681, and finally, the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. All of these councils were convened in what is now Turkey and were called by an emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire.
The First Council of Nicaea, convened by Emperor Constantine, enunciated the Nicene Creed, which was seen by all later councils as the touchstone of orthodoxy on the Trinity. The First Council of Constantinople, under Pope Damasus and Emperor Theodosius I, added to the Nicene Creed, defining the divinity of the Holy Spirit. The Council of Ephesus proclaimed the Virgin Mary as the Theotokos ("Mother of God" or "God-bearer") and rejected Nestorianism. The Council of Chalcedon defined the two natures (divine and human) of Jesus Christ and condemned Monophysitism (or Eutychianism), which denied Christ's human nature. The Second Council of Constantinople condemned the writings of Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyr, and Ibas of Edessa, which were tainted by Nestorianism. The Third Council of Constantinople granted Constantinople honorary precedence over all churches except Rome. The Second Council of Nicaea condemned iconoclasm and affirmed the use of icons in Christian devotion.
While the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church both recognise the first seven councils, there are differences in how they interpret and apply the decisions of these councils. Additionally, the Roman Catholic Church recognises fourteen additional councils called or confirmed by the Pope, while the Eastern Orthodox Church counts the Quinisext Council, held in 692 between the sixth and seventh ecumenical councils, as a continuation of the fifth and sixth councils rather than a separate council.
The ecumenical councils are significant because they represent the Church's attempt to define and clarify its beliefs, address controversies, and unify Christendom. They have shaped the doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations, and continue to be referenced and interpreted in the life of the Church today.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Roman Catholic Church accepts all seven of the first ecumenical councils as legitimate. However, the Catholic Church also recognizes 14 additional councils that are not accepted by the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The seven ecumenical councils are:
- The First Council of Nicaea (325)
- The First Council of Constantinople (381)
- The Council of Ephesus (431)
- The Council of Chalcedon (451)
- The Second Council of Constantinople (553)
- The Third Council of Constantinople (680-681)
- The Second Council of Nicaea (787)
An ecumenical council is a gathering of bishops and other church authorities to consider and rule on questions of Christian doctrine, administration, and discipline. The word "ecumenical" comes from the Late Latin "oecumenicus", meaning "general, universal".
