The 21 Ecumenical Councils

1.First Council of Nicaea (325):

- The First Council of Nicaea was a gathering of Christian bishops and leaders that
took place in the city of Nicaea (modern-day Iznik, Turkey) in 325 AD. It was
convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine I, who sought to establish a
unified understanding of Christian doctrine throughout the Roman Empire.

- The council was primarily focused on the Arian controversy, which had arisen
within the church over the nature of Jesus Christ. Arius had argued that Jesus
was a created being and not fully divine. This view was opposed by Athanasius,
the bishop of Alexandria, and others who held that Jesus was co-eternal and
consubstantial with God the Father.
- At the council, the Nicene Creed was formulated, which affirmed the orthodox
Christian understanding of the nature of Jesus Christ as "begotten, not made, of
one substance with the Father." The creed also affirmed belief in the Holy Trinity
and the divine nature of the Holy Spirit.

- Thus the council condemned Arianism and excommunicated Arius and his
followers. The decisions made at the First Council of Nicaea had significant
implications for the development of Christian theology and doctrine, and
the Nicene Creed is still recited by many Christians today as a statement of
faith. The council is regarded as the first ecumenical council of the Christian
Church.

2.First Council of Constantinople (381):

- The First Council of Constantinople took place in Constantinople or modern-day
Istanbul, Turkey in 381 AD. The council was called by the Roman Emperor
Theodosius I to address several theological issues facing the church at the
time.

- The council reaffirmed the Nicene Creed, which had been formulated at the
First Council of Nicaea, and clarified the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, affirming that
the Holy Spirit was also fully divine and coequal with the Father and Son in the
Trinity.

- The council condemned several heresies, including those of Apollinarius

and Macedonius. Apollinarius had argued that Jesus had a divine soul but not a
human mind, while Macedonius denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
 - The council also established the authority of the bishop of Constantinople as
second in rank to the bishop of Rome, thus elevating the status of the church in
Constantinople. This decision was controversial and led to tensions between the
Eastern and Western churches.

- The decisions made at the First Council of Constantinople had a significant

impact on the development of Christian theology and the organization of the
church.

3.Council of Ephesus (431)

- The Council of Ephesus was held in 431 AD. It was convened by the Emperor
Theodosius II and was attended by over 200 bishops to address the growing
controversy over the nature of Christ, specifically the teachings of Nestorius,
the Bishop of Constantinople.

- At the council, Nestorius was accused of teaching heresy, namely that Christ had
two distinct natures, one human and one divine, and that Mary should be called
the Christotokos (bearer of Christ) rather than Theotokos (bearer of God). This
was seen as a denial of Christ's full divinity and led to a split in the church.

- The council declared Nestorius' teachings to be heretical and affirmed the

doctrine of the hypostatic union, which holds that Christ has two natures,
human and divine, united in one person. They also upheld the use of the term
Theotokos to refer to Mary.

4.Council of Chalcedon (451)

- The Council of Chalcedon was held in 451 AD. Its main purpose was to address
the issue of the nature of Jesus Christ, specifically his relationship to the
divine and human natures.

- The council affirmed the doctrine of the hypostatic union, which states that
Christ is one person with two distinct natures, fully divine and fully human, united
in one divine Person, without confusion or mixture. This was a significant
theological development in the understanding of the nature of Christ, and it
continues to be a cornerstone of Christian belief today.
 - The council also addressed several other theological and administrative
issues, including the role of the Bishop of Rome, and established
guidelines for the ordination of bishops.
- The Council of Chalcedon is considered one of the most important ecumenical
councils in Christian history and its decisions continue to shape Christian
theology and practice to this day.

5.Second Council of Constantinople (553)

- The Second Council of Constantinople was the fifth ecumenical council of the
Christian church, and was held in 553 AD. The council was convened by the
Byzantine Emperor Justinian I to address the controversy surrounding the
teachings of the theologian Nestorius.

- At the council, the teachings of Nestorius were again condemned, and the
theology of the Council of Chalcedon (451) was affirmed. The council also
addressed other theological controversies, including the teachings of the
theologian Origen, and condemned several heresies related to the nature of
Christ.

- One of the most significant decisions of the council was the affirmation of the
doctrine of the Trinity, including the concept of the procession of the Holy Spirit
from the Father and the Son (known as the filioque). This decision led to a major
schism between the Eastern and Western churches.

6.Third Council of Constantinople (680-681)

- The Third Council of Constantinople was held from 680-681 AD. The council was
convened to address the controversy over the teachings of the Monothelites, who
believed that Christ had only one will, a divine will.

- The council condemned the Monothelite heresy and affirmed the doctrine of two
wills in Christ, a divine will and a human will. This teaching is known as the
Dyothelite doctrine and was a significant development in the understanding of
Christ's nature.

- The council also addressed other theological controversies,

7.Second Council of Nicaea (787)

 - The council affirmed the use of icons and condemned the Iconoclastic
heresy, which opposed the use of religious images. The council declared that the
use of icons was not idolatry but rather an expression of the Incarnation of Christ,
who took on human form.

- The council also affirmed the veneration of saints and their relics, which had
been attacked by the Iconoclasts. The council acknowledged that the honor given
to the saints was not worship, but rather a way of showing respect and seeking
their intercession.

- The decisions of the council were widely accepted throughout the Christian
world, and the use of icons became an integral part of Orthodox Christian
worship. The council was attended by over 300 bishops and is considered one of
the most significant councils in Christian history.

8.Fourth Council of Constantinople (869-870)

- The Fourth Council of Constantinople, also known as the Eighth Ecumenical
Council, was held from 869 to 870 AD. The council was convened to address the
controversy surrounding the patriarchate of Constantinople and the deposition of
Patriarch Ignatius.

- The council declared that the deposition of Ignatius was invalid and restored
him to his position as patriarch. The council also condemned the teachings of
Photius, who had been installed as the new patriarch. Photius was deposed and
excommunicated, and Ignatius was recognized as the legitimate patriarch of
Constantinople.

- The council also addressed other theological controversies, including the use of
unleavened bread in the Eucharist and the validity of the baptism of heretics. The
council affirmed the use of unleavened bread in the Eucharist and declared
the baptism of heretics to be valid if performed in the name of the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit.

9.First Council of the Lateran (1123)

- The First Council of the Lateran was held in 1123 AD and was convened by
Pope Callixtus II. The council addressed several issues within the church at that
 time, including the Investiture Controversy, the conduct of the clergy, and
the issue of simony (the buying and selling of church offices).

- The council issued several decrees, including the prohibition of lay investiture,
which was the practice of secular rulers appointing bishops and other church
officials.

- The council also called for the reform of the clergy, including the establishment
of seminaries and the regulation of the behavior of priests and bishops. One of
the most significant decisions of the council was the affirmation of the doctrine of
transubstantiation, which holds that the bread and wine of the Eucharist become
the actual body and blood of Christ.

- This doctrine had been under debate for some time, and the council's affirmation
helped to establish it as a central tenet of Catholic theology. The council also
established a system of appeals for those who had been excommunicated
or had disputes with their superiors.

10. Second Council of the Lateran (1139)

- The Second Council of the Lateran was a gathering of Catholic Church officials
convened by Pope Innocent II in 1139. The council had several important
outcomes, including the signing of the Concordat of Worms, which resolved a
long-standing dispute between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire over the
appointment of bishops in Germany. The council also issued decrees
prohibiting simony and the marriage of clergy, and called for a new crusade
to free the Holy Land from Muslims. In addition, the council issued decrees on
a range of other issues, such as clerical dress, the prohibition of dueling, and the
treatment of Jews and Muslims. Overall, the Second Council of the Lateran was
a significant event in the history of the Catholic Church, as it helped to establish
important guidelines for the conduct of the clergy and the church as a whole.

11. Third Council of the Lateran (1179)

- The Third Council of the Lateran was a gathering of Catholic Church officials
convened by Pope Alexander III in 1179. The council had several important
outcomes, including the reaffirmation of the doctrine of transubstantiation,
which holds that the bread and wine used in the Eucharist become the body and
blood of Christ during the Mass.

- The council also established regulations on the conduct of clergy, including

the requirement for priests to receive regular education and training. In addition,
 the council sought to address the issue of heresy by calling for the establishment
of inquisitions to investigate and punish heretics.

- The council also declared that Jews and Muslims should be forced to wear
distinctive clothing to distinguish them from Christians.

12. The Fourth Council of the Lateran (1215)

- The Fourth Lateran Council was held in Rome in 1215 and was attended by
hundreds of bishops and other church leaders. The council addressed a wide
range of issues, including the regulation of the clergy, the definition of the
sacraments, and the condemnation of heresies such as Catharism and
Waldensianism. The council also once again affirmed the doctrine of
transubstantiation.

13. The First Council of Lyons (A.D. 1245)

- This Council was called to bring disciplinary action against Emperor Frederick II
and at the same time sentence of the solemn renewal of excommunication was
passed on the emperor.

14. The Second Council of Lyons (1274)

- The Second Council of Lyons was held in 1274 under Pope Gregory X to
address the schism between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman
Catholic Church. The council aimed to promote unity and reconciliation between
the two Churches by addressing various theological and practical issues. One of
the key issues was the procession of the Holy Spirit, with the council affirming
that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, a position that
had previously caused controversy. The council also addressed issues such as
the election of the pope, the regulation of the clergy, and the crusades. The
council's decisions were not fully accepted by the Eastern Orthodox Church, but
it marked an important step towards dialogue and understanding between the
two Churches.

15. The Council of Vienne (1311-1312)

- The purpose of this Council was to settle the affair of the Templars, to advance
the rescue of the Holy Land, and to reform abuses in the Church. The doctrinal
decrees of the Council were: condemnation that the soul is not "in itself the form
of the human body",; that sanctifying grace is infused into the soul at baptism;
and denial that a perfect man is not subject to ecclesiastical and civil law.

16. The Council of Constance (1414 - 1418)

- The Council of Constance, held between 1414 and 1418, was one of the most
significant ecumenical councils of the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages. The
council was convened to resolve the Western Schism, which had resulted in
multiple popes claiming authority over the Church. The council deposed two of
the competing popes and elected a new pope, Martin V, thereby ending the
 schism. The council also addressed other important issues, such as the
suppression of heresy and the reform of the clergy. Additionally, the council
provided a forum for the discussion of various theological and philosophical
issues, and it played an important role in promoting the development of
scholasticism and humanism in the late Middle Ages.

17. The Council of Florence (1438 - 1439)

- The Council of Ferrara-Florence was held in 1438-1439 with the aim of resolving
the schism between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic
Church. The council sought to promote unity by discussing various theological
and practical issues, including the procession of the Holy Spirit and the primacy
of the Pope. The council ultimately reached a consensus on these issues, and a
number of Eastern Orthodox bishops and theologians signed a union with the
Catholic Church, although this union was not fully accepted by the Eastern
Orthodox Church as a whole.

18. The Fifth Lateran Council (1512-1517)

- The Fifth Lateran Council was held between 1512 and 1517 under Pope Julius II
and Pope Leo X. The council aimed to reform the Catholic Church by addressing
issues such as the sale of indulgences, simony, and the abuses of the clergy.
The council also discussed theological issues such as the nature of the Eucharist
and the immortality of the soul. The council's decisions had a significant impact
on the Catholic Church and contributed to the reform movements of the
Reformation era.

19. The Council of Trent (1545-1563)

- The Council of Trent was an ecumenical council of the Catholic Church held in
Trento, Italy between 1545 and 1563. The council was convened in response to
the Protestant Reformation and aimed to address issues of doctrine, discipline,
and reform in the Catholic Church. The council produced a series of decrees that
clarified Catholic teachings, addressed issues such as corruption and abuses in
the Church, and affirmed the authority of the papacy. The council had a
significant impact on the development of Catholicism and helped to define its
identity in the early modern period.

20. The First Vatican Council (1869-1870)

- The First Vatican Council was an ecumenical council of the Catholic Church held
in Rome between 1869 and 1870. The council was convened to address various
issues, including the relationship between the Church and the modern world, the
role of the papacy, and the definition of Catholic doctrine. The council produced
several key decrees, including the definition of papal infallibility, which holds that
the pope cannot err when speaking on matters of faith and morals. The council
also affirmed the authority of the pope and the role of tradition in the
interpretation of scripture.
 21. The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965)
- The Second Vatican Council, also known as Vatican II, was an ecumenical
council of the Catholic Church held in Rome between 1962 and 1965. The
council was called by Pope John XXIII to renew and reform the Church in
response to the changing modern world, and produced several key documents,
including a new constitution on the liturgy and a declaration on religious freedom.
The council also sought to promote ecumenism and dialogue with other religions,
and affirmed the role of the laity in the Church. The council had a significant
impact on the development of the Catholic Church in the 20th century and
beyond.

References:

The 21 ecumenical councils. (1993). Catholic Answers.

https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/the-21-ecumenical-councils

Britannica. (n.d.). Ecumenical council. https://www.britannica.com/topic/ecumenical-council

Catholic library: The 21 ecumenical councils. (n.d.). NEW ADVENT.

https://www.newadvent.org/library/almanac_14388a.htm

Church history (Patristic era, ecumenical councils, the papacy, and saints): Church councils.

(2023). Research & Course Guides - Research and Course Guides at University of St.

Thomas. https://libguides.stthomas.edu/c.php?g=88736&p=573694

Slobodskoy, S. (n.d.). Short Summaries of the Ecumenical Councils. Orthodox Church of the

Mother of God.

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