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General Councils of the Church
- Jerusalem (Acts 15:2)
- When and where
- 49.
- Crisis or controversy
- Gentile converts must follow Mosaic Law; "Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved." Acts 15:1
- Attendees
- "Apostles and presbyters"
Acts 15:6, and the following notables:
Paul and Barnabas,
Peter, James (Acts 15:6-22) - Decrees and resolutions
- "It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities." Acts 15:28
Nicea I
- When and where
- 325. (Now Iznik, Turkey, 70 miles from Constantinople on the Asiatic shore of the Bosporus)
- Crisis or controversy
- Christ was a pure creature; made out of nothing; liable to fall; the Son of God by adoption, not by nature: Arianism.
- Attendees
- 318 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Constantine I, Emperor;
Eusebius of Caesarea, historian;
St. Athanasius, theologian;
Ratified: Silvester I, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- The Nicene Creed;
The Consubstaniality of the Word: homousion with the Father;
Solved how the date of Easter should be calculated.
Constantinople I
- When and where
- 381. (Now Istanbul, Turkey)
- Crisis or controversy
- The need to insist on
homousion;
Demonstrate to the world that Christians of the East are not Arians;
Apollinaris was teaching that Christ was not true man. - Attendees
- 186 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Theodosius I, Emperor;
St. Basil the Great;
St. Gregory of Nyssa;
St. Gregory of Naz., theologians;
Ratified: Damasus, Pope - Decrees and resolutions
- Renewed the work of Nicaea;
Condemned the heresy of the Macedonians (the Holy Spirit was not really God);
Condemned the heresy of Apollinaris (that Christ was not really a man).
Ephesus
- When and where
- 431.
- Crisis or controversy
- Nestorius was teaching that
Mary was not the mother of God;
Proponents of Nestorius began claiming that Christ was actually two separate persons, human and divine. - Attendees
- 250 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Theodosius II, Emperor;
St. Cyril of Alexandria;
St. John Chrysostom;
Ratified: Celestinus I, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Condemned Nestorius;
Decreed that Mary was also Theotokos, mother of God;
Declared that Christ is true God and true man, that he has two natures (human and divine) joined in one person.
Chalcedon
- When and where
- 451. (Ancient seaport of Bithynia on the sea of Marmara)
- Crisis or controversy
- Monophysites were teaching that Christ had a single divine nature and no human nature.
- Attendees
- 600 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Marcianus, Emperor;
Ratified: Leo I, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Condemned Monophysitism;
Declared that Christ had two distinct natures and was both true God and true man;
Promulgated canons of church discipline.
Constantinople II
- When and where
- 553.
- Crisis or controversy
- Emperor Justinian I wanted the Church to consider the orthodoxy of three Greek theologians: Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrrhus, and Ebas of Edessa.
- Attendees
- 150 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Justinian I, Emperor; - Decrees and resolutions
- Condemned the writings of theologians as having been infested with Nestorianism.
Constantinople III
- When and where
- 680.
- Crisis or controversy
- Monothelism was teaching that Christ did not possess a human will.
- Attendees
- 174 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Constantine IV, Emperor;
Ratified: Leo II, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Condemned Monothelism;
Declared that Christ has two wills, human and divine.
Nicaea II
- When and where
- 787.
- Crisis or controversy
- Iconoclasts taught that using sacred images was idolatry.
- Attendees
- 390 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Irene, Empress;
Ratified: Adrian I, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Condemned Iconoclasts;
Declared that sacred images may be honored without idolatry.
Promulgated canons of church discipline.
Constantinople IV
- When and where
- 870.
- Crisis or controversy
- Needed to decide the right of Patriarch Photius or the restoration of Ignatius.
- Attendees
- 102 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Basil, Emperor;
Ratified: Adrian II, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Photius was condemned in 27 canons.
Lateran I
- When and where
- 1123. (Basilica in Rome, Italy)
- Crisis or controversy
- Needed to face the social
and religious problems of the day;
First ecumenical council in the West. - Attendees
- 300 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Callistus II, Pope;
Ratified: Callistus - Decrees and resolutions
- Promulgated canons of mixed matters.
Lateran II
- When and where
- 1139.
- Crisis or controversy
- A double papal election and ensuing schism when two rivals claiming to be pope divided the church.
- Attendees
- 1000 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Innocent II, Pope;
St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Ratified: Innocent II. - Decrees and resolutions
- Took measures against
schism of antipope Anacletis II;
Promulgated canons of church discipline
Lateran III
- When and where
- 1179.
- Crisis or controversy
- Reorganization had to be faced; there was the ever-needed pressure to reform; restraint of abuses.
- Attendees
- More than 300 bishops, and
the following notables:
Convened: Alexander III, Pope;
Ratified: Alexander III, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Decreed that papal
elections required two-thirds majority of cardinals at the conclave;
Promulgated numerous disciplinary canons.
Lateran IV
- When and where
- 1215.
- Crisis or controversy
- Albigensian heresy: two supreme beings, Evil and Good; Christ did not die; all material things must.
- Attendees
- 412 bishops; 388 priests,
and the following notables:
Convened: Innocent III, Pope;
Ratified: Innocent III, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Declaration of Canon Law:
the law of the Church;
Decrees against Albegensians and Waldensians.
Lyons I
- When and where
- 1245. (City in E. France)
- Crisis or controversy
- The difficult and heretical
behavior of Emperor Frederick II;
The persecution of religion. - Attendees
- 140 bishops; more than 300
in toto, and the following notables:
Convened: Innocent IV, Pope;
Ratified: Innocent IV, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Excommunication and deposition of Frederick II.
Lyons II
- When and where
- 1274.
- Crisis or controversy
- A marked decline of the
detachment of the popes from the things of the world;
Chronic restiveness of the Greeks toward Roman primacy. - Attendees
- 500 bishops; 570 priests,
and the following notables:
Convened: Gregory X, Pope;
St. Thomas Aquinas,
St. Bonaventure;
Ratified: Gregory X, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- General reformation of the
morals of clergy and bishops;
Dogmatic constitution of filioque;
Profession of faith of Greek Emperor Michael VIII.
Vienne
- When and where
- 1312. (City in E. France near Lyons)
- Crisis or controversy
- Problems with the religious order of Knights Templars.
- Attendees
- 122 bishops; 300 abbots,
and the following notables:
Convened: Clemens V, Pope;
Ratified: Clemens V, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Templars were suppressed;
Canon Law enacted;
Three definition of dogmas;
Disciplinary decrees written.
Constance
- When and where
- 1414 - 1418. (City in Germany on Swiss border)
- Crisis or controversy
- The Great Western Schism: two sets of popes.
- Attendees
- 32 Cardinals; 183 bishops;
100 abbots; 350 priests, and the following notables:
Convened: Segismund, Emperor;
Ratified: Martin V, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Reformation of the Church;
Material organization of religion.
Florence
- When and where
- 1438. (City of N. Italy)
- Crisis or controversy
- East/West reunion;
Constantinople was being threatened by Mohammedans. - Attendees
- more than 150 bishops, and
the following notables:
Convened: Eugene IV, Pope;
Ratified: Eugene IV, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Reunion of oriental churches.
Lateran V
- When and where
- 1512 - 1517.
- Crisis or controversy
- Needed reform in church
administration;
Rise of atheistic philosophy;
Friction between bishops and orders of friars. - Attendees
- 115 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Julius II, Pope;
Cajetan;
Ratified: Leo X, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Condemned the Averroes
philosophy: the soul of man is not immortal;
Promulgated reform decrees;
Established principles of book censorship;
Rights of bishops defined.
Trent
- When and where
- 1545 - 1563. (in Hapsburg's Germany; now N. Italy)
- Crisis or controversy
- Martin Luther;
Revolt against the Pope;
Widespread heresy. - Attendees
- 70 - 252 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Paul III, Pope;
Ratified: Pius IV, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Doctrinal decrees:
restatement of belief in opposition to the new theologies;
The Catholic Reformation: the reformation of Catholic life.
Vatican I
- When and where
- 1870. (St. Peter's Bascilica)
- Crisis or controversy
- A return to life of the
Catholic Church: needed a revival of religious life
General restoration and restatement of the faith was needed;
Christian marriages and education needed safeguarding. - Attendees
- 747 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: Pius IX, Pope;
Ratified: Pius IX, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Promulgated decrees on the
Catholic Faith and on the Church;
Condemned the Rationalists and Semirationalists;
Defined the charism of infallibility.
Vatican II
- When and where
- 1962 - 1965.
- Crisis or controversy
- Constant need for reform
and revival;
Needed translation of faith into modern era: communication media;
Christians and Jews; religious freedom, etc. - Attendees
- 2908 bishops, and the
following notables:
Convened: John XXIII, Pope;
Ratified: Paul VI, Pope. - Decrees and resolutions
- Issued 16 documents:
On Divine Revelation;
The Pastoral Constitution;
On The Church in the Modern World;
On The Church