What Are The 21 Ecumenical Councils?

What Are The 21 Ecumenical Councils? 

Throughout church history, there were 21 distinct meetings that were made to settle disputes, sending large amounts of Christians to discuss. Some councils are very controversial while others are confirmed by all Christians(with or without knowledge). Here we will discuss all 21 of the ecumenical councils.

First Council of Nicaea:

In 325, the First Council of Nicaea is the first ecumenical council. This council was called in a city called Niceae where it gets its name. In today's world, it is the city of İznik, Turkey. This council was called by Constantine the First who hoped to settle down the dispute over the Trinity. If it was indeed biblical or not. One side, the Arians, practiced a doctrine known as Arianism. It gets its name from Arius of Alexandria, the man who invented it. In this doctrine, Jesus is a created being. During this council, the Trinity was affirmed and the word homoousios was used. This term homoousios means of one substance, so Jesus is of the same, or one substance as the Father and Spirit. Is the Nicene Creed Biblical? (Read Here)

First Council of Constantinople:

In 381, the First Council of Constantinople is the second ecumenical council. This council was called by the emperor Theodosius I(the first) where they met in Istanbul or Constantinople. 

In the council, they confirmed Trinitarianism, specifically concerning the equality of the three persons of God(The Holy Spirit, Jesus(or The Son), and The Father).  

The Second Council of Ephesus:

There were actually three councils in Ephesus; however, the second council of Ephesus is the only council that is considered ecumenical. In 431, Pope Celestine I(or the First) conducted a council against Nestorius. Nestorius taught a doctrine known as Nestorianism which teaches that Christ is two different persons, a divine and human(or flesh). The conclusion of the council is that Nestorianism is heretical and the Pope excommunicated Nestorius. 

Council of Chalcedon:

In 451, emperor Marcian called this council which was held in Chalcedon(modern-day Kadiköy, Turkey). This creed approved the Nicene and Constample creeds. It too recondemned Nestorianism and monophysitism, then confirming the hypostatic union. 

Second Council of Constantinople:

In 553, the fifth ecumenical council was called. This council condemned Nestorianism and ratified a condemnation against Origen, this was likely over his view that the Devil could accept Christ if he repented. 

Third Council of Constantinople:

From 680-681, the sixth ecumenical council was called by emperor Constantine IV(or the fourth). In this council, Monothelites(the idea that Jesus only had one will) was condemned while Dyotheletism was affirmed(the idea that Jesus had a human-divine will).

Second Council of Nicaea:

Established guidelines for the veneration of images. (Some Protestants reject this council, while accepting the Council of Hieria of 754, which rejected the veneration of icons.)

The Fourth Council of Constantinople:

The remainder of the councils are accepted by the Roman Catholic Church but not by Protestants:

 – Condemned a council that had not been authorized.

First Lateran Council:

9. FIRST LATERAN COUNCIL (1123) – Placed limitations on the ecclesiastical rights of lay princes and made plans for a crusade to regain territory lost to Muslims.

Second Lateran Council:

10. SECOND LATERAN COUNCIL (1139) – Condemned the errors of Arnold of Brescia.

Third Lateran Council:

11. THIRD LATERAN COUNCIL (1179) – Condemned the Albigenses and Waldenses and issued numerous decrees for the reformation of morals.

Fourth Lateran Council:

 – Added more condemnation of the Albigenses, condemned the Trinitarian errors of Abbot Joachim, and published other reformatory decrees.

The First Council of Lyons:

 – Excommunicated and deposed Emperor Frederick II and authorized a new crusade.

The Second Council of Lyons:

 Provided for a temporary reunion of the Greek Church with Rome and set rules for papal elections.

The Council of Vienne:

– Addressed crimes and errors imputed to the Knights Templar, the Fraticelli, the Beghards, and the Beguines. Also took on projects of a new crusade, the reformation of the clergy, and the teaching of Oriental languages in the universities.

The Council of Constance:

 COUNCIL OF CONSTANCE (1414–1418) – Ended the Great Schism by the election of Pope Martin V.

The Council of Babel/Ferrara/Florence:

 Moved from city to city due to trouble. Resulted in temporary reunification with the Greek Church and made official the seven sacraments of Catholicism.

The Fifth Lateran Council:

 Authorized a new crusade against the Turks but was quickly overshadowed by the “trouble” caused by the Protestant Reformation.

The Council of Trent:

 Condemned the teachings of Luther and the Reformers and officially recognized the Apocrypha as canonical.

The First Vatican Council:

20. FIRST VATICAN COUNCIL (1869–1870) – Affirmed the infallibility of the Pope when speaking ex cathedra.

The Second Vatican Council:

Promoted various reforms and clarifications of church practice.

Works Cited:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Council of Chalcedon". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/event/Council-of-Chalcedon. Accessed 24 May 2023.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "councils of Ephesus". Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Jul. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/event/councils-of-Ephesus. Accessed 9 May 2023.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "First Council of Constantinople". Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Jul. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/event/First-Council-of-Constantinople-381. Accessed 7 May 2023.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "First Council of Nicaea". Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/event/First-Council-of-Nicaea-325. Accessed 5 May 2023.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "homoousios". Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Jul. 2019, https://www.britannica.com/topic/homoousios. Accessed 31 July 2023.

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Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Second Council of Constantinople". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Nov. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/event/Second-Council-of-Constantinople-553. Accessed 26 May 2023.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Third Council of Constantinople". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/event/Third-Council-of-Constantinople-680-681. Accessed 31 May 2023.

Chadwick, Henry. "Origen". Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Origen. Accessed 26 May 2023.

Shahan, Thomas. "First Council of Constantinople." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 7 May 2023 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04308a.htm>.