General Councils of the Church

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

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Last Updated: January 3, 1997