How many eccumenical councils do you accept?

[gtsecc]

Or does that question not really come up or how is it handled?

 

[talitha]

As for me, I had to google "ecumenical councils" to get an idea of what you were talking about. I would venture to say that most nondenominational congregants and a majority of nondenominational clergy would be unfamiliar with what you are talking about.

just an FYI here....
bless you bro
tal

 

[Singing Bush]

3, no 4! I would imagine a vast majority of not only nondenominational, but evangelical/Protestant Christians would not know much of what you're talking about. Perhaps that's unfortunate. Irregardless, I don't imagine you'll be getting many replies on the matter.

 

[gtsecc]

HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ECUMENICAL COUNCILS The present article deals chiefly with the theological and canonical questions concerning councils which are Ecumenical in the strict sense above defined. Special articles give the history of each important synod under the head of the city or see where it was held. In order, however, to supply the reader with a basis of fact for the discussion of principles which is to follow, a list is subjoined of the twenty Ecumenical councils with a brief statement of the purpose of each.

First Ecumenical Council: Nicaea I (325)

The Council of Nicaea lasted two months and twelve days. Three hundred and eighteen bishops were present. Hosius, Bishop of Cordova, assisted as legate of Pope Sylvester. The Emperor Constantine was also present. To this council we owe The Creed (Symbolum) of Nicaea, defining against Arius the true Divinity of the Son of God (homoousios), and the fixing of the date for keeping Easter (against the Quartodecimans).

Second Ecumenical Council: Constantinople I (381)

The First General Council of Constantinople, under Pope Damasus and the Emperor Theodosius I, was attended by 150 bishops. It was directed against the followers of Macedonius, who impugned the Divinity of the Holy Ghost. To the above-mentioned Nicene Creed it added the clauses referring to the Holy Ghost (qui simul adoratur) and all that follows to the end.

Third Ecumenical Council: Ephesus (431)

The Council of Ephesus, of more than 200 bishops, presided over by St. Cyril of Alexandria representing Pope Celestine I, defined the true personal unity of Christ, declared Mary the Mother of God (theotokos) against Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople, and renewed the condemnation of Pelagius.

Fourth Ecumenical Council: Chalcedon (451)

The Council of Chalcedon -- 150 bishops under Pope Leo the Great and the Emperor Marcian -- defined the two natures (Divine and human) in Christ against Eutyches, who was excommunicated.

Fifth Ecumenical Council: Constantinople II (553)

The Second General Council of Constantinople, of 165 bishops under Pope Vigilius and Emperor Justinian I, condemned the errors of Origen and certain writings (The Three Chapters) of Theodoret, of Theodore, Bishop of Mopsuestia and of Ibas, Bishop of Edessa; it further confirmed the first four general councils, especially that of Chalcedon whose authority was contested by some heretics.

Sixth Ecumenical Council: Constantinople III (680-681)

The Third General Council of Constantinople, under Pope Agatho and the Emperor Constantine Pogonatus, was attended by the Patriarchs of Constantinople and of Antioch, 174 bishops, and the emperor. It put an end to Monothelitism by defining two wills in Christ, the Divine and the human, as two distinct principles of operation. It anathematized Sergius, Pyrrhus, Paul, Macarius, and all their followers.

Seventh Ecumenical Council: Nicaea II (787)

The Second Council of Nicaea was convoked by Emperor Constantine VI and his mother Irene, under Pope Adrian I, and was presided over by the legates of Pope Adrian; it regulated the veneration of holy images. Between 300 and 367 bishops assisted.

 

[New_Wineskin]

They can have as many as they want . I doubt that I would be invited .

 

[talitha]

Okay, the stuff you wrote about the Council of Nicaea sounds pretty good, except for the date of keeping Easter. I don't agree with that. I think it should either be the same date every year or stay with Passover.

Nothing you said about the First General Council of Constantinople sounds objectionable.

The Council of Ephesus -- I don't know what you mean by the "true personal unity of Christ" -- and I don't agree with Mary being the mother of God. Sounds heretical to me. Don't know who Pelagius is. My very brief research showed me that he may have been at least partially falsely accused of heresy?

Same seems true of Eutyches at the Council of Chalcedon?

Second General Council of Constantinople -- I don't want to look up those names.....

Third General Council of Constantinople -- yawn

By the seventh, it seems to me that these people had wandered completely away from God's will, into idolatry, it seems.....

My reaction is probably typical of any reasonably intelligent non-denom person.....

bless you
tal

 

[Kripost]

Okay, the stuff you wrote about the Council of Nicaea sounds pretty good, except for the date of keeping Easter. I don't agree with that. I think it should either be the same date every year or stay with Passover.

Nothing you said about the First General Council of Constantinople sounds objectionable.

The Council of Ephesus -- I don't know what you mean by the "true personal unity of Christ" -- and I don't agree with Mary being the mother of God. Sounds heretical to me. Don't know who Pelagius is. My very brief research showed me that he may have been at least partially falsely accused of heresy?

Same seems true of Eutyches at the Council of Chalcedon?

Second General Council of Constantinople -- I don't want to look up those names.....

Third General Council of Constantinople -- yawn

By the seventh, it seems to me that these people had wandered completely away from God's will, into idolatry, it seems.....

My reaction is probably typical of any reasonably intelligent non-denom person.....

bless you
tal

The Ecumenical Councils all deal wirth Christological issues, including the 7th. As mentioned before, the first 2 dealt with the Divinity of Christ, as opposed to Arianism. The 3rd to 7th Ecumenical Councils dealt with the Incarnation.

Regarding the 3rd Council, 'true personal unity of Christ' means that Christ is fully Divine and fully Human, where Divinity and Humanity are united in one person (more accurately, hypostasis). This is opposed to Nestorianism, which taught that there are two persons(hypostasis) in Christ, one Human and one Divine.The title Theotokos means that the incarnate Christ was already divine when he was in Mary's womb.

The 4th Ecumenical Council affirmed that Christ has a Divine nature and a Human nature, united in one person 'unconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, and inseparably'. This is opposed to Eutychism (or monophysitism), which taught that the less perfect human nature of Christ had been completely absorbed by His divine nature.

The 5th Ecumenical basically dealt with the resurgence of the Eutychism while the writings of Theodoret, Theodore, and Ibas were condemned as being tainted with Nestorianism.

The 6th Ecumenical Council dealt with basically the same issue as the 4th Ecumenical Council: For Christ to be fully Human and fully Divine, he must have a human will and a divine will.

The 7th Ecumenical Council dealt with the iconoclast controversy, which was a Christological issue in its core. Icons affirm the Incarnation by simply representing the spiritual in the physical, just as the Son become flesh and sanctified flesh. Note that while icons are object of veneration, they are not to be worshiped.

 

[woman.at.the.well]

As for me, I had to google "ecumenical councils" to get an idea of what you were talking about. I would venture to say that most nondenominational congregants and a majority of nondenominational clergy would be unfamiliar with what you are talking about.

just an FYI here....
bless you bro
tal

to that talitha! My brain flatlined when I read that post! Sorry no offense gtsecc, but that is yet another reason why I don't attend a Denomination of any sort. Too much "stuff," and not enough Jesus!

 

[gtsecc]

to that talitha! My brain flatlined when I read that post! Sorry no offense gtsecc, but that is yet another reason why I don't attend a Denomination of any sort. Too much "stuff," and not enough Jesus!

But, that is exactly what the councils are about - Jesus.
Is that not clear?

 

[mbkndomer]

Just wanted to mention that The Council of Jerusalem recorded in Acts is viewed by many as being the First Ecumenical Council.

 

[Llauralin]

Well, I did kinda know what they were, but these councils aren't really talked about in any non-denominational churches I've been to; pretty much forgotten. Most such churches would probably disagree with the findings of the seventh councils - possibly not the others. I con't really say that for sure though, because when it comes to theology, we don't really speak that language in church or Bible studies.

I, personally, would tend to assume the bishops present were wiser than myself, and therefore accept their teachings.

 

[Singing Bush]

Heh, interesting replies so far, but thanks gtsecc for the nice summaries. Always good to learn something new about church history even if it isn't obviously relevant to me now.