Church councils

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It seems that most Catholics only accept the Second Vatican Council. 😃

However, yes - Catholic doctrine requires the acceptance of each of the 21 Ecumenical Councils in all the authoritative, dogmatic pronouncements they made as expressions of the infallible magisterium.
 
I thought all councils were to be accepted.

Why do some accept that council and reject that one?

. . .
 
Wesley7 said:
I thought all councils were to be accepted.

Why do some accept that council and reject that one?

. . .
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No Catholic is permitted to reject a legitimate council of the Church. However, there are things contained within conciliar documents which don’t touch on faith and morals which Catholics do not have to accept. For instance, the Fourth Lateran Council called for Jews to wear public identification and denied them the possibility of holding public office. Catholics don’t have to agree with that decision.
 
Dauphin, we are not just bound by dogmatic definitions, but also be those decrees which instruct us to do something (or not do something)–that is, that are involved in the governing and pastoring of the flock since we are bound to follow our pastors as such.

Some medieval Councils were involved also in some civil law and such decrees should be treated as coming from that sphere(the one’s concerning the Jews you cited are an example of this).

Also, in regards to not accepting certain decrees to act, one cannot reject them merely on preference, but by conscience (in fact, this is the authentic use of conscience: choosing how to act or what act to avoid in a concrete situation given the truth that is known.)
 
There are also some Councils that are not accepted.

The Council of Pisa, for example, that tried to solve the problem of having two popes by electing a third. It is not accepted because it was not called by the Pope, but rather the Cardinals and Bishops

The Council of Constance is the same, except the Pope eventually convoked it, so everything after that point is accepted
 
It bears pointing out that a Pope doesn’t have to convoke a Council for it to be valid, but he must at least tacitly approve of it–that is, allow it to be binding on the Church.
 
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