Some Questions on Ecumenical Councils

[CutlerB]

As I browsed the Internet, I came across article about Vatican II by the official news page of the Catholic Church in Germany. It made me read more about Ecumenical Councils, mainly general information about what they dealt with, where and when they were and so forth.

I know the Catholic Church counts 21 Ecumenical Councils, but there are varying degrees of acceptance within other denominations. I think mainline Protestantism accepts seven, or so, I might have got the number wrong, but it’s definitely under 10.

That brought me to ask the following questions:

1. What is the definition of an Ecumenical Council in the Catholic understanding? What’s the criteria for a council to be ecumenical?
2. Why do other denominations not accept all of them? Is it simply because of doctrinal issues or are there other reasons?

Maybe you can explain. Thank you.

 

[JonNC]

=CutlerB;10262719]As I browsed the Internet, I came across article about Vatican II by the official news page of the Catholic Church in Germany. It made me read more about Ecumenical Councils, mainly general information about what they dealt with, where and when they were and so forth.

I know the Catholic Church counts 21 Ecumenical Councils, but there are varying degrees of acceptance within other denominations. I think mainline Protestantism accepts seven, or so, I might have got the number wrong, but it’s definitely under 10.

You can’t say, with any accuracy, what protestantism accepts or does, even with the adjective “mainline” in front of it. Different communions accept different numbers of the early 7 councils. Some accept a number of them since they see them as somehow authoritative, others because they simply agree with what is said in this one or that one.

That brought me to ask the following questions:

1. What is the definition of an Ecumenical Council in the Catholic understanding? What’s the criteria for a council to be ecumenical?

1. Why do other denominations not accept all of them? Is it simply because of doctrinal issues or are there other reasons?

Maybe you can explain. Thank you.

For Lutherans, it isn’t a matter of dogma per se, but Lutherans do accept the teachings of the early 7 councils, and we see those as being the only truly ecumenical councils, in part because they are the only ones both Rome and the Orthodox patriarchs accept.

Jon

 

[DavidFilmer]

1. What is the definition of an Ecumenical Council in the Catholic understanding? What’s the criteria for a council to be ecumenical?

It simply must be recognized as an Ecumenical Council (and ratified by the Pope). Ideally it is convened as an Ecumenical Council to begin with and attended by a large number of Bishops. But this is not required. Some Councils started out as local councils, but were later declared Ecumenical. Some councils have started out as Ecumenical but were disbanded.

1. Why do other denominations not accept all of them?

The main reason is because of the “Great Schism” of 1054 AD. This is when the Bishop of Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople mutually excommunicated each other (which is why the Latin Church and the Greek Orthodox Church are both fully Catholic, but to this day are separated by different leadership).

Ecumenical Councils are seen as the teaching of the whole Church. The Greeks reasoned that the Church could not teach with such unity following the Schism, and that an Ecumenical Council was impossible to convoke under such circumstances. Most protestants who accept any Councils adopt a similar line of reasoning.

Latins reasoned that the divine authority given to the Church (by Jesus himself) to teach is not abridged because some Catholics choose to separate themselves from Catholic unity (which Rome, of course, sees itself as its center of). In fact, the Latins reason that denying the Church the authority to teach violates Our Lord’s promise that the power of satan will not prevail over the Church (Matt 16:18).

 

[CutlerB]

You can’t say, with any accuracy, what protestantism accepts or does, even with the adjective “mainline” in front of it. Different communions accept different numbers of the early 7 councils. Some accept a number of them since they see them as somehow authoritative, others because they simply agree with what is said in this one or that one.

True. I was referring to what I had heard.