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This article is {{Orthodoxchristianity}}'''in progressEcumenical Councils'''are extraordinary [[synod]]s of [[bishop]]s which primarily decide upon [[dogma]]tic formulations, especially in the face of [[heresy]]. Please help expand it!Secondarily, they also issue [[canon law|canonical legislation]] which governs the administration of the Church.

== Seven or Nine Ecumenical Councils? Ecumenicity==An [[ecclesiology|ecclesiological]] theory which has been popular since the time of the [[Slavophiles|Slavophile]] philosopher [[Alexei Stepanovich Khomiakov|Alexis Khomiakov]] first defined it is that ecumenicity—the idea that a particular council is of universal, infallible significance for the Church—is determined by the reception of the whole body of the Church. That is, while a particular council may declare itself to be ecumenical, it may later be regarded by the Church as being a [[Robber Council]], that is, a council which did not declare the truth but rather [[heresy]]. Likewise, a council may properly teach the truth but not be of universal significance for the Church. Such councils are usually termed ''local''. That a council must be "received" by the Church before it can be considered ecumenical is sometimes termed ''receptionism''.

As far as some Orthodox are concerned, since the Receptionism was formed primarily in opposition to [[Seventh Ecumenical CouncilRoman Catholic]] there has been no synod or council of viewpoints on the same scope as any of the Ecumenical councilsquestion. Local meetings of hierarchs have been called "pan-OrthodoxFor the Roman Catholic Church," but these have invariably been simply meetings of local hierarchs of whatever Eastern Orthodox jurisdictions are party to a specific local matter. From this point council's ecumenicity is primarily determined by its ratification by the Pope of view, there has been no fully "pan-Orthodox" ('''Ecumenical''') council since [[787]]Rome. UnfortunatelyOrthodoxy does not have the same ecclesiological structure as Rome, the use of the term "pan-Orthodox" is confusing to those not within Eastern Orthodoxyhowever, and it leads to mistaken impressions that these are ''ersatz'' ecumenical councils rather than purely local councils so Khomiakov and others attempted to formulate another model by which nearby Orthodox hierarchs, regardless the infallibility of jurisdiction, are invitedEcumenical Councils may be determined.

OthersA form of receptionism (or, at least, including 20th century theologians Fr. [[John S. Romanides]] and Fr. [[George Metallinos]] (both of whom refer repeatedly language which is conducive to the "Eighth and Ninth Ecumenical Councils"receptionist thought), Fr. [[George Dragas]], and may also be found in the [[1848]] [[Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs]] (, which refers explicitly to the "Eighth Ecumenical Council" and was signed by the [[patriarch]]s of [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]], [[Church of Jerusalem|Jerusalem]], [[Church of Antioch|Antioch]], and [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]] as well as proclaims against papism that the [[Holy Synod]]s guardian of the first three), regard other synods beyond truth is not the [[Seventh Ecumenical Council]] as being ecumenical. Those who regard these councils as ecumenical often characterize the limitation office of Ecumenical Councils to only seven to be the result of influence in Russiapope, part of but the so-called "[[Western Captivity whole people of Orthodoxy]]God."

== List Further, the question of when exactly one may say that the Church has received or rejected a council is not answerable by receptionist theory. Another ecclesiological problem is also created by receptionism: Why is it, for instance, that the [[Fourth Ecumenical Councils ==Council]] may be said to have been "received by the whole Church" while significant numbers of Christians apparently within the Church rejected it, leading to the [[schism]] which even now persists? Such reasoning is circular, because whoever accepts a council is therefore inside the Church, but any who reject it are outside. In other words, such councils are ecumenical essentially because those who hold to their decrees declare themselves exclusively to be the Church.

* IThe practical needs of the historical circumstances of the councils also bear out Romanides' analysis. [[First Ecumenical Council|First Council Dogmatic decisions were needed right away when the councils met. The idea that one could wait for decades or even centuries to know whether a council was truly ecumenical would have radically changed the character of Nicea]], ([[325]]); repudiated [[Arianism]], adopted the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|Nicene Creed]]such a council. The councils' fathers regarded their decisions as immediately binding.

* II. [[Second Ecumenical Council|First Council At the current time, the episcopacy of Constantinople]], ([[381]]); revised the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|Nicene Creed]] into Church has not as yet put forward a universal definition as to what precisely lends a council its ecumenicity. What is generally held is that councils may be regarded as ecumenical and infallible because they accurately teach the present form used truth handed down in tradition from the [[Orthodox Church|Eastern]] and [[Oriental OrthodoxFathers]] churches.

* III. [[Third ==Canonical status==The canons of the Ecumenical Council|Council of Ephesus]], ([[431]]); repudiated [[Nestorianism]], proclaimed Councils are regarded within the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church as universally authoritative, though not in a strictly constructionist sense. Their canons have often been repealed or revised by the Mother decisions of local synods or even of God (Greeklater Ecumenical Councils. Nevertheless, [[Theotokos|Θεοτόκος]])their legislation is central to the Orthodox canonical tradition, and appeals to such canons are more frequently made than to any other source of canonical legislation.

== List of the Seven Ecumenical Councils ==* I. [[First Ecumenical Council|First Council of Nicea]], (325); repudiated [[Arianism]], adopted the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|Nicene Creed]].* II. [[Second Ecumenical Council|First Council of Constantinople]], (381); revised the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|Nicene Creed]] into the present form used in the [[Orthodox Church|Eastern]] and [[Oriental Orthodox]] churches.* III. [[Third Ecumenical Council|Council of Ephesus]], (431); repudiated [[Nestorianism]], proclaimed the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God (Greek, [[Theotokos|Θεοτόκος]]).* IV. [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]], ([[451]]); repudiated the [[Eutychianism|Eutychian]] doctrine of [[Monophysitism]], described and delineated the two natures of Christ, human and divine; adopted the [[Chalcedonian Creed]]. This and all following councils are not recognized by [[Oriental Orthodox|Oriental Orthodox Communion]].* V. [[Fifth Ecumenical Council|Second Council of Constantinople]], (553); reaffirmed decisions and doctrines explicated by previous Councils, condemned new [[Arianism|Arian]], [[Nestorianism|Nestorian]], and [[Monophysitism|Monophysite]] writings.* VI. [[Sixth Ecumenical Council|Third Council of Constantinople]], (680-681); repudiated [[Monothelitism]], affirmed that Christ had both human and Divine wills.**[[Quinisext Council|Quinisext/Penthekte Council]] (= Fifth and Sixth) or Council in Trullo, (692); mostly an administrative council that raised some local [[canon]]s to ecumenical status and established principles of clerical discipline. It is not considered to be a full-fledged council in its own right because it did not determine matters of doctrine. This council is accepted by the [[Orthodox Church]] as a part of the [[Sixth Ecumenical Council]], but that is rejected by [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]].* VII. [[Seventh Ecumenical Council|Second Council of Nicea]], (787); restoration of the veneration of [[icons]] and end of the first [[iconoclasm]].

* V. == Seven or Nine Ecumenical Councils? ==As far as some Orthodox are concerned, since the [[Fifth Seventh Ecumenical Council|Second Council of Constantinople]]there has been no synod or council of the same scope as any of the Ecumenical councils. Local meetings of hierarchs have been called "pan-Orthodox, " but these have invariably been simply meetings of local hierarchs of whatever Eastern Orthodox jurisdictions are party to a specific local matter. From this point of view, there has been no fully "pan-Orthodox" ([[553]]'''Ecumenical'''); reaffirmed decisions council since 787. Unfortunately, the use of the term "pan-Orthodox" is confusing to those not within Eastern Orthodoxy, and doctrines explicated by previous Councilsit leads to mistaken impressions that these are ''ersatz'' ecumenical councils rather than purely local councils to which nearby Orthodox hierarchs, condemned new [[Arianism|Arian]], [[Nestorianism|Nestorian]]regardless of jurisdiction, and [[Monophysitism|Monophysite]] writingsare invited.

* VIOthers, including 20th century theologians Fr. [[Sixth John S. Romanides]] and Fr. [[George Metallinos]] (both of whom refer repeatedly to the "Eighth and Ninth Ecumenical Councils"), Fr. [[George Dragas]], Metropolitan [[Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Nafpaktos]], and the 1848 [[Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs]] (which refers explicitly to the "Eighth Ecumenical Council" and was signed by the [[patriarch]]s of [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]], [[Church of Jerusalem|Third Council Jerusalem]], [[Church of ConstantinopleAntioch|Antioch]], (and [[680Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]]-as well as the [[681Holy Synod]]s of the first three); repudiated , regard other synods beyond the [[MonothelitismSeventh Ecumenical Council]]as being ecumenical. Those who regard these councils as ecumenical often characterize the limitation of Ecumenical Councils to only seven to be the result of Jesuit influence in Russia, affirmed that Christ had both human and Divine willspart of the so-called "[[Western Captivity of Orthodoxy]]."

===Eight and Ninth=== These two are regarded as ecumenical by some in the [[Orthodox Church]] but not by other Orthodox Christians, who instead consider them to be important local councils.**VIII. [[Quinisext Eighth Ecumenical Council|Quinisext/Penthekte Fourth Councilof Constantinople]] , (= Fifth and Sixth879-880) or Council in Trullo, (; restored St. [[692Photius the Great]]); mostly an administrative council that raised some local to his see in Constantinople and anathematized any who altered the [[canonNicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]]s to ecumenical status and established principles , abrogating the decrees of the [[Robber Council of clerical discipline. It is not considered to be a full869-fledged council in its own right because it did not determine matters of doctrine870]]. This council is was at first accepted as ecumenical by the [[Orthodox Church]] as a part West but later repudiated in favor of the robber council in 869-870 which had deposed Photius.* IX. [[Sixth Ninth Ecumenical Council|Fifth Council of Constantinople]], but that is rejected by (1341-1351); affirmed [[Roman Catholic Churchhesychasm|Roman Catholicshesychastic]] theology according to St. [[Gregory Palamas]] and condemned the Westernized philosopher [[Barlaam of Calabria]].

* VII. ==Later councils==Although based strongly on the [[Seventh Ecumenical Council|Second Council of NicaeaCouncils]], ([[787]]); restoration Orthodox doctrine continues to be defined through the church. These include the mind of the veneration of church as expressed through [[iconsSynod|Local Councils]] and end letters or statements of faith put out by individual bishops. Those decisions/statements made in the first [[iconoclasm]].past that bear particular importance today are:

The next two Documents 5-9 are regarded as ecumenical by some in sometimes called the '''Symbolical Books''' of the [[Orthodox Church]] but not by other Orthodox Christians, who instead consider them to be important local councils. * VIII. [[Eighth Ecumenical Council|Fourth Council of Constantinople]], ([[879]]-[[880]]); restored St. [[Photius the Great]] to his see in Constantinople and anathematized any who altered the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]], abrogating the decrees of the [[Robber Council of 869-870]]. This council was at first accepted as ecumenical by the West but later repudiated in favor the [[Robber Council of 869-870|robber council]] which had deposed Photius. * IX. [[Ninth Ecumenical Council|Fifth Council of Constantinople]], ([[1341]]-[[1351]]); affirmed [[hesychasm|hesychastic]] theology according to St. [[Gregory Palamas]] and condemned the Westernized philosopher [[Barlaam of Calabria]]. 

 *[[Canons of the Orthodox ChurchCanon law]]

*[http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=5 The Councils] - Fr. [[Thomas Hopko]]'s outline of the Ecumenical Councils (in "the rainbow series" [[Orthodox_Catechisms_in_English|catechism]])* [http://home.it.net.au/~jgrapsas/pages/Ecumenical_Councils.htm The Ecumenical Councils of the Orthodox Church] by the V. Rev. N. Patrinacos* [http://www.geocities.com/trvalentine/orthodox/8-9synods.html The Eighth and Ninth Ecumenical Councils]* [http://mb-soft.com/believe/txw/orthcoun.htm Orthodox Church Listing of Synods and Councils] 

 [[Categoryel:Ecumenical CouncilsΟικουμενικές Σύνοδοι]][[fr:Concile œcuménique]][[mk:Вселенски собори]][[ro:Sinoade Ecumenice]]