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Ecumenical Councils

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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.
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== 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&mdash;the idea that a particular council is of universal, infallible significance for the Church&mdash;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 of Ecumenical Councils ==* ITheologians such as Fr. [[First Ecumenical Council|First Council of NiceaJohn S. Romanides]]have argued, ([[325]]); repudiated [[Arianism]]however, adopted that the councils universally regarded as ecumenical within the Orthodox Church seemed of themselves to have no sense of requiring a reception by the [[NiceneChurch before they went into effect. Their texts do indeed include self-Constantinopolitan Creed|Nicene Creed]]declarations of their ecumenicity, and in most cases, their decrees immediately were written into Roman imperial law. No condition of later reception is reflected in the councils' texts.
* IIFurther, 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 [[Second Fourth Ecumenical Council|First Council of Constantinople]]may be said to have been "received by the whole Church" while significant numbers of Christians apparently within the Church rejected it, ([[381]]); revised leading to the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed|Nicene Creedschism]] into which even now persists? Such reasoning is circular, because whoever accepts a council is therefore inside the present form used in 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 [[Orthodox Church|Eastern]] and [[Oriental Orthodox]] churches.
* IIIThe practical needs of the historical circumstances of the councils also bear out Romanides' analysis. [[Third Ecumenical Council|Council of Ephesus]], ([[431]]); repudiated [[Nestorianism]], proclaimed Dogmatic decisions were needed right away when the Virgin Mary as 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 Mother character of God (Greek, [[Theotokos|&#920;&#949;&#959;&#964;&#972;&#954;&#959;&#962;]])such a council. The councils' fathers regarded their decisions as immediately binding.
* IV. [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]], ([[451]]); repudiated At the [[Eutychianism|Eutychian]] doctrine of [[Monophysitism]]current time, described and delineated the two natures episcopacy of Christ, human and divine; adopted the [[Chalcedonian Creed]]Church has not as yet put forward a universal definition as to what precisely lends a council its ecumenicity. This What is generally held is that councils may be regarded as ecumenical and all following councils are not recognized by infallible because they accurately teach the truth handed down in tradition from the [[Oriental Orthodox|Oriental Orthodox CommunionChurch Fathers]].
* V. [[Fifth ==Canonical status==The canons of the Ecumenical Council|Second Council of Constantinople]]Councils are regarded within the Orthodox Church as universally authoritative, ([[553]]); reaffirmed though not in a strictly constructionist sense. Their canons have often been repealed or revised by the decisions and doctrines explicated by previous of local synods or even of later Ecumenical Councils. Nevertheless, condemned new [[Arianism|Arian]], [[Nestorianism|Nestorian]]their legislation is central to the Orthodox canonical tradition, and [[Monophysitism|Monophysite]] writingsappeals 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]].* VIII. [[Sixth 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|&#920;&#949;&#959;&#964;&#972;&#954;&#959;&#962;]]).* 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 [[680Monophysitism|Monophysite]]-writings.* VI. [[681Sixth 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]].
**[[Quinisext Council|Quinisext/Penthekte Council]] (= Fifth and Sixth) = Seven or Council in TrulloNine Ecumenical Councils? ==As far as some Orthodox are concerned, (since the [[692Seventh Ecumenical Council]]); mostly an administrative there has been no synod or council that raised some 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 [[canon]]s to ecumenical status and established principles hierarchs of clerical discipline. It is not considered whatever Eastern Orthodox jurisdictions are party to be a fullspecific local matter. From this point of view, there has been no fully "pan-fledged Orthodox" ('''Ecumenical''') council in its own right because it did not determine matters of doctrinesince 787. This council is accepted by Unfortunately, the [[Orthodox Church]] as a part use of the [[Sixth Ecumenical Council]]term "pan-Orthodox" is confusing to those not within Eastern Orthodoxy, but and it leads to mistaken impressions that is rejected by [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholics]]these are ''ersatz'' ecumenical councils rather than purely local councils to which nearby Orthodox hierarchs, regardless of jurisdiction, are invited.
* VIIOthers, including 20th century theologians Fr. [[John S. Romanides]] and Fr. [[Seventh 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|Second Council Constantinople]], [[Church of NicaeaJerusalem|Jerusalem]], ([[787Church of Antioch|Antioch]]); restoration , and [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]] as well as the veneration [[Holy Synod]]s of the first three), regard other synods beyond the [[iconsSeventh Ecumenical Council]] and end 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, part of the first so-called "[[iconoclasmWestern 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. [[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 of the robber council in 869-870 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]].
The next two are regarded as ecumenical by some in ==Later councils==Although based strongly on the [[Orthodox ChurchEcumenical Councils]] but not by other Orthodox Christians, who instead consider them doctrine continues to be important local councilsdefined through the church. These include the mind of the church as expressed through [[Synod|Local Councils]] and letters or statements of faith put out by individual bishops.Those decisions/statements made in the past that bear particular importance today are:
* VIII. #The Encyclical Letter of Saint Photius (867)#The First Letter of [[Eighth Ecumenical Council|Fourth Council Michael I Cerularius of Constantinople|Michael Cerularius]], to Peter of Antioch (1054)#The decisions of ‘the Councils of Constantinople in 1341 and 1351 on the Hesychast Controversy#The Encyclical Letter of Saint [[879Mark of Ephesus]](1440-1441).#The Confession of Faith by Gennadius, Patriarch of Constantinople (1455-1456)#The Replies of [[880Jeremias II Tranos of Constantinople|Jeremias]]the Second to the Lutherans (1573-1581); restored St. #The Confession of Faith by [[Photius the GreatMetrophanes (Kritopoulos) of Alexandria|Metrophanes Kritopoulos]] to his see in Constantinople and anathematized any who altered the (1625)#The Orthodox Confession by [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan CreedPeter Mogila|Peter of Moghila]], abrogating in its revised form (ratified by the decrees Council of Jassy, 1642)#The Confession of Dositheus (ratified by the [[Robber Council of 869Jerusalem, 1672)#The Answers of the Orthodox Patriarchs to the Non-870]]. This council was at first accepted as ecumenical Jurors (1718, 1723)#The Reply of the Orthodox Patriarchs to Pope Pius the Ninth (1848)#The Reply of the Synod of Constantinople to Pope Leo the Thirteenth (1895)#The Encyclical Letters by the West but later repudiated in favor Patriarchate of Constantinople on Christian unity and on the [[Robber Council of 869-870|robber council]] which had deposed Photius.'Ecumenical Movement' (1920, 1952)
* IX. [[Ninth Ecumenical Council|Fifth Council of Constantinople]], ([[1341]]Documents 5-[[1351]]); affirmed [[hesychasm|hesychastic]] theology according to St. [[Gregory Palamas]] and condemned 9 are sometimes called the Westernized philosopher [[Barlaam '''Symbolical Books''' of Calabria]].the Orthodox Church
== See also ==
 *[[Canons of the Orthodox ChurchCanon law]]
== External links ==
*[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] 
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 [[Categoryel:Ecumenical CouncilsΟικουμενικές Σύνοδοι]][[fr:Concile œcuménique]][[mk:Вселенски собори]][[ro:Sinoade Ecumenice]]
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