Ecumenical Council (Noun)
Meaning
(early Christian church) one of seven gatherings of bishops from around the known world under the presidency of the Pope to regulate matters of faith and morals and discipline; "the first seven councils through 787 are considered to be ecumenical councils by both the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern Orthodox church but the next fourteen councils are considered ecumenical only by the Roman Catholic church".
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The ecumenical council was convened to address the growing controversy over the nature of Christ and to establish a unified doctrine for the early Christian church.
- The Pope presided over the ecumenical council, which brought together bishops from all corners of the known world to discuss and debate matters of faith and morals.
- The decisions made by the ecumenical council were considered binding on all Christians, and its decrees were seen as authoritative interpretations of scripture and tradition.
- The ecumenical council played a crucial role in shaping the theology and practice of the early Christian church, and its legacy continues to be felt to this day.
- The Eastern Orthodox church recognizes only the first seven ecumenical councils as authoritative, while the Roman Catholic church recognizes a total of twenty-one ecumenical councils.