church council
Religious governing body
A church council is a formal assembly of clergy and sometimes lay members convened to decide matters of doctrine, discipline, or church governance.
In Christianity, ecumenical councils like Nicaea established foundational creeds.
Local churches also hold councils for administrative decisions: The church council voted to hire a new youth pastor.
Church governing assembly
- assemblyConstructing from components
- conclavePrivate, secretive assembly
- sessionScheduled time for activity
- plenaryAbsolute and entire
committee · diocese · episcopal · bishops · clergy · laity · papal · apostolic
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- creedStatement of belief
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- catechismReligious teaching guide
exegesis · ecclesiology · eschatology · homiletics · canonization · infallibility · heterodoxy · apostasy
Formal argument on issues
- discussionExchange of ideas
- consultationMeeting seeking expert guidance
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
forum · meeting · gathering · summit · conference · decisions · vote · resolution
Process of improving institutions
- sectarianismPrejudiced loyalty to subgroups
- iconoclasmAttacking revered traditions
- excommunicationFormal barring from sacraments
- anathemaIntensely detested thing
English river, male name
- EphesusAncient Greek city, Asia Minor
- ConstantinopleHistoric Turkish metropolis
- FlorenceTuscan capital city
- ConstanceName meaning faithfulness
Basel · Vatican II · Augsburg · Whitby
synod
Church governing assembly
- assemblyConstructing from components
- conclavePrivate, secretive assembly
- sessionScheduled time for activity
plenary · committee · diocese · episcopal · bishops · clergy · laity · papal · apostolic · patriarch
dogma
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- creedStatement of belief
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
catechism · exegesis · ecclesiology · eschatology · homiletics · canonization · infallibility · heterodoxy · apostasy · sacrament
debate
Formal argument on issues
- discussionExchange of ideas
- consultationMeeting seeking expert guidance
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
negotiation · forum · meeting · gathering · summit · conference · decisions · vote · resolution · decree
reformation
Process of improving institutions
- sectarianismPrejudiced loyalty to subgroups
- iconoclasmAttacking revered traditions
- excommunicationFormal barring from sacraments
Trent
English river, male name
- EphesusAncient Greek city, Asia Minor
- ConstantinopleHistoric Turkish metropolis
- FlorenceTuscan capital city
Constance · Basel · Vatican II · Augsburg · Whitby
- churchnave, pew, pews, altar, altars
- CouncilsSanhedrin, Soviet, Duma, curia, conclave
- church authoritypapacy, bishops, papal authority, popes, papal supremacy
- church gatheringsassemblies, conferences, congresses, conventions, synod
- clergypriest, bishop, pope, nun, monk
- religious councilssynod, conclave, general assembly, College of Cardinals, episcopate
church councilcongregation
Assembled group of worshippers
laity · flock · parishioners · church membership · rank and file
church, council, convocation, churchly, councilman, councilwoman, church councils