church councils
Religious governing meetings
Church councils are formal assemblies of religious leaders convened to settle matters of doctrine, discipline, or governance.
In Christianity, ecumenical councils like Nicaea or Chalcedon established foundational creeds and resolved theological disputes.
The term applies to gatherings at various levels—from local diocesan meetings to worldwide assemblies claiming authority over the entire church.
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- creedStatement of belief
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
- ChristologyDoctrine of the Messiah's nature
Trinity · transubstantiation · predestination · iconoclasm · eschatology · atonement · justification · sanctification
Formally gather together
- bishopsHigh-ranking clergy members
- clergyOrdained religious officials collectively
- debateFormal argument on issues
- disputationFormal argumentative exchange
voting · consensus · session · delegation · legates · attendees · proceedings · agenda
Historic Turkish metropolis
- EphesusAncient Greek city, Asia Minor
- TrentEnglish river, male name
- VaticanPapal city-state
- FlorenceTuscan capital city
Lyons · Constance · Basel · Orange · Toledo · Whitby · Pisa · ecumenism
Accepted authoritative works
- anathemaIntensely detested thing
- excommunicationFormal barring from sacraments
- papalof the pontiff
- episcopalRelating to bishops
patriarchal · papacy · encyclical · binding · promulgation · ratification · legitimacy · jurisdiction
Illegitimate papal claimant
- sectarianismPrejudiced loyalty to subgroups
- patriarchateChief bishop's office or realm
- apostasyRenunciation of former beliefs
- Great SchismHistoric Christian church division
reformation · split · division · rupture · reconciliation · reunification · Avignon · obedience
dogma
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- creedStatement of belief
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
- heresyBelief opposing official doctrine
Christology · Trinity · transubstantiation · predestination · iconoclasm · eschatology · atonement · justification · sanctification · salvation
convene
Formally gather together
- bishopsHigh-ranking clergy members
- clergyOrdained religious officials collectively
- debateFormal argument on issues
disputation · voting · consensus · session · delegation · legates · attendees · proceedings · agenda · resolution
Constantinople
Historic Turkish metropolis
Florence · Lyons · Constance · Basel · Orange · Toledo · Whitby · Pisa · ecumenism · convocation
canon
Accepted authoritative works
- anathemaIntensely detested thing
- excommunicationFormal barring from sacraments
- papalof the pontiff
episcopal · patriarchal · papacy · encyclical · binding · promulgation · ratification · legitimacy · jurisdiction · primacy
antipope
Illegitimate papal claimant
- sectarianismPrejudiced loyalty to subgroups
- patriarchateChief bishop's office or realm
- apostasyRenunciation of former beliefs
Great Schism · reformation · split · division · rupture · reconciliation · reunification · Avignon · obedience · allegiance
- Catholic ChurchVatican, papacy, cardinals, popes, papal
- CatholicismVatican, cardinals, pope, Holy Communion, popes
- churchnave, pew, pews, altar, altars
- church historyapostles, Protestant Reformation, Christian history, baptism, Reformation
- religious historyChristian history, Jewish history, early Christianity, Protestant Reformation, Great Schism
- church authoritypapacy, bishops, papal authority, popes, papal supremacy
church, council, churches, councils, churchyard, churchgoing, churchly, churchgoer, churchgoers