A comprehensive list of church councils includes those with varying levels of recognition across Christian denominations. The Roman Catholic Church recognizes 21 “ecumenical” councils, while the Eastern Orthodox Church recognizes the first seven as ecumenical, and other churches like the Oriental Orthodox accept fewer still. Many other local synods and councils have occurred throughout history, the authority of which varies by tradition.
Councils Recognized by Rome (Ecumenical)
The Roman Catholic Church recognizes 21 ecumenical councils, which are considered universally binding. These include, among others, the First Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) and the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965 A.D.). A full list can be found at Papal Encyclicals.
1. The First General Council of Nicaea, 325 A.D.
2. The First General Council of Constantinople, 381 A.D.
3. The General Council of Ephesus, 431. A.D.
4. The General Council of Chalcedon, 451 A.D.
5. The Second General Council of Constantinople, 553 A.D.
6. The Third General Council of Constantinople, 680-681. A.D.
7. The Second General Council of Nicaea, 787 A.D.
8. The Fourth General Council of Constantinople, 869-70 A.D.
9. The First General Council of the Lateran, 1123 A.D.
10. The Second General Council of the Lateran, 1139 A.D.
11. The Third General Council of the Lateran, 1179 A.D.
12. The Fourth General Council of the Lateran, 1215 A.D.
13. The First General Council of Lyons, 1245 A.D.
14. The Second General Council of Lyons, 1274 A.D.
15. The General Council of Vienne, 1311-12 A.D.
16. The General Council of Constance, 1414-18 A.D.
17. The General Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence, 1431-45 A.D.
18. The Fifth General Council of the Lateran, 1512-17 A.D.
19. The General Council of Trent, 1545-63 A.D.
20. The First General Council of the Vatican, 1869-70 A.D.
21. Vatican II – 1962-1965 A.D.
Councils Not Recognized by Rome (or only Partially)
Other councils and synods hold significance in various Christian traditions but are not recognized as ecumenical by the Roman Catholic Church. These include:
- Council of Hieria (754 A.D.): Condemned the production and veneration of religious icons as idolatrous and blasphemous but was later overturned by the Second Council of Nicea.
- Quinisext Council (Council in Trullo) (692 A.D.): Accepted by the Eastern Orthodox Church but not by Rome, it issued canonical rules.
- Council of Jerusalem (c. 50 A.D.): An early meeting referenced in the Book of Acts.
- Synods of Carthage (e.g., 251, 256, 397, 418 A.D.): Local councils that addressed disciplinary and doctrinal matters.
- Council of Pisa (1409 A.D.): An attempt to end the Western Schism that was not recognized as legitimate.
- Photian Council of Constantinople (879-880 A.D.): Accepted by some Eastern Orthodox but rejected by Rome.
- The Council of Elvira (Latin: Concilium Eliberritanum), held in Spain around 305-306 A.D., was a significant early regional synod, not an ecumenical council recognized as universally binding by the Roman Catholic Church or other major Christian traditions in the same way as Nicaea or Constantinople. Its canons were influential in the Western Church but were a matter of local discipline.
Protestant denominations typically accept the doctrinal definitions of the first few councils (first four or seven) regarding the Trinity and Christology but do not consider later councils binding. Oriental Orthodox Churches recognize only the first three councils.