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Vatican II Part 2 in a series Pope Benedict XVI has declared a special “Year of Faith.” It begins October 11, 2012 and concludes November 24, 2013. The “Year of Faith” coincides with the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council (1962), the twentieth year since publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), and the upcoming Synod on the New Evangelization in October, 2012. It is the prayer of the Diocese of Raleigh and this Cathedral that the “Year of Faith” be a moment of grace and commitment to an ever fuller conversion to God, to reinforce our faith in him and to proclaim him with joy to the people of our time. Bishop Burbidge shares this hope - “We want this Year to arouse in every believer the aspiration to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope.” An overview of the Ecumenical Councils The Fourth Council of the Lateran (1215) is seen as the most important of When we speak of a church council, an “ecumenical” Council is one to the Lateran Councils – decreeing that all Catholics should receive the which all the bishops of the world are summoned. These councils are pretty sacrament of Penance at least once a year, and clarified the Church’s rare in the history of the church - there have been only 21 ecumenical teaching on the Eucharist – defining it in terms of transubstantiation. 1,383 Councils. They are more than just meetings – when the pope and all the participants. bishops of the world act together, ecumenical councils exercise the highest The First Council of Lyons (1245) A very political Council, Pope Innocent authority in the church and carry more weight than a papal encyclical, and IV, with the Council, pronounced the deposition of Emperor Frederick II more weight than even canon law. During this Year of Faith, we are of Germany. A lasting legacy of this Council is the annual Good Friday celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican collection undertaken in all Catholic Churches for the support of the Council, which was the twenty-first ecumenical Council in the Catholic Christian shrines and institutions of the Holy Land. 250 participants. Church’s history. The Second Council of Lyons (1274) The main topics discussed at the The First Council of Nicea (AD 325) Arianism (because it was taught by a Council were the conquest of the Holy Land and the union of the Eastern man named Arius) was a major heresy which denied the divinity of Christ. and Western Churches. Thomas Aquinas died en route to the Council. The First Council of Nicea was called in order to fight against this heresy. Minor reforms were ordered, including a requirement that electors be At this Council, it was declared that Jesus was “God from God, Light from confined in a conclave until it is completed — a primary rule still in force Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with today. The Franciscan and Dominican orders were formally approved. the Father.” 318 participants (5 Western bishops). 560 participants. The First Council of Constantinople (AD 381) This Council picked up where The Council of Vienne (1311-1312) decreed that Greek, Hebrew, and the Council of Nicea left off in further developing and defining the Niceno- Arabic be taught in Catholic universities. They also addressed issues Constantinopolitan or Nicene Creed. The Creed stems from these first two concerning the Crusades, including the Knights Templar, who were being ecumenical Councils and it remains common to all the great Churches of accused of heresy and immorality by those who coveted their wealth. The both East and West to this day. 150 participants (no Western bishops). other acts of this council have been lost. 180 participants. The Council of Ephesus (AD 431) This early Council fought against The Council of Constance (1414-1418) was called to end the Great Nestorianism to give us the teaching that Mary is rightly called “Mother of Western Schism, involving three separate claimants to the papal throne. God” because the one who was born of Mary, Jesus, is divine. Mary is the This Council decreed that the authority of an ecumenical Councils is Theotokos – the Birth-giver of God; sometimes translated as “God-bearer”. greater than that of the Pope. They deposed John XXIII and Benedict 250 participants. XIII, received the abdication of Gregory XII, and conducted a conclave in The Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) condemned Monophysitism, which which Martin V was elected. 600 participants. held that in Christ there is only one divine nature. This Council continued The Council of Basel – Ferrara – Florence - Rome (1431-1442) met in four to define the true nature of Jesus Christ, Son of God, true God and true different cities (although some official lists do not include Basel). The man. This Council taught that Christ’s “divine and human natures remain Council continued to debate conciliarism – the authority of Councils. together without confusion, change, division, or separation”. (CCC nos. This nomadic Council resulted in a 10-year schism when a faction of the 465-468) The definition remains the doctrinal framework for Christology Council elected an antipope. Constantinople fell only seven years after today. 370 participants. the Council – which doomed the ongoing talks for reunification of East The Second Council of Constantinople (553) was called to address the and West. 148 participants. heresy of monophysitism, which argued that Christ had only one nature – The Fifth Council of the Lateran (1512-1514) had as its intent the issue of his divine nature. This Council reaffirmed the Church’s teaching that Christ reform. Instead, this Council covered small matters of governance. 100 has two natures, and is both fully God, and fully human. 152 participants. participants. The Third Council of Constantinople (680-681) condemned The Council of Trent (1545-1563, with interruptions) was held to address Monothelitism, which held that in Christ there is only one divine will rather the challenges posed by the Protestant Reformation. This Council than two wills - one divine and one human. It continued to define Christ’s touched on almost every aspect of Catholic doctrine: Scripture and nature. 300 participants. tradition, the Church’s teaching authority, original sin, justification, and The Second Council of Nicea (787) distinguished between veneration that the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. The Council of Trent established is appropriate for icons and other images for liturgical and devotional seminaries for the formation of priests. 225 participants. purposes and the worship that belongs to God alone. 350 participants. The First Vatican Council (1869-never officially concluded due to war) The Fourth Council of Constantinople (869-870) marked the growing taught papal primacy and papal infallibility. It also taught that faith is divide between the Church in the East and West. 109 participants. consistent with reason and that reason is illuminated by faith. Over 700 The First Council of the Lateran (1123) was the first ecumenical Council participants. held in the West. It confirmed the Concordat of Worms, and defended the The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) This most recent Council was Church’s right to appoint bishops – rather than lay rulers making those called by Blessed John XXIII in an attempt to reform the Church and bring appointments. 1,000 participants. her into the modern world – to open windows and let in some fresh air. The Second Council of the Lateran (1139) met in order to decide who was This is an exception in the history of ecumenical Councils since it was not Pope. There was an eight year schism that had taken place at the time of called to combat error or to deal with a crisis. It restored the order of Pope Innocent II’s election. An antipope, Anacletus II, was elected at the deacon as a permanent way of life and upheld the rights of bishops over same time. Upon Anacletus’s death, the Council annulled all of his and his the Roman Curia. Its main emphases were on renewal and reform of the followers’ decisions. act, and ordinations. They also discussed priestly liturgy, the role of the laity, ecumenism, the role of the Church in the celibacy along with other matters. 1,000 participants. temporal order, the collegiality of bishops and the pope, religious The Third Council of the Lateran (1179) is the Council that ended a schism freedom, and the saving activity of God outside the Church. There were created by the election of an antipope, supported by the emperor. It over 2,200 participants. addressed a variety of concerns including the process for electing a pope. It decreed that a two-thirds majority of cardinals was required – a rule that is still binding today. 302 participants. .
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