Ecumenical Councils

An ecumenical council is an official gathering of representatives of the whole Church to settle religious issues. Today, all three of the major branches of Christianity; Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants, recognize first seven ecumenical councils which were gathered in Asia Minor and in Constantinople (modern Istanbul) between 325 - 787 AD in order to reach a consensus for the undivided church.

Council Place and Date Decision
First Ecumenical Council Nicaea I, 325 AD Formulated the First Part of the Creed. Defining the divinity of the Son of God.
Second Ecumenical Council Constantinople I, 381 AD Formulated the Second Part of the Creed, defining the divinity of the Holy Spirit.
Third Ecumenical Council Ephesus, 431 AD Defined Christ as the Incarnate Word of God and Mary as Theotokos.
Fourth Ecumenical Council Chalcedon, 451 AD Defined Christ as Perfect God and Perfect God and Perfect Man in One Person.
Fifth Ecumenical Council Constantinople II, 553 AD Reconfirmed the Doctrines of the Trinity and Christ.
Sixth Ecumenical Council Constantinople III, 680 AD Affirmed the True Humanity of Jesus by insisting upon the reality of His Human will and action.
Qinisext Council (Trullo) Constantinople IV, 692 AD Completed the 5th and 6th Ecumenical Councils.
Seventh Ecumenical Council Nicaea II, 787 AD Affirmed the propriety of icons as genuine expressions of the Christian Faith.