What is "ecumenical council"

Council \Coun"cil\ (koun"s[i^]l), n. [F. concile, fr. L. concilium; con- + calare to call, akin to Gr. ??? to call, and E. hale, v., haul. Cf. Conciliate. This word is often confounded with counsel, with which it has no connection.]

1. An assembly of men summoned or convened for consultation, deliberation, or advice; as, a council of physicians for consultation in a critical case.

2. A body of man elected or appointed to constitute an advisory or a legislative assembly; as, a governor's council; a city council.

   An old lord of the council rated me the other day.
   --Shak.

3. Act of deliberating; deliberation; consultation.

   Satan . . . void of rest, His potentates to council called by night.
   --Milton.

   O great in action and in council wise.
   --Pope.

   Aulic council. See under Aulic.

   Cabinet council. See under Cabinet.

   City council, the legislative branch of a city government, usually consisting of a board of aldermen and common council, but sometimes otherwise constituted.

   Common council. See under Common.

   Council board, Council table, the table round which a council holds consultation; also, the council itself in deliberation.

   Council chamber, the room or apartment in which a council meets.

   Council fire, the ceremonial fire kept burning while the Indians hold their councils. [U.S.]
   --Bartlett.

   Council of war, an assembly of officers of high rank, called to consult with the commander in chief in regard to measures or importance or nesessity.

   Ecumenical council (Eccl.), an assembly of prelates or divines convened from the whole body of the church to regulate matters of doctrine or discipline.

   Executive council, a body of men elected as advisers of the chief magistrate, whether of a State or the nation. [U.S.]

   Legislative council, the upper house of a legislature, usually called the senate.

   Privy council. See under Privy. [Eng.]

   Syn: Assembly; meeting; congress; diet; parliament; convention; convocation; synod.

Ecumenic \Ec`u*men"ic\, Ecumenical \Ec`u*men"ic*al\, a. [L. oecumenicus, Gr. ? (sc. ?) the inhabited world, fr. ? to inhabit, from o'i^kos house, dwelling. See Economy.] General; universal; in ecclesiastical usage, that which concerns the whole church; as, an ecumenical council.

Ecumenical Bishop, a title assumed by the popes.

Ecumenical council. See under Council.

An ecumenical council (or oecumenical council; also general council) is a conference of ecclesiastical dignitaries and theological experts convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice in which those entitled to vote are convoked from the whole world (oikoumene) and which secures the approbation of the whole Church.

The word "ecumenical" derives from the Greek language , which literally means "the inhabited world", but which was also applied more narrowly to mean the Roman Empire. Bishops belonging to what became known as the Church of the East participated in none of the councils later than the second, and further noteworthy schisms led to non-participation by other members of what had previously been considered a single Christian Church. Later ecumenical councils thus included bishops of only parts of the Church as previously constituted and were rejected or ignored by Christians not belonging to those parts.

The first seven Ecumenical Councils, recognised by both the eastern and western branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, were convoked by Christian Roman Emperors, who also enforced the decisions of those councils within the state church of the Roman Empire.

Acceptance of councils as ecumenical and authoritative varies between different Christian denominations. Disputes over christological and other questions have led certain branches to reject some councils that others accept.