COUNCIL

(Lat. con cilium. a embly), | a embly summoned to settle disputed ecclesiastical points; useful in early days of Church for codification of doctrine, and important later in adjustment of relations of Church and State. Chief forms of ¢. held are general, patriarchal, provincial, papal, national, and diocésan. C. held at Jerusalem, mentioned in Acts and Galatians, is considered as parent and precedent; in later cent., Churches of Asia Minor a embled to discu doctrines of Montan us, and system speedily developed. General (oecumenical) C’s originated in IV. cent., Const an tine summoning synods to Rome and Arles to discu Donatism, and C. of Niczea, 325, to dispose of Arianism. A dispute arose later as to the authority of ©’s; the papal party denying the validity of its decisions until ratified by pope, who in XI. cent. acquired sole right to summon General C. During the Pisa, 1409; papal or ultramontane party attacked at C. of Con stance, 1414-18, and later at C. of Basel, reformers a erting that General C. was superior to pope; ultramontanists triumphed at C. of Florence, 1439, and confirmed papal position at Later an C. of 1616.