The Hawaiian gazette., 1869-09-22
EcumenicaI Councils.

The great General Council which has been
summoned TO assemble in the Vatican next
December, will be the 18th, in historical
order; the Vatican will be the Goth These
great conventions of the Church are never
assembled except during some important
crisis in ecclesiastical affairs. Questions of
discipline, definitions, or official and techni-
cal declarations of the existing faith of the
Church, constitute the business Of Councils.
For instance, the doctrine of the Divinity of
Christ was not defined or technically or
logically declared as q dogma necessary TO
salvation, until the year 325, A. D., by the
General Council of Nice, although il was
universally held and believed by the Catholic
Church. The Philadelphia Inquirer gives
the following historical summary of all the
General Councils:
l. Nice, A D., S25, called to establish
against the Arians the consubstantiality of
the Word and the Divinity of Christ.
.. COnstantinOple, 3Sl, called to condemn
the Apoilinarists, aud TO profess against the
MaeedOnians the Divinity of the Holy Spirit
1t confirmed the Greed of Nice. That creed,
which is popularity known as the Nicene, is
the joint composition of the first and second
Councils.
3. Ephesus, 49l, condemned Nestorius,
who had already been accommodated by
Pope CelestiUa, and Nestorianism, declaring
that Mary was truly Theotoko, the Mother
of God. 1t also added its authority to the
condemnation of Pelagius by Pope Zozimus
4. Chalcedon, 45l, condemned Eutyches,
who denied the dual nature Of Christ. 1t
also confirmed the DEGREES of the preceding
Council of Ephesus.
). Constantinople, $50, condemned the
Three Chapters" which favored HISTORIAN
ism.
6. Constantinple, $50, condemned Mono
theism, an ofshoot of Eutyehianism, which
asserted that there was but one will in Christ.
z. Nice, Isl, condemned IconOclasm, or
the Sectaries, who offered the use of paint
ings and statusry in the ornamentation of
churches.
s. Coustantinople, 500, condemned and
deposed Photius.
g. Lateran, 1923, condemned the attempt
of the secular power TO usurp the power of
investiture, or the power Of the State to ap-
point pastors of churches. Itfurther enacted
various disciplinary canons.
10. Lateran, 1923, attempted to restore the
Greek sehismatics TO the Church. The sect
of the Manicheans, known as the Albigenses,
and Arnold OF Brescia, disciple of Abelard,
were condemned.
II. Lateran, 1179, reformed disciplinary
abuses.
u. Lateran, 12l5, renewed the condemna-
ton of Albigenses and Vaudois, including
solemn exposition of Catholic dogmss.
Is. Lyons, 1915, called to add strength to
the accommodation and deposition Of the
Emperor Frederic, by Innocent ~, for his
crimes.
"A Lyons, 1874. discussed the doctrine of
the procession OF the Holy Ghost, and again
made efforts 20 promote reunion between
Greeks and Latins
Is Vienne, 1911, the condemnation of the
Knights Templsr and Beguins, the Socialists
of Rome.
16- Florence, 1889, called to promote re-
union among the Greeks and Latins. was
completely successful, the doctrines Of Rome
in reference to the Holy Ghost, the Primacy
Of the Pope, etc, being admitted and re-
ceived.
II. Lateran. 1872, condemned the Prag-
matte sanction, and upheld tine independence
of the Bishop Of Rome.
IS. Trent, 1545, 1868, was called to reform
discipline and remove abuses, not TO change
DEGREES, and to condemn the principles Of
Luther, Calvin, and Others of the religious
reyolutionists Of the 18th century.