Early Christian councils

The early councils of Christian churches often established the theological boundaries that came to define official statements of Christian belief. The first council was held in Jerusalem in 49 AD. This meeting arose from the missionary work of Paul, who spread faith in Jesus and established churches in Asia Minor. Paul sought recognition for these new believers and their churches from the original church in Jerusalem, so that they could be acknowledged as true communities of faith.Acts 15:23–29

After discussion, Peter concluded that the faith of these new churches should be recognized as equal to that of the believers in Jerusalem. James reached a similar conclusion, and the council issued a letter affirming shared faith between the communities. This letter is recorded in Acts 15:23–29.Acts 15:23–29 It confirmed acceptance of the faith as taught by Paul and Barnabas and advised the new believers to avoid actions that might offend the Jerusalem church.Kelly, J. N. D. Early Christian Doctrines. HarperOne, 1978.

In the history of Christianity in the Western Roman Empire, there were seven ecumenical councils. Among these were the First Council of Nicaea in 325, the First Council of Constantinople in 381, the Council of Ephesus in 431, and the Council of Chalcedon in 451.González, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation. HarperOne, 2010. The churches of the Near East participated in the first three councils, while the African and Eastern Orthodox churches largely ceased attendance after Nicaea.Chadwick, Henry. The Early Church. Penguin Books, 1993.
References

Category:Church councils
 Category:History of Christianity