Post by JamesfromTA on Jan 6, 2013 16:05:57 GMT 2
I was wondering if someone could help me with this; it's been on my mind for a while but I wanted to ask if others could help me considering that I've only been Orthodox since May and still have so much to learn about our faith.
I've come across some sources which state that there were 8 or 9 Ecumenical Councils.
8- Fourth Council of Constantinople (879-880); St. Photius the Great was restored, the decrees of the robber council of 869-870 were repealed,the Seventh Oecumenical Council was added to the list of Oecumenical Councils and those who sought to change the Nicene Creed (Filioque) were anathematised.
9- Fifth Council of Constantinople (1341, 1347, 1351); St. Gregory Palamas' hesychastic theology was exonerated and the rationalistic philosophy of Barlaam of Calabria was condemned.
As I've said, I've been reading about these and there are some interesting things that I'd like to bring up. Apparently the Bishop of Rome was present for the 8th and agreed to it (though later Bishops of Rome in the 12th century rejected it for the robber council). Furthermore, important Orthodox theologians have also recognised these Councils as such (figures such as Metropolitan Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Nafpaktos, Fr. John S. Romanides, and Fr. George Metallinos.).
In addition to these theologians of the 20th century, there was an Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs in 1848 which was a direct reply to Pope Pius IX 'Epistle to the Easterns'. In the Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs, aside from very directly responding to Pope Pius IX affirmed that there was an Eighth Oecumenical Council and it was signed by Patriarch Anthimus VI of Constantinople, Pope and Patriarch Hierotheus II of Alexandria, Patriarch Methodius of Antioch, Patriarch Cyrill II of Jerusalem, The Holy Synod in Constantinople, The Holy Synod in Antioch & The Holy Synod in Jerusalem.
Then again I've come across Orthodox who won't recognise any Oecumenical Councils beyond the 7th and I've read a lot in the past to say that there were only 7 so you can see why I am confused!
I've come across some sources which state that there were 8 or 9 Ecumenical Councils.
8- Fourth Council of Constantinople (879-880); St. Photius the Great was restored, the decrees of the robber council of 869-870 were repealed,the Seventh Oecumenical Council was added to the list of Oecumenical Councils and those who sought to change the Nicene Creed (Filioque) were anathematised.
9- Fifth Council of Constantinople (1341, 1347, 1351); St. Gregory Palamas' hesychastic theology was exonerated and the rationalistic philosophy of Barlaam of Calabria was condemned.
As I've said, I've been reading about these and there are some interesting things that I'd like to bring up. Apparently the Bishop of Rome was present for the 8th and agreed to it (though later Bishops of Rome in the 12th century rejected it for the robber council). Furthermore, important Orthodox theologians have also recognised these Councils as such (figures such as Metropolitan Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Nafpaktos, Fr. John S. Romanides, and Fr. George Metallinos.).
In addition to these theologians of the 20th century, there was an Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs in 1848 which was a direct reply to Pope Pius IX 'Epistle to the Easterns'. In the Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs, aside from very directly responding to Pope Pius IX affirmed that there was an Eighth Oecumenical Council and it was signed by Patriarch Anthimus VI of Constantinople, Pope and Patriarch Hierotheus II of Alexandria, Patriarch Methodius of Antioch, Patriarch Cyrill II of Jerusalem, The Holy Synod in Constantinople, The Holy Synod in Antioch & The Holy Synod in Jerusalem.
Then again I've come across Orthodox who won't recognise any Oecumenical Councils beyond the 7th and I've read a lot in the past to say that there were only 7 so you can see why I am confused!
