Talk:Ecumenical Councils
Maybe the idea of "nine councils" should be removed to a footnote rather than be so prominently featured on the page. It's my understanding that the vast majority of Orthodox would understand themselves to be part of "the Church of the Seven Councils," although the others would certainly be understood as having some authority, just not the same status.
-- User:FrJohn
- You think so? I figured representing the controversy would be useful, especially since some pretty prominent voices are among the "minority" position. There also seems to be some pretty clear evidence that the notion of Orthodoxy being the "Church of the Seven Councils" is possibly something either only relatively modern or perhaps relegated to only one part of the Orthodox world. (See the Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs.)
- My experience has been that most Orthodox haven't even heard of the councils in question (of course, I also know a priest who tells me that in more than 20 years in the priesthood, he's been asked about the Trinity only 3 times; I also don't know many Orthodox who could even name when, where or what the first seven councils were about), yet in the 19th century the patriarchs of all 4 ancient sees all publicly referred to the "Eighth Ecumenical Council," and major figures amongst Greek theologians of our time all support the notion that there are more than only seven. Even Rome counted the council of 879-880 to be the 8th EC until the 11th c.
- I did make sure to put the other two councils set apart and explicitly mention the fact that their acceptance as ecumenical is in question by some. Given the "big guns" who have come out in favor of the notion, I think it's worth keeping it as it is -- not uncommented upon, certainly, but not relagetd to a footnote, either.
