A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings An ecumenical council is so named because it is a synod of the whole church (or, more accurately, of what those who call it consider to be the whole church. This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. )

The word comes from the Greek συνοδος meaning "assembly" or "meeting", and it is synonymous with the Latin word concilium — "council". Originally synods were meetings of bishops, and the word is still used in that sense in Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world

Sometimes the phrase general synod or general council refers to an ecumenical council. This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils. The word synod also refers to the standing council of high-ranking bishops governing some of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. Autocephaly, in Hierarchical Christian churches and especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches is the status of a hierarchical church whose The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Similarly, the day to day governance of patriarchal and major archiepiscopal Eastern Catholic Churches in entrusted to a permanent synod. Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a Pater familias over an extended family In the Eastern Catholic Churches, major archbishop is a title for an hierarch to whose Archiepiscopal see is granted the same jurisdiction in his autonomous This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See

Contents 1 Uses in different Communions 1.1 Orthodox usage 1.2 Roman Catholic usage 1.2.1 Councils 1.2.2 Synods 1.2.3 National episcopal conferences 1.3 Anglican usage 1.4 Lutheran usage 1.5 Presbyterian usage 1.6 Reformed Usage 1.7 Protestant usage in the Congo 2 Some notable synods 3 See also 4 External links

Uses in different Communions

Orthodox usage

In Orthodox churches, synods are meetings of bishops within each autonomous Church and are the primary vehicle for the election of bishops and the establishment of inter-diocesan ecclesiastical laws.

Roman Catholic usage

In Roman Catholic usage, synod and council are theoretically synonymous as they are of Greek and Latin origins, respectively, both meaning an authoritative meeting of bishops for the purpose of church administration in the areas of teaching (faith and morals) or governance (church discipline or law). However in modern use, synod and council are applied to specific categories of such meetings and so do not really overlap.

Councils

Council in canon law typically refers to an irregular meeting of the entire episcopate of a nation, region, or the world for the purpose of legislation with binding force. Canon law is internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Anglican Communion of churches Those contemplated in canon law are the following:

• An ecumenical council is an irregular meeting of the entire episcopate in communion with the Pope and is, along with the Pope, the highest legislative authority of the universal Church (can. 336). The Pope alone has the right to convoke, suspend, and dissolve an ecumenical council; he also presides over it or chooses someone else to do so and determines the agenda (can. 338). The vacancy of the Holy See automatically suspends an ecumenical council. Sede vacante is the vacancy of the Episcopal see of a Particular church in the Canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Laws or teachings issued by an ecumenical council require the confirmation of the Pope, who alone has the right to promulgate them (can. 341). It should be noted that the role of the Pope in an ecumenical council is a distinct feature of the Roman Catholic Church.
• Plenary councils, which are meetings of the entire episcopate of a nation (including a nation that is only one ecclesiastical province), are convoked by the national episcopal conference. An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government so named by analogy with a secular Province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the
• Provincial councils, which consist of the bishops of an ecclesiastical province smaller than a nation, are convoked by the metropolitan with consent of a majority of the suffragan bishops. In Hierarchical Christian churches the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the Diocesan bishop or A suffragan bishop is a Bishop subordinate to a Metropolitan bishop or Diocesan bishop.

Plenary and provincial councils are categorized as particular councils. A Particular council is composed of all the bishops of the territory (including coadjutors and auxiliaries) as well as other ecclesiastical ordinaries who head particular churches in the territory (i. e. territorial abbots and vicars apostolic). A territorial abbot or abbot nullius (short for abbot of an abbey nullius diœceseos, Latin "belonging to no diocese" heads a territorial Each of these members has a vote on council legislation. Additionally, the following persons by law are part of particular councils but only participate in an advisory capacity: vicars general and episcopal, presidents of Catholic universities, deans of Catholic departments of theology and canon law, some major superiors elected by all the major superiors in the territory, some rectors of seminaries elected by the rectors of seminaries in the territory, and two members from each cathedral chapter, presbyterial council, or pastoral council in the territory (can. A vicar general (often abbreviated VG) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective Canon law is internal ecclesiastical law governing the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches and the Anglican Communion of churches 443). The convoking authority can also select other members of the faithful (including the laity) to participate in the council in an advisory capacity.

Meetings of the entire episcopate of a supra-national region have historically been called councils as well, such as the various Councils of Carthage in which all the bishops of North Africa were to attend. Synods of Carthage During the 3rd 4th and 5th centuries the town of Carthage in Africa served as the meeting-place of a large number of church synods of which however only

Synods

Synods in Eastern Rite Catholic Churches are similar to synods in Orthodox churches in that they are the primary vehicle for election of bishops and establishment of inter-diocesan ecclesiastical laws. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See The term synod in Latin rite canon law, however, refers to meetings of a representative, thematic, non-legislative (advisory) or mixed nature or in some other way do not meet the qualifications of a "council. The Latin Rite is one of the 23 Sui iuris Particular Churches within the Catholic Church. " Examples include:

• The Synod of Bishops is an innovation from the Second Vatican Council, introduced by the decree Christus Dominus. The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twentieth century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. Christus Dominus is the Second Vatican Council's Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops. It is an advisory body of the Pope, whose members are elected by bishops from around the world. The Pope serves as its president or appoints its president, determines its agenda, summons, suspends, and dissolves the synod, and can also appoint additional members to it (can. 344). Members of the synod express their opinions on matters on an individual basis (i. e. no decrees or resolutions are issued by the synod), but the Pope, at his option, can grant it that power, in which case its decrees or resolutions are approved and promulgated by him alone (can. 343). The Synod of Bishops is suspended when the Holy See is vacant. Sede vacante is the vacancy of the Episcopal see of a Particular church in the Canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.

• Diocesan synods are irregular meetings of the clergy and laity of a particular church summoned by the diocesan bishop (or other prelate if the particular church is not a diocese) to deliberate on legislative matters. A particular Church is in Catholic theology and canon law, an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognized as the equivalent of a bishop Only the diocesan bishop holds legislative authority; the other members of the diocesan synod act only in an advisory capacity. Those who must be invited to a diocesan synod by law are any coadjutor or auxiliary bishops, the vicars general and episcopal, the officialis, the vicars forane plus an additional priest from each vicariate forane, the presbyterial council, canons of the cathedral chapter (if there is one), the rector of the seminary, some of the superiors of religious houses in the diocese, and members of the laity chosen by the diocesan pastoral council, though the diocesan bishop can invite others to attend at his own initiative. A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop See also Bishop (Catholic Church An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a Diocese because A vicar general (often abbreviated VG) is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it in an Organisation or "Forane" redirects here For the veterinary anesthetic see Isoflurane. A canon (from the Latin canonicus, itself derived from the Greek κανωνικος 'relating to a rule' is a priest who is a member of certain bodies of the The word rector ("ruler" from the Latin regere and Rector meaning "Teacher" In Latin has a number of different meanings but all of them indicate an academic (can. 463)

National episcopal conferences

National episcopal conferences are another development of the Second Vatican Council. In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the They are permanent bodies consisting of all the Latin rite bishops of a nation and those equivalent to diocesan bishops in law (i. e. territorial abbots). A territorial abbot or abbot nullius (short for abbot of an abbey nullius diœceseos, Latin "belonging to no diocese" heads a territorial Bishops of other sui juris churches and papal nuncios are not members of episcopal conferences by law, though the conference itself may invite them in an advisory or voting capacity (can. Sui iuris, commonly also spelled sui juris, is a Latin phrase that literally means “of one’s own right” Nuncio is an ecclesiastical Diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word Nuntius, meaning "envoy 450).

While councils (can. 445) and diocesan synods (can. 391 & 466) have full legislative powers in their areas of competence, national episcopal conferences may only issue supplementary legislation when authorized to do so in canon law or by decree of the Holy See. The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope, and is the preeminent Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Additionally, any such supplemental legislation requires a two-thirds vote of the conference and review by the Holy See (can. 455) to have the force of law. Without such authorization and review, episcopal conferences are deliberative only and exercise no authority over their member bishops or dioceses.

Anglican usage

In the Anglican Communion, synods are elected by clergy and laity. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches In religious organizations the laity comprises all persons who are not Clergy. In most Anglican churches, there is a geographical hierarchy of synods, with General Synod at the top; bishops, clergy and laity meet as "houses" within the synod. The General Synod is the title of the governing body of some church organizations

Diocesan synods are convened by a bishop in his or her diocese, and consist of elected clergy and lay members. In the Anglican Communion, the model of government is the 'Bishop in Synod ' meaning that a diocese is governed by a bishop acting with the advice and consent of representatives

Deanery synods are convened by the Rural Dean (or Area Dean) and consist of all clergy licensed to a benefice within the deanery, plus elected lay members. In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, a Rural Dean presides over a Rural Deanery (more commonly simply referred to as a Deanery Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Catholic Church and the Church of England.

Lutheran usage

In Lutheran traditions a synod can be either a local administrative region similar to a diocese, such as the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, or denote an entire church body, such as the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther In many rites of the Roman Catholic Church and in Anglican churches, a diocese is an administrative territorial unit administered by a Bishop. The Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the largest synod, or diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ( ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago Illinois. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS founded in 1847 in Missouri, is the eighth largest Protestant denomination in the United States and the second-largest Sometimes the word is also used of the meeting of the priests of a diocese. In such case, the word carries no administrative meaning.

Presbyterian usage

In the Presbyterian system of church governance the synod is a level of administration between the local presbytery and the national general assembly. Presbyterian polity is a method of Church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of Presbyters or elders Presbyterian polity is a method of Church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of Presbyters or elders Some denominations use the synod, such as the Presbyterian Church in Canada, Uniting Church in Australia, and the Presbyterian Church USA. The Presbyterian Church in Canada is the name of a Protestant Christian church, of Presbyterian and reformed Theology The Uniting Church in Australia ( UCA) was formed on June 22 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, The Presbyterian Church (USA or PC (USA is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. However some other churches do not use the synod at all, and the Church of Scotland dissolved its synods in the 1980s, see List of Church of Scotland synods and presbyteries. The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. The Church of Scotland has a Presbyterian structure which means it is organised under a hierarchy of courts

Reformed Usage

In Swiss and Southern German Reformed churches where the Reformed churches are organized as regionally defined independent churches (e. g. Evangelical Reformed Church of Zurich, Reformed Church of Berne) the synod corresponds to the general assembly of Presbyterian churches. Presbyterian polity is a method of Church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of Presbyters or elders In Reformed churches the "synod" can denote a regional meeting of representatives of various classes (regional synod), or the national denominational meeting of representatives from the regional synods (general or national synod). Some churches, especially the smaller denominations, do not have the regional synod tier (e. g. the Reformed Church in the United States [RCUS]). The Reformed Church in the United States (RCUS is an American denomination of Christian churches standing in the Protestant tradition

Protestant usage in the Congo

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the vast majority of Protestant denominations have regrouped under a religious institution named the Church of Christ in Congo or CCC, often referred to - within the Congo - simply as The Protestant Church. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (République démocratique du Congo often referred to as DR Congo, DRC or RDC, and formerly known or referred to The Church of Christ in Congo or CCC (in French, Église du Christ au Congo or ECC) is a union of 62 Protestant denominations In the CCC structure, the national synod is the general assembly of the various churches that constitutes the CCC. From the Synod is drawn an Executive Committee, and a secretariat. There are also synods of the CCC in every province of the Congo, known appropriately as provincial synods. The CCC regroups 62 Protestant denominations.

Some notable synods

• Synods of Antioch
• Synods of Carthage 251, 255, 256, 348, 411, 418, 419, 424
• Synod of Ancyra 314
• First Synod of Tyre and Jerusalem 335
• Synod of Hippo 393
• Councils of Toledo
• Synod of Whitby 664
• Cadaver Synod 897
• Synod of Erfurt
• Synod of Charroux, 989
• Synod of Rathbreasail, 1111
• Synod of Cashel, 1172
• Synod of Verona, 1184
• Synod of Toulouse, 1229
• Synod of Dort 1618/1619
• General Synod, Anglican churches
• Holy Synod

See also

• Conciliabulum, the diminutive used for an irregular council
• Ecumenical council, respresenting the universal episcopate

External links

• Giga-Catholic Information
• Pope Benedict holds first synod
• "Synod" at the Catholic Encyclopedia

Beginning with three Synods convened between 264 and 269 in the matter of Paul of Samosata, more than thirty councils were held in Synods of Carthage During the 3rd 4th and 5th centuries the town of Carthage in Africa served as the meeting-place of a large number of church synods of which however only Events By Place Roman Empire July 1 — In the Battle of Abrittus, the Goths defeat the Romans emperors Decius Events Ma Jun, a Chinese mechanical engineer from Cao Wei, invents the South Pointing Chariot, a path-finding directional Compass Events By Place Roman Empire Goths invade Asia Minor. Dacia is lost for the Roman Empire. Events By Place Asia In Persia, women are enrolled in the army to perform auxiliary services Events By Place Western Roman Empire The Burgundians and the Alans elevate the usurper Jovinus Events By place Roman Empire Foundation of the Visigothic Kingdom, Roman Emperor Honorius rewarded his Events By Place Europe Theodorid succeeds Wallia as king of the Visigoths. Events By Place Eastern Roman Empire Future Emperor Valentinian III is appointed Caesar. The Synod of Ancyra was an ecclesiastical council or Synod, convened in Ancyra (modern day Ankara, the capital of Turkey) the seat of the Roman Events By Place Roman Empire 8 October — War between Constantine I and Licinius: Licinius is defeated at the The First Synod of Tyre (335 ce was a gathering of bishops called together by Emperor Constantine I for the primary purpose of evaluating charges brought against Events By Place Roman Empire 19 September — Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar. The Synod of Hippo refers to the synod of 393 AD which was hosted in Hippo Regius in Northern Africa during the early Christian Church. Events By Place Roman Empire 23 January — Emperor Theodosius I proclaims his nine years old son Honorius Councils of Toledo ( Concilia toletana) From the fifth to the Seventh century, about thirty Synods, variously counted were held at Toledo The Synod of Whitby was a seventh century Northumbrian Synod where King Oswiu of Northumbria ruled that his kingdom would calculate Easter and Events By Place Asia Arab armies conquer Kabul. Kuo Wu Tsung of Tang comes to Japan The Cadaver Synod (also called the Cadaver Trial or in Latin, the Synodus Horrenda) is the name commonly given to the posthumous ecclesiastical Events By place Asia Emperor Uda of Japan is succeeded by Emperor Daigo. The Synod (or Council) of Erfurt was a church council held at Erfurt in northeastern Thuringia under the presidency of Henry Events By Topic Education Sankore University is founded in Timbuktu. The Synod of Rathbreasail took place in Ireland in 1111. It marked the transition of the Irish church from a monastic to a diocesan and Cashel (Caiseal Mumhan meaning Stone Fortress of Munster) is a Town in County Tipperary, in the southern midlands of Ireland, which is also The Synod of Dort was a National Synod held in Dordrecht in 1618[[ 619|/19]] by the Dutch Reformed Church, in order to settle a serious controversy The General Synod is the title of the governing body of some church organizations Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called Conciliabulum (English synonyms conciliable conciliabule is a Latin word meaning a place of assembly This is a general introduction to ecumenical councils For the Roman Catholic councils, see Catholic Ecumenical Councils.

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