The standard council-by-council history, from the original documents: the councils to the Council of Nicaea, 325.
Edition: Internet Archive · archive.org
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From the opening: The First Œcumenical Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325 (continued)
7 Cypriani Ep. 11, p. 22; Hp. 13, p. 23; Ep. 66, p. 114; Ep. 71, p. 126 (ed. Baluz.)
® Cypriani Opp. p. 329 (ed. Bal.) ® Cyp. Epp. 31, p. 43,
bishops and of others. We learn from his thirteenth letter,! that the bishops come together with the clergy, and the laity are only present (preepositt cwm clero convententes, presente etiam stantium plebe); from his sixty-sixth letter, that the priests, etc., were the assessors of the bishops (compresbyteri, gui nobis assidebant). In other places Cyprian speaks only of the bishops as members of the synod,’ and from other passages? it comes out that the bishops had at these synods taken the advice and opinion of the laity as well as the clergy. It is never, however, in the least degree indicated that either the clergy or the laity had a votwm decisivwm; but the contrary is evident, namely, that in the Synod of Cyprian referred to, which was held September 1, 256, only bishops were voters.*
6. Eusebius relates® that a great number of bishops of Asia assembled in synod at Antioch in the year 264 or 265, on the subject of Paul of Samosata, and he adds that their priests and deacons came with them. In the following chapter Eusebius gives an account of the Synod at Antioch in 269, and makes special reference to the priest of Antioch, Malchion, who was present at the Synod, and by his logical ability compelled Paul of Samosata, who wanted to conceal his false doctrine, to explain himself clearly. In addition to this, Eusebius gives in the thirtieth chapter the circular letter which this Synod, after pronouncing the deposition of Paul, addressed to the rest of the Church. And this letter is sent forth not in the name of the bishops only, but of the other clergy who were present as well; and among these Malchion is named in the superscription, whilst the names of many of the bishops—and according to Athanasius there were seventy present—are wanting. We see, then, that priests and deacons were members of several synods; but we cannot determine from the original documents how far their rights extended, and whether they had more than a mere consultative voice in the acts of the synod. As far as analogy can guide us, it would appear they had no more.
7. In the two Arabian Synods which were held on the
1 Pp. 23, 829. 2 Ep. 71, p. 127; Ep. 73, pp. 129, 180. 3 Bp. 11, p. 22; Ep. 18, p. 23; Hp. 31, p. 43. 4 Cyp. Opp. pp. 330-338 (ed.…
Contents (123 sections)
- Opening
- Title page
- Preface
- Preface (continued)
- Introduction
- Chapters I–II
- Synods of the Third Century
- The Synods of the First Twenty Years of the Fourth
- The First Œcumenical Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325
- The First Œcumenical Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325 (continued)
- The First Œcumenical Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325 (continued)
- The First Œcumenical Council of Nicaea, A.D. 325 (continued)
- The first of Constantinople in 381
- The first of Lateran in 1123
- Introduction
- Chapter I — Councils of the First Two Centuries
- Synods Relative to Montanism
- Synods concerning the Feast of Easter
- Doubtful Synods of the Second Century
- Doubtful Synods of the Second Century (continued)
- Doubtful Synods of the Second Century (continued)
- Synods at Arsinoe and Rome
- Chapter III
- Chapter III (continued)
- Chapter III (continued)
- Chapter III (continued)
- Chapter III (continued)
- Chapter III (continued)
- Synod of Ancyra
- Synod of Ancyra (continued)
- Synod of Neocaesarea
- Synod of Neocaesarea (continued)
- Synod of Neocaesarea (continued)
- Synod of Neocaesarea (continued)
- Chapter I — Preliminary." Sec. 18. The Doctrine of the Logos prior to Arianism
- The Doctrine of the Logos Prior to Arianism
- The Doctrine of the Logos Prior to Arianism (continued)
- The Doctrine of the Logos Prior to Arianism (continued)
- Arius Obliged to Leave Alexandria
- The Letters of Arius
- The Thalia of Arius
- Synod in Bithynia
- Synod in Bithynia (continued)
- Nicaea: the Synodal Acts
- Nicaea: the Synodal Acts (continued)
- Nicaea: the Synodal Acts (continued)
- Nicaea: the Convocation by the Emperor
- Nicaea Number of the Members of the Council
- Nic.ea: Number of the Members of the Council
- Nicaea: Date of the Synod
- Nicaea: the Disputations
- Nicaea: Arrival of the Emperor
- Nicaea: Opening of the Council
- Nicaea: Manner of Deliberation
- Nicaea: Debates with the Eusebians
- Nicaea: Debates with the Eusebians (continued)
- Nicaea: the Creed of Eusebius of Caesarea
- Nicaea: the Creed of Eusebius of Caesarea (continued)
- Nicaea: the Nicene Creed
- Nicaea: the Nicene Creed (continued)
- Nicaea: Measures Taken against the Arians
- Nicaea: Decision of the Easter Question
- Nicaea: Decision of the Easter Question (continued)
- Nicaea: Decision of the Easter Question (continued)
- Nicaea: Decision of the Easter Question (continued)
- Nicaea: Decision of the Easter Question (continued)
- Nica: Decision of the Easter Question
- Nica: Decision of the Easter Question (continued)
- Nicaea: the Later Quartodecimans
- Nicaea: the Audians
- Nicaea: the Audians (continued)
- Nicaea: the Audians (continued)
- Nicaea: Decision on the Meletian Schism
- The second source of information upon the origin of the
- Nica: Decision on the Meletian Schism
- Nicaea: Decision on the Meletian Schism
- Nicaea: Decision on the Meletian Schism (continued)
- Nicaea: Number of the Canons
- Nicaea: Number of the Canons (continued)
- Nicaea Number of the Canons
- Nicaea: Number of the Canons
- Nicaea; Number of the Canons
- Nicaea; Number of the Canons (continued)
- Nicaea; Number of the Canons (continued)
- Nicaea; Number of the Canons (continued)
- Nicaea: Paphnutius and the Law of Celibacy
- Nicaea: Paphnutius and the Law of Celibacy (continued)
- Nicaea: Spurious Documents
- Nica: Spurious Documents
- Nicaea: Spurious Documents
- Nicaea: Spurious Documents (continued)
- Nicaea: Spurious Documents (continued)
- Canons of the Holy and All-Venerable Apostles
- Canons of the Holy and All-Venerable Apostles (continued)
- Index
- Index (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
- Publisher's catalogue (continued)
How to cite it
- Chicago
- Karl Joseph von Hefele. Hefele: A History of the Councils of the Church, Vol. 1. Translated by William R. Clark and others. Internet Archive, translation 1883. https://archive.org/details/cu31924092369614
- MLA
- Karl Joseph von Hefele. Hefele: A History of the Councils of the Church, Vol. 1. Translated by William R. Clark and others, Internet Archive, translation 1883. https://archive.org/details/cu31924092369614
- APA
- Karl Joseph von Hefele (translation 1883). Hefele: A History of the Councils of the Church, Vol. 1 (William R. Clark and others, Trans.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/cu31924092369614
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