Page "Ecumenical council" Paragraph 51

Although some Protestants reject the concept of an ecumenical council establishing doctrine for the entire Christian faith, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox all accept the authority of ecumenical councils in principle.

Where they differ is in which councils they accept and what the conditions are for a council to be considered " ecumenical ".

The relationship of the Papacy to the validity of ecumenical councils is a ground of controversy between Roman Catholicism and the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

The Roman Catholic Church holds that recognition by the Pope is an essential element in qualifying a council as ecumenical ; Eastern Orthodox view approval by the Pope of Rome as being roughly equivalent to that of other patriarchs.