Ecumenism, Primacy, Authority and Love. Faces of a Complex Theological Reality

Historical and social realities have impacted upon the ecumenical councils and their subsequent directions. Ecumenical councils are needed to strengthen communion in the church. In the course of two millennia, the Catholic Church has recognised twenty-one ecumenical councils;1 the Eastern Orthodox Church recognises the first seven as legitimate, namely, Nicaea I, Constantinople I, Ephesus, Chalcedon, Constantinople II, Constantinople III, and Nicaea II. The councils relevant to the discussion in this article are Vatican Council I and Vatican Council II, hereafter referred to as Vatican I and Vatican II, respectively.