Q&A Home > E > Ecumenical Councils

• 1. Is it true that all the Bishops (including H.H Pope Shenouda III) of the Coptic Orthodox Church meet annually is for a council? If so, what is discussed in these annual councils?
  
  
  2. Do these councils make any canons? If so, are these canons considered infallible and beyond correction?
  
  
  3. Are these yearly councils considered ecumenical councils?
  
  
  4. Does the Coptic Orthodox Church recognize only three ecumenical councils (Nicaea 325, Constantinople 381 and Ephesus 431) since the Lord Jesus Christ had established the Christian Church till today?
  
  
  5. Is it possible to have a new ecumenical council in the future? If so, what Churches would have to participate in order for the council to be ecumenical?
  
  
  6. Are the canons of the three ecumenical councils (Nicaea 325, Constantinople 381 and Ephesus 431) considered infallible, beyond correction?
• Could you please tell me how your Coptic Church justifies being part of the WCC and of the ecumenical movement? Why should one accept the seven ecumenical councils as inspired by the Holy Spirit?
• If the doctrinal decisions of Ecumenical Councils are infallible, and since the Council of Chalcedon was an Ecumenical Council, how could the doctrinal decisions of the Council of Chalcedon be wrong? Can you explain why the first three Councils are considered Ecumenical while that of Chalcedon isn't?