Christian church councils

Christian church councils are meetings of church authorities to consider and rule on Christian doctrine, canon laws, and other matters.

Council of Elvira
The Council of Elvira during the early fourth century prohibited eating with Jews (Canon 50), prohibited marriage between Jewish males with Christian females (Canon 16), and prohibited fields from being blessed by Jews (Canon 49).

Council of Nicaea
The Council of Nicaea was convened by the first Christian Roman emperor Constantine in 325.

Constantine on the results of the Council of Nicaea: “... It was declared to be particularly unworthy for this, the holiest of all festivals, to follow the custom [the calculation] of the Jews, who had soiled their hands with the most fearful of crimes, and whose minds were blinded. In rejecting their custom, we may transmit to our descendants the legitimate mode of celebrating Easter, which we have observed from the time of the Savior’s Passion to the present day [according to the day of the week]. We ought not, therefore, to have anything in common with the Jews, for the Savior has shown us another way; our worship follows a more legitimate and more convenient course (the order of the days of the week); and consequently, in unanimously adopting this mode, we desire, dearest brethren, to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the Jews, for it is truly shameful for us to hear them boast that without their direction we could not keep this feast. How can they be in the right, they who, after the death of the Savior, have no longer been led by reason but by wild violence, as their delusion may urge them? They do not possess the truth in this Easter question; for, in their blindness and repugnance to all improvements, they frequently celebrate two passovers in the same year. We could not imitate those who are openly in error. How, then, could we follow these Jews, who are most certainly blinded by error? for to celebrate the passover twice in one year is totally inadmissible. But even if this were not so, it would still be your duty not to tarnish your soul by communications with such wicked people [the Jews]. ...”

Council of Antioch
In 341, the Council of Antioch condemned those observing Easter with Jews.

Council of Laodicea
In the later half of the fourth century, the Council of Laodicea issued canons restricting interactions with Jews and committing Jewish practices. Canon 29 prohibited Christians from keeping the Sabbath and “if they are found Judaising they shall be shut out from Christ”, Canon 37, and Canon 38 restricted Christians from accepting gifts and unleavened bread from Jews, and from taking “part in their profanity.”

Council of Clermont
The Council of Clermont in 535 prohibited Jews from holding office and prohibited marriage between Jews and Christians.

Third Council of Orleans
In 538, the Third Council of Orleans prohibited Jews from walking public streets during Passion Week.

Councils of Toledo
The ecclesiastical Third Council of Toledo, convened by Bishop Leander of Seville under Visigothic King Recared I in 589, enacted restrictions against Jews in Canon 14. It forbade Jews from having Christian wives, concubines, and slaves. Children of mixed marriages with Jews were to be baptized into Christianity. The council also disqualified Jews from holding any office in which they could punish Christians.

The Fourth Council of Toledo in 633 convened by King Sisenand decreed: “If a Jew has a Christian wife and wishes to live with her, he must become a Christian; if he will not do so, they are to be separated, and the children go with the mother; in the same fashion the children of unbelieving [Jewish] mothers and Christian fathers, become Christians.”

In 638, the Sixth Council of Toledo, convoked by King Chintila, established that only Catholics can live in Spain: Jews had to convert or leave Spain.

The Twelfth Council of Toledo, initiated by King Erwig and presided over by Archbishop Julian of Toledo, issued 28 laws condemning the Jewish people in 681. The council demanded the Jews' conversion or expulsion.

The Seventeenth Council of Toledo in 694 was convened by King Egica and decreed for Jews to be enslaved and their children to be taken and raised as Christians.

Fifth Council of Paris
In 614, the Fifth Council of Paris forbade Jews from serving any military or administrative office.

Council of Coyanza
In the mid-11th century, the Council of Coyanza forbade living or eating with Jews.

Council of Szabolcs
The Council of Szabolcs issued laws restricting Jews from having Christian wives and slaves in 1092.

Councils of the Lateran
In 1179, Pope Alexander III presided and over 290 bishops attended the Third Council of the Lateran. Canon 26, a law that was a result of the council, banned Jews from employing Christian servants.

The Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 was gathered by Pope Innocent III. Some laws or canons resulting from the council were aimed at the Jews. Canon 68 forced Jews to wear a Jewish badge and hat, Canon 69 disqualified Jews from holding public offices, and Canon 70 forbade Jews that converted to Christianity from returning to Judaism.

Council of Oxford
The Council of Oxford convened by Archbishop Stephen Langton in 1222 forced Jews to wear a Jewish badge and forbade the construction of new synagogues.

Council of Breslau
The Council of Breslau in the mid-13th century ordered for Poland the prohibition of Jews from living next to Christians, the requirement of Jews to wear a distinctive hat, and that Jews were not to have more than one synagogue in a town.

Statement by the papal legate of Pope Clement IV at the Council of Breslau: “Since the Poles are a new plantation on the soil of Christendom, we must continually be on our guard lest the Christian population here, where the Christian religion has not yet taken deep root in the hearts of believers, succumb to the influence of the counterfeit faith and the evil habits of the Jews living in their midst.”

Council of Buda
In 1279, the Council of Buda in Hungary decreed that Jews are to wear a Jewish badge.

Council of Basel
The Council of Basel in 1434 forbade Jews from obtaining academic degrees.