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Council

Definition: Council

Council

Noun

1. A body serving in an administrative capacity; "student council".

2. A meeting of people for consultation; "emergency council".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "council" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1050. (references)

 

Specialty Definition: Council

DomainDefinition

Bible

Council spoken of counsellors who sat in public trials with the governor of a province (Acts 25:12). The Jewish councils were the Sanhedrim, or supreme council of the nation, which had subordinate to it smaller tribunals (the "judgment," perhaps, in Matt. 5:21, 22) in the cities of Palestine (Matt. 10:17; Mark 13:9). In the time of Christ the functions of the Sanhedrim were limited (John 16:2; 2 Cor. 11:24). In Ps. 68:27 the word "council" means simply a company of persons. (R.V. marg., "company.") In ecclesiastical history the word is used to denote an assembly of pastors or bishops for the discussion and regulation of church affairs. The first of these councils was that of the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, of which we have a detailed account in Acts 15. Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary.

Economics

An assembly of persons summoned or convened for consultation, deliberation, or advice. Source: European Union. (references)

General

Group of members responsible for establishing and enforcing the rules and regulations of a society or association. Source: European Union. (references)

Public Administration

Council consisting of the Ministers for foreign Affairs of the participating States. Source: European Union. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Specialty Definition: Council

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

A Council is a group of people who usually possess some powers of governance.

Examples:

Other definitions:

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Council."

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Council of Nicaea

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Council of Nicaea can refer to:

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Council of Nicaea."

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Council of the European Union

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

The Council of the European Union forms (along with the European Parliament) the legislative arm of the European Union (EU). It contains ministers of the governments of each of the member-states of the EU.

It is to be distinguished from the Council of Europe, which is a completely separate international organization, and the European Council, which is a separate (though closely related) EU institution. The Council of the European Union is sometimes referred to in official European Union documents simply as the Council, and it is often informally referred to as the Council of Ministers.

The Council is assisted by COREPER, which consists of representatives of the member-state at the level of diplomats or high-level civil servants. COREPER generally prepares the Council agenda, and negotiates minor and non-controversial matters, leaving controversial issues for discussion by the Council.

While legally speaking the Council is a single entity, it is in practice divided into several different councils, each dealing with a different functional area. The General Affairs Council is the most important of these, containing Foreign Ministers. Each council contains a different type of minister: e.g. the Agriculture Council contains Agriculture Ministers, and so on.

The Council has a President and a Secretary-General. The President of the Council is the Foreign Minister of the state currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union; while the Secretary-General is a civil servant, the head of the Council Secretariat. The Secretary-General also serves as the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP).

The countries of the EU own a different number of vote in the Council, dependent on the size of their population. This is the distribution of votes proposed in the European constitution:

Coutrypopulationvotespopulation per voterelative weight
Luxembourg0,441000001.00
Malta0,431333330.75
Cyprus0,842000000.50
Estonia1,443500000.28
Slovenia2,045000000.20
Ireland3,775285710.19
Lativa3,775285710.19
Lithuania2,446000000.17
Finland5,277428570.13
Denemark5,377571430.13
Slovakia5,477714290.13
Austria8,1108100000.12
Portugal9,9128250000.12
Hungary10,0128333330.12
Belgium10,2128500000.12
Czech Republic10,3128583330.12
Greece10,6128833330.11
Sweden8,9108900000.11
Netherlands15,81312153850.08
Poland38,62714296300.07
Spain39,42714592590.07
Italy57,72919896550.05
France59,12920379310.05
United Kingdom59,42920482760.05
Germany82,02928275860.04

In this table population is given in millions, population/seat measures how many inhabitants are represented by one seat, and relative weight measures how much a single inhabitant is represented relative to inhabitants from Luxembourg. E.g., a German citizen has only 4% as much influence as has someone from Luxembourg.

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Council of the European Union."

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Council, Idaho

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Council is a city located in Adams County, Idaho. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 816. The city is the county seat of Adams County6.

Geography


Council is located at 44°43'48" North, 116°26'10" West (44.730083, -116.436213)1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.9 km² (0.7 mi²). 1.9 km² (0.7 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.

Demographics


As of the census of 2000, there are 816 people, 339 households, and 223 families residing in the city. The population density is 431.6/km² (1,121.5/mi²). There are 425 housing units at an average density of 224.8/km² (584.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 96.57% White, 0.00% African American, 1.72% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 1.35% from two or more races. 1.59% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 339 households out of which 27.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% are married couples living together, 7.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% are non-families. 30.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.29 and the average family size is 2.87. In the city the population is spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 43 years. For every 100 females there are 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 103.3 males. The median income for a household in the city is $24,375, and the median income for a family is $30,000. Males have a median income of $26,667 versus $11,691 for females. The per capita income for the city is $15,170. 15.2% of the population and 11.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 16.1% are under the age of 18 and 19.0% are 65 or older.

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Council, Idaho."

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Ecumenical council

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

In Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy, an ecumenical council (Greek, Oikumene, "World-wide" or "General") is a meeting of the bishops of the whole church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. "The whole church" is construed by Eastern Orthodoxy as including the bishops of both the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches -- no such meeting has happened since the 8th century -- whereas Catholics take it to mean only those in full communion with the Pope. More local meetings are sometimes called "synods", but the distinction between a synod and a council is not hard and fast.

Council Documents

Church councils were, from the beginning, bureaucratic exercises. Written documents were circulated, speeches made and responded to, votes taken, and final documents published and distributed. A large part of what we know about the beliefs of heresies comes from the documents quoted in councils in order to be refuted, or indeed only from the deductions based on the refutations. For all councils Canons (Greek kanon, "rule" or "ruling") were published and survive. In some cases other documentation survives as well. Study of the canons of church councils is the foundation of the development of canon law, especially the reconciling of seemingly contradictory canons or the determination of priority between them. Canons consist of doctrinal statements and disciplinary measures -- most Church councils and local synods dealt with immediate disciplinary concerns as well as major difficulties of doctrine. Eastern Orthodoxy typically views the purely doctrinal canons as dogmatic and applicable to the entire church at all times, while the disciplinary canons are the application of those dogmas in a particular time and place; these canons may or may not be applicable in other situations.

Acceptance of the Councils

Both the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches recognize seven councils in the early years of the church, but Catholics also recognize fourteen councils called in later years by the Pope, whose authority the Eastern Orthodox regard as extending only over Christians in some Western countries, rather than over all Christians. Since the seventh ecumenical council, the Eastern Orthodox have had what they call Pan-Orthodox councils with representatives of all Eastern Orthodox churches, but they have not claimed that these councils were ecumenical. That would require including the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church does not recognize the Pan-Orthodox councils either.

Many Protestants (especially those belonging to the magisterial traditions, such as Lutheranism and Anglicanism) accept the teachings of the first seven councils, but do not ascribe to the councils themselves the same authority as Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox do.

The Oriental Orthodox only accept the teachings of some of the councils: the Nestorians only accept the First Council of Nicaea and the First Council of Constantinople, while the Monophysites only accept Nicaea I, Constantinople I and the Council of Ephesus. Their differences in understanding of the nature and relationship of the Son and the Spirit to the Trinity were worked out and defined at those councils, and so they broke away from union with the larger body.

The first seven councils were called by the emperor (first the Christian Roman Emperors and later the Byzantine Emperors). Most historians agree that the emperors called the councils to force the Christian bishops to resolve divisive issues and reach consensus. They hoped that maintaining unity in the Church would help maintain unity in the Empire. The relationship of the Papacy to the validity of these councils is the ground of much controversy between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Churches and to historians.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rejects the early ecumenical councils for what they see as misguided human attempts without divine assistance to decide matters of doctrine as if doctrine were handed down by democratic debate or politics rather than revelation. That such councils were even considered is evidence enough to them that the original Christian church had fallen into apostasy and was no longer directly led by divine authority. They see the calling of such councils, for example, by an unbaptized (let alone unordained) Roman Emperor as preposterous and that the emperors used the councils to exercise their influence to shape and institute Christianity to their liking.

Some Protestants especially among independent fundamentalist churches, condemn the ecumenical councils for their own reasons. Independency, or congregationalism, among Protestants, involves the rejection of any governmental structure or binding authority above local congregations and therefore conformity to the decisions of these councils is considered purely voluntary, and binding only insofar as those doctrines are derived from the Scriptures. Along with this, they reject the idea that anyone other than the authors of Scripture can directly lead other Christians by original divine authority; after the New Testament, the doors of revelation are closed. New doctrines, not derived from the sealed canon of Scripture, are impossible and unnecessary, whether proposed by church councils or by more recent prophets.

List of councils:

the Seven Councils called by Emperors and accepted by Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches as Ecumenical Councils called by the Popes, rejected by the Eastern Orthodox Churches as Ecumenical See also: Synod

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Ecumenical council."

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Municipality

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

A municipality or general-purpose district (see also: special-purpose district) is an administrative region generally composed of a clearly defined area and commonly referring to a city, town, or village government. Municipalities are not necessarily the same as townships. In most countries, this is the smallest administrative subdivision that has its own democratically elected representative leadership.

See also: Council-manager government, Mayor, Mayor-council government, muni, Political science, Special-purpose district, Subnational entity

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Municipality."

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Privy Council of Sweden

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

The Privy Council, or Riksrådet, was the principal government institution of Sweden from 1319 to 1974.

The Privy Council originated as a council of personal advisers to the Monarch where the foremost advisor received the title of Earl of Jarl. The last Earl of Sweden was Birger Jarl who died in 1266 and during the reign of king Magnus I of Sweden between 1275 and 1290 the informal meetings became a permanent institution called the Royal Council or Kungligt råd. In 1319 the name had been changed to Rikets råd or Council of the Realm, and had the offices of Lord Chancellor (Kansler), Chief Justfice (Drots) and Constable (Marsk).

Modern Sweden

The Royal declaration of 1611, the Constitution of 1634 and government under King Gustavus Adolphus and Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna layed a foundation for the modern Sweden. The current administrative subdivision into Counties is a legacy from this time. The senior posts of the Privy Council had been expanded to five:

Parliamentarism vs. Absolute Monarcy

King Charles XII had issued a new working order for the Privy Council Chancellery in 1713 to enable him to conduct government from the field. This provided opportunity for Riksdag of the Estates to influence the Constitutionss of 1719 and 1721, that gave Sweden half a century of parliamentary government. The Privy Council now had 16 members, was lead by the king, where each councilor had one vote, except for the king who had two. The Council was the government of the kingdom but also the supreme judicial authority. The estates could remove displeasing councilors, a tenet of parliamentary power and the majority would appoint the Chancellery President who was the first among equals in the Council. The Freedom of the Press Act was established during this period, 1766.

This parliamentary government would remain until the bloodless Coup d'Etat, or Revolution, perpetrated by king Gustav III in 1772 which restored royal sovereignty, under dictatorial forms. The loss of the Finnish War in 1809 by his son Gustav IV Adolf restored initiative to the Estates which used it to remove the King and replace him with a new dynasty and a new constitution.

The Constitution of 1809

On June 6, 1809 the new Constitution was adopted, and while the King still controlled the Council; the powers of Government had to be shared with the Estates. The Privy Council was revived, now with nine members where the leading members were the Prime Minister of State and the Prime Minister of Justice. The departmental reform of 1840 successfully created seven departments, or ministries, under the Council to better organize the tasks of government. In 1866 the Estates were abolished and the new Riksdag was organized in two chambers. The office Prime Minster was instituted in 1876, with Louis de Geer as the first head of Government.

In 1917 the parliamentarian principles had been firmly established in Swedish politics and the Monarch was no longer able to exercise any of his constitutionally granted political powers. The Government depended politically on support from the Parliament, but the powers were still exercised under the Royal authority of the Privy Council. The Swedish term used for the council, i. e. the Government, during this period was Kungl. Maj:t, an abbreviation of Kungligt Majestät (i Konselj), or Royal Majesty (in Council) in English.

The Constitution of 1974

In 1974 a new Instrument of Government replaced the previous one from 1809, which abolished the Privy Council as an active Government institution and replaced it, also formally, with a Cabinet Government under the Parliament.

Its function since 1975 has been limited to the initial meeting by each new Cabinet, which are held in Council, at the Royal Castle, chaired by the King, following approval by Parliament.

List of Lords High Chancellor and Chancellry Presidents

See also: History of Sweden, List of Swedish monarchs, Privy Council of the British monarch

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Privy Council of Sweden."

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Second Vatican Council

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

The Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II, was a pastoral, non-dogmatic ecumenical council of the Catholic church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. That the Council was pastoral and non-dogmatic is made clear by the Opening Address of the Second Vatican Council given by Pope John XXIII on October 11, 1962. It has often been cited as the most significant event in Catholicism in the 20th century.

For Catholics, the most visible results of various interpretations of the Council's sixteen documents were changes in how church sacraments were practiced, the use of vernacular languages for the Mass, and a revolutionary new attitude towards their relationship with Jews. Various interpretations of the council documents also brought less visible, but fundamental changes in how the Catholic church saw itself and its relationship with other faiths and the world. The outcome of the most commonly accepted interpretations of its documents has been widely accepted by Catholics worldwide, but not without opposition (see, for example, traditional Catholicism and sedevacantism).

Background

By the 1950s, liberal trends in Catholic theological and biblical studies had begun to move away from the neo-scholasticism and biblical literalism that the reaction to the Modernist heresy had enforced from the First Vatican Council well into the 20th century. This liberalism sprang from theologians such as Yves Congar and Karl Rahner who looked to integrate modern human experience with Christian truth, as well as others such as Joseph Ratzinger and Henri de Lubac who looked to what they saw as a more "accurate" understanding of scripture and the early Church Fathers as a source of "renewal" -- in spite of Pope Gregory XVI's Mirari Vos which warned against those ideas of "renewal."

At the same time the world's bishops faced tremendous challenges driven by political, social, economic and technical change. Many of these bishops sought changes in church structure and practice to "better" address those challenges, changes they thought long overdue. The First Vatican Council had been held nearly a century before, but had been cut short by the effects of the Franco-Prussian War. As a result, only deliberations on the role of the Papacy were completed, with examination of pastoral and dogmatic issues concerning the whole church left undone. Pope Pius XII had considered convening a Council in order to address these issues and to confront Communism, but was advised not to do so because the presence of Modernists threatened to undermine his efforts and revolutionize the Church.

Pope John XXIII had no such qualms, however, and gave notice of his intention to convene the Council less than three months after his election in 1959. While in many messages over the next three years he expressed his intentions in formal detail, one of the best known images is of Pope John, when asked why the Council was needed, opened a window and reportedly said "I want to throw open the windows of the Church so that we can see out and the people can see in." In order not to offend the Orthodox in Communist countries, he consented, through the Pact of Metz, to a policy that became known as Ostpolitik, which ensured that the Council would not confront the realities of Communism.

Sessions

Preparations for the council, which took more than two years, included work from 10 specialized commissions, along with secretariats for mass media and Christian Unity, and a Central Commission for overall coordination. These groups, made up mostly of members of the Roman Curia, produced 73 proposed consitutions and decrees (known as schemas) intended for consideration by the council. It was expected that these groups would be succeeded by similarly constituted commissions during the council itself that would carry out the main work of drafting and reviewing proposals before presentation to the council as a whole for review and expected approval.

The general sessions of the council were held in the fall of four successive years (in four periods) 1962-1965. During the rest of the year special commissions met to review and collate the work of the bishops and to prepare for the next period. Sessions were held in Latin, in St. Peter's Basilica, with secrecy kept as to discussions held and opinions expressed. Speeches (called interventions) were limited to 10 minutes. Much of the work of the council, though, went on in a variety of other commission meetings (which could be held in other languages), as well as diverse informal meetings and social contacts outside of the council proper.

2,908 persons (referred to as Council Fathers) were entitled to seats at the council. This included all bishops, as well as many superiors of male religious orders. 2,540 took part in the opening session, making it the largest gathering in any council in church history. Attendance varied in later sessions from 2,100 to over 2,300. In addtion, a varying number of periti (Latin for "experts") were available for theological consultation -- a group that turned out to have a major influence as the council went forward. 17 Orthodox and Protestant denominations were represented by observers.

First Period (October 11 to December 8, 1962)

The council formally opened in a public session which included the Council Fathers as well as representatives of 86 governments and international bodies. In the first general session, the bishops voted to not proceed as planned by the curial preparatory commissions, but to first consult among themselves, both in national and regional groups, as well as in more informal gatherings. This resulted in a reworking of the structure of the council commissions, as well as changing the priority of issues considered.

Issues considered during the sessions included liturgy, mass communications, the Eastern Rite churches, and the nature of revelation. Most notably, the schema on revelation was rejected by a majority of bishops, and Pope John intervened to require its rewriting.

After adjournment, work began on preparations for the sessions scheduled for 1963. However these halted after the death of Pope John XXIII on June 3, 1963. Pope Paul VI was elected on June 22, 1963, and immediately announced that the council would continue.

Second Period (September 29 to December 4, 1963)

In the months prior to the first general session, Pope Paul worked to correct some of the problems of organization and procedure that had been discovered during the first period. This included inviting additional lay Catholic and non-Catholic observers, reducing the number of proposed schemas to 17 (which were made more general, in keeping with the pastoral nature of the council), and later eliminating the requirement of secrecy surrounding general sessions.

Pope Paul's opening address stressed the pastoral nature of the council, and set out four purposes for it:

During this period, the bishops approved the constitution on the liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium) and the decree on the media of social communication (Inter Mirifica). Work went forward with the schemas on the church, bishops and dioceses, and ecumenism. On November 8, 1963, Joseph Cardinal Frings openly criticized the Holy Office (once known as the Inquisition) which drew a vehement defense of it by its Secretary, Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani. This exchange is often considered the most dramatic of the council.

Third Period (September 14 to November 21, 1964)

In the period between the second and third periods, the proposed schemas were further revised based on comments from the council fathers. A number of topics were reduced to statements of fundamental propositions that could gain approval during the third period, with postconciliar commissions handling implementation of these measures. Eight religious and seven lay women observers were invited to the sessions of the third period, along with additional male lay observers.

During this period, the council fathers worked through a large volume of proposals. Schemas on ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio), the Eastern Rite churches (Orientalium Ecclesiarum), and the constitution of the Church (Lumen Gentium) were approved and promulgated by the Pope.

A votum or statement concerning the sacrament of marriage for the guidance of the commission revising the Code of Canon Law regarding a wide variety of juridicial, ceremonial and pastoral issues. The bishops submitted this schema with a request for speedy approval, but the Pope did not act during the council. Pope Paul also instructed the bishops to defer the topic of artificial contraception (birth control) to a commission of clerical and lay experts that he had appointed.

Schemas on the life and ministry of priests and the missionary activity of the Church were rejected and sent back to commissions for complete rewriting. Work continued on the remaining schemas, in particular those on the Church in the modern world, and religious freedom. There was controversy over revisions of the decree on religious freedom, and the failure to vote on it during the third period, but Pope Paul promised that this schema would be the first to be reviewed in the next session.

Pope Paul closed the third period by announcing a change in the eucharistic fast, and a formal declaration of Mary as "Mother of the Church," as had always been taught.

Fourth Period (September 14 to December 8, 1965)

Eleven schemas remained unfinished at the end of the third period, and commissions worked to give them their final form. Schema 13, on the Church in the modern world, was revised by a commission that worked with the assistance of laymen.

Pope Paul opened the last period of council sessions with the establishment of a Synod of Bishops. This more permanent structure was intended to preserve close cooperation of the bishops with the Pope after the council.

The first business of the fourth period was the consideration of the decree on religious freedom, which may be the most controversial of the conciliar documents. The vote was 1,997 for to 224 against (a margin that widened even farther by the time the bishop's final signing of the decree (Dignitatis Humanae). The principal work of the rest of the period was work on three documents, all of which were approved by the council fathers. The lengthened and revised pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world (Gaudium et Spes), was followed by decrees on missionary activity (Ad Gentes) and the ministry and life of priests (Presbyterorum Ordinis).

The council also gave final approval to other documents that had been considered in earlier sessions. This included decrees on the pastoral office of bishops (Christus Dominus), the life of persons in religious orders (expanded and modified from earlier sessions)(Perfectae Caritatis), education for the priesthood (Optatam Totius), Christian education (Gravissimum Educationis) and the role of the laity (Apostolicam Actuositatem).

One of the most influential documents was Nostra Aetate, which affirmed, as did the documents of the 16th century Council of Trent, that "the Jews" as individuals are no more responsible for the death of Christ than Christians are (see Catechism of the Council of Trent, Article IV).

True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ; still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today. Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures. All should see to it, then, that in catechetical work or in the preaching of the word of God they do not teach anything that does not conform to the truth of the Gospel and the spirit of Christ. Furthermore, in her rejection of every persecution against any man, the Church, mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.

More on this topic is available in the article on Christian-Jewish reconciliation.

A major event of the final days of the council was the act of Pope Paul and Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras joint expression of regret for many of the past actions that had led up to the Great Schism between the western and eastern churches. On December 8, 1965, the Second Vatican Council was formally closed, with the bishops professing their obedience to the council's decrees. To help carry forward the work of the council, Pope Paul:

Issues

The Church

Perhaps the most famous, and most influential product of the council is the second chapter of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium. This chapter, titled On the People of God, sought to clearly define that the Church is all those who believe in Christ:

At all times and in every race God has given welcome to whosoever fears Him and does what is right. God, however, does not make men holy and save them merely as individuals, without bond or link between one another. Rather has it pleased Him to bring men together as one people, a people which acknowledges Him in truth and serves Him in holiness... (LG 9)

In opposition to previous papal assertions that the Roman Catholic Church "is" the Church of Christ, the council declared that the single, unified Church "subsists in" the Roman Catholic Church "which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him, although many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside of its visible structure" (LG 8). The hierarchical teaching structure of Church was reconfirmed, while stressing the unique roles that religious orders and lay persons had, and that there was a "universal call to holiness", for all Christians.

Liturgy

One of the first issues considered by the council, and the matter that has had the most immediate effect on the lives of individual Catholics has been revision of the liturgy. The central idea was (from the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy):

Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy. Such participation by the Christian people as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people (1 Pet. 2:9; cf. 2:4-5), is their right and duty by reason of their baptism.(Sacrosanctum Concilium 14)

Vatican II went much further in its ideas of "active anticipation" than previous Popes allowed. The council fathers established guidelines to govern the revision of the liturgy, which included allowing the use of local languages instead of Latin, in direct opposition to Quo Primum by Pope St. Pius V and to Mediator Dei by Pope Pius XII. As bishops (individually or in groups) determined, local or national customs could be carefully incorporated into the liturgy.

Most of the concrete work of liturgical revision was actually carried out by commissions after the councils, and by national and regional conferences of bishops. Foremost among these commissions was the Consilium, headed by Archbishop Annibale Bugnini, a suspected Freemason, who was aided by Protestants.

Scripture and Divine Revelation

The council sought to revive the central role of scripture in the theological and devotional life of the Church, while continuing the work of 20th century popes in carefully crafting a more modern approach to scriptural analysis and interpretation. This would involve revelation both by scripture and tradition. An approach to interpretation that is open to research into the sources and forms of scripture was approved by the bishops, under the governance and guidance of the church's teaching authority. The Church was to continue to provide versions of the Bible in the "mother tongue" of the faithful, and both clergy and laity were to make Bible study a central part of their lives. This merely affirmed the importance of Sacred Scripture as attested to by Providentissimus Deus by Pope Leo XIII and the writings of the Saints, Doctors, and Popes throughout Church history.

The Bishops

Prior to the council, the Catholic Church was often described as a rigidly hierarchical organization, with priests answering to bishops, bishops answering to archbishops or primates and on upward to the Pope at the apex. At Vatican II, certain council fathers, in the name of "collegiality," sought to elevate the role of a bishop while downplaying the role of the Petrine Ministry (i.e., the role of the Pope). In addition, the role of the bishops grouped together, as the whole College of Bishops (as in the council), or in particular groups for specific places, was enhanced. These bishops' conferences have taken over much of the role that archbishops and provinces played in the past and, coupled with the downplaying of the Petrine Ministry, have given the Church two earthly heads: the College of Bishops and the Pope. Traditional Catholics argue that this emphasis on "collegiality" is not only wrong in terms of ecclesiology, but has led to a rampant lack of discipline.

Effects of the Council

Many hail the Second Vatican Council as a modernizing event that has brought the Church away from its dogmatic view of Scripture, devotion to Scholasticism, and firm ideas on the "Four Last Things" (i.e., Death, Judgement, Heaven, and Hell). They see Vatican II as being the beginning of a "New Springtime" what has been a source of renewal and revitalization for what they believe was a stagnant institution. Others view the Council as having been a negative (or mostly negative) influence for those very same reasons. Traditional Catholics tend to see the Council as having changed the focus of the Church from the "saving of souls" to centering on man's temporal well-being.

Effects of the Council in the United States of America

Kenneth C. Jones's "Index of Leading Catholic Indicators: The Church Since Vatican II" cites the following statistics comparing measurable aspects of Catholic life in the United States before and after the Second Vatican Council:

Priests in USA:
1930-1965 doubled to 58,000
since 1965: 45,000
Projection: by 2020: 31,000, half over 70

Priestless parishes:
1965: 1%
2002: 15%

Ordinations in USA:
1965: 1,575
2002: 450

Seminarians:
1965: 49,000
2002: 4,700 ( -90%)

Seminaries:
1965: 600
2002: 200

Sisters:
1965: 180,000
2002: 75,000, average age 68

Teaching nuns:
1965: 104,000
2002: 8,200 ( -94%)

Jesuits:
1965: 3,559
2000: 389

Christian Brothers seminarians:
1965: 912
2000: 7

Franciscans:
1965: 3,379
2000: 84

Catholic High Schools: -50%

Catholic Parochial Schools: -4,000

Catholic marriages: -33%

Annulments:
1968: 338
2002: 50,000

Mass attendance:
1958: 3 out of 4
2002: 1 out of 4

Lay religious teachers who agree with:
contraception: 90%
abortion: 53%
divorce and remarriage: 65%
missing Mass: 77%

Catholics aged 18-44 who don't believe in transubstantiation: 70%

There is debate as to the meaning of statistics such as these, which are often used by traditional Catholics to buttress their case that the ambiguity of Vatican II documents, and interpretations of those documents, have had a negative impact on the Church. Some Catholics believe that the use of such statistics as a premise of the traditional Catholic argument manifests the logical fallacy of confusing correlation with causation. Traditional Catholics, citing research conducted by Fordham University's Dr. James Lothian which compared the above sorts of statistics with those relevant to Protestantism, argue that no such decline has occured in Protestant faith communities of the same time period.

Documents

The complete text of the 16 principal documents are available online at several locations:

Constitutions

Decrees

Declarations

Aftermath

External Links

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Territorial Authorities of New Zealand

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Territorial Authorities in New Zealand are, sorted by their encompassing regions, are as below. There are 59 district council areas, including unitary authorities. Note that each territorial authority is a separate legal entity from the encompassing regional council, except for unitary authorities, which are territorial authorities also carrying the functions of a regional council. Also note that some territorial authorities have more than one encompassing region, for example, Franklin District Council is encompassed by both the Auckland and Waikato regional councils. Trading names are as indicated. Chatham Islands Council has no encompassing region.

See also: List of cities in New Zealand, List of regions in New Zealand and (for historical information only) List of provincial districts in New Zealand.

Territorial Authorities

North Island

South Island

Stewart Island

Chatham Islands

[*] With the exception of Hutt City Council and Chatham Islands Council, all territorial authorities are directly named after the area they cover. Hutt City Council covers Lower Hutt City (Lower Hutt City (Name of City Council) Act 1991). The Chatham Islands Council covers a district known as Chatham Islands Territory, and has no encompassing region (Chatham Islands Council Act 1995).

Offshore islands

There are eight islands where the Minister of Local Government is the territorial authority, three of which have a 'significant population and/or permanent buildings and structures.'

Changes since 1989

Since the 1989 amalgamations conducted by the Local Government Commission, there have been few major reorganisations or status changes in local government. Incomplete list:

External Links and Sources

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Vatican Council

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

The First Vatican Council took place in 1869 - 1870 and was the 20th of ecumenical councils recognized by Roman Catholicism.

The Second Vatican Council took place in the 1962 - 1965 and was the 21st.

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Vatican Council."

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Abbreviations & Acronyms: Council

The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted.
EntrySourceExpressionField
COEEnglishCouncil of Entente StatesPolitics & International Affaires

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

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Synonyms: Council

Synonyms: convention, diet, meeting, parliament, synod. (additional references)

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Synonyms within Context: Council

ContextSynonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus).

Government

Office of the president, office of the prime minister, cabinet; senate, house of representatives, parliament; council; courts, supreme court; state, interior, labor, health and human services, defense, education, agriculture, justice, commerce, treasury; Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI; Central Intelligence Agency, CIA; NIH; Postal Service, Post Office; Federal Aviation Administration, FAA.

Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus.

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Crosswords: Council

English words defined with "council": alderman, Amphictyonic, Amphictyons, Antenicene, Atrede ♦ Bench of bishops, Bencher, Boy Scouts of America, Bundesrath ♦ Cabinet councilor, Canon law, Central Intelligence Agency, Chamber council, CIA, City council, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Conciliabule, Conciliary, Congress water, Consociation, convene, Council chamber, council member, Councilist, councillor, councillorship, councilman, Councilor, councilorship, councilwoman, Court of delegates ♦ direction, divan, diwan ♦ Economic and Social Council, Economic and Social Council commission, Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America, ECOSOC, ECOSOC commission, Ex cathedra, executive council ♦ guidance ♦ Hieromnemon ♦ ineluctably, inescapably, inevitably ♦ Moot-hill ♦ Nicene ♦ Old Catholic, Order in Council ♦ Panpresbyterian, Papal infallibility, Placet, pontifex, Population Commission, Primitive Fathers, Privy council, Privy councilor, Pylagore ♦ respectfully ♦ Sanhedrim, Sc, Security Council, Social Development Commission, Soviet, Star-chamber, Statistical Commission, steering, synod ♦ Tc, Townhall, Tridentine, Trusteeship Council ♦ unavoidably ♦ Witenagemote, with all respect, works council, world council. (references)
Specialty definitions using "council": Aulic Council ♦ central works council, City Council ♦ DIRECTOR, SAFETY COUNCIL, divisional works council ♦ European Works Council, Exam Council ♦ Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, Federal Networking Council ♦ Governing Council, group works council ♦ National Council of Community Bankers, Netherlands Universities Council ♦ works council health and safety committee. (references)
Etymologies containing "council": Pylagore. (references)

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Modern Usage: Council

DomainUsage

Screenplays

I can't say I'm a big supporter of the Raisin Council. (Benny and Joon ; writing credit: Barry Berman)

It is hardly possible to separate you, even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not. (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring; writing credit: Frances Walsh)

I'm going to call out the scientific council. (Hollow Man; writing credit: Gary Scott Thompson; Andrew W. Marlowe)

Don't defy the council, Master, not again (Episode I: The Phantom Menace; writing credit: George Lucas.)

Join us. You have been known to disagree with the Council before (Superman; writing credit: Jerry Siegel; Joe Shuster)

Lyrics

Another big news story of year concerned the ecumenical council in Rome, known as Vatican II. Among the things they did in an attempt to make the church more commercial was to introduce the vernacular into portions of the mass, to replace Latin, and to widen somewhat the range of music permissible in the liturgy, but I feel that if they really want to sell the product, in this secular age, what they ought to do is to redo some of the liturgical music in popular song forms (The Vatican Rag; performing artist: Tom Lehrer)

Movie/TV Titles

Looking Beyond: Story of a Film Council (1957)

Mice in Council (1934)

The Peace Council (1913)

From Council Bluffs to Omaha (1900)

Indian War Council (1898)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Commercial Usage: Council

DomainTitle

Books

  • Architecture in Communion: Implementing the Second Vatican Council Through Liturgy and Architecture (reference)

  • Council (reference)

  • Other Council Fires Were Here Before Ours: The Medicine Stone Speaks from the Past to Our Future (reference)

  • The Black Family Reunion Cookbook: Recipes & Food Memories from the National Council of Negro Women, Inc (reference)

  • The Department Chair As Academic Leader: (American Council on Education Oryx Press Series on Higher Education) (reference)

    (more book examples)

  

Periodicals

  • American Hair Loss Council (reference)

  • Annual Conference : Proceedings - Council Of Logistics Management (reference)

  • Annual Report : Council For Educational Technology For The United Kingdom (reference)

  • Annual Report ; Council On Foreign Relations (reference)

  • Annual Report Of Council (reference)

    (more periodical examples)

  

Music

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Image Slideshow: Council

Photos:
Council

More pictures...

Illustrations:
Council

More pictures...

Computer Images:
Council

More pictures...

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Photo Album: Council

ThumbnailDescription & CreditThumbnailDescription & Credit

Members of the first National Advisory Cancer Council at the groundbreaking ceremonies at the NCI's building 6 in June, 1938. (Left to right) Francis Wood, C.C Little, James Ewing, Arthur Compton, James Conant, Thomas Parran, and Ludwig Hektoen. This new building, erected on land donated by Mrs. Luke J. Wilson was the fourth to be constructed in the complex that is now the National Institutes of Health. The structure was unique in that year of 1939, with its physical equipment and facilities designed solely for scientific research in a specialized field of science. Building 6 was to house the National Cancer Institute, the first of the nine specialized institutes that would comprise NIH. See also ar003810. Credit: Unknown photographer/artist.

The image shows the members of the National Advisory Cancer council in June, 1971. Credit: Unknown photographer/artist.

Soviet Council of Chief Designers in 1959. Credit: NASA.

Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Meeting. Stock Assessment Workshop on Flounder and Lobster. Credit: Fisheries.

Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Council meeting to discuss management of fish stocks. Credit: Fisheries.

NURP was formed based on a 1980 National Research Council review. Credit: National Undersea Research Program (NURP).

Figure 34. Gilson messenger, devised by Professor Gustave Gilson of the University of Louvain and delegate from Belgium at the Permanent International Council for the Exploration of the Sea , to intiate the operation of his plankton meter. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now.

W.I.N.G.S. (Wildlife Incentives for Non-game and Game Species) is a private conservation grant program funded by the Georgia Power Company and administered by Two Rivers RC&D Council. Credit: Dot Paul.

Floodwaters overtake this farm near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Credit: Unknown.

Council City and Solomon River Railroad, Solomon. Credit: Nick Seifert.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

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Digital Photo Gallery: Council
 

"Xmas at city council, Valencia" by Marcos Rodriguez Lopez
Commentary: "The pic was taken at city council of Valencia in Spain., 24th December of 2002. Obviously was Xmas. Merry Xmas everyone!."		"Hall" by Núria Fortuny
Commentary: ".. Hall del London Council, Bona senyalítica!."

Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers.

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Familiar Quotations: Council

AuthorQuotation

Francis Bacon

Boldness is ever blind, for it sees not dangers and inconveniences whence it is bad in council though good in execution.

Giuseppe Mazzini

Good council has no price.

Homer

The outcome of the war is in our hands; the outcome of words is in the council.
Proud is the spirit of Zeus-fostered kings -- their honor comes from Zeus, and Zeus, god of council, loves them.

Horace

Does he council you better who bids you, ''Money, by right means, if you can: but by any means, make money ?

John Huss

Condemned at the Council -- "See how these Bishops expect me to abjure: yet I fear to do so, lest I be a liar in the sight of the Lord."

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Historic Usage: Council

AuthorDateQuotation

John Locke

1690

Thus we see, that the kings of the Indians in America, which is still a pattern of the first ages in Asia and Europe, whilst the inhabitants were too few for the country, and want of people and money gave men no temptation to enlarge their possessions of land, or contest for wider extent of ground, are little more than generals of their armies; and though they command absolutely in war, yet at home and in time of peace they exercise very little dominion, and have but a very moderate sovereignty, the resolutions of peace and war being ordinarily either in the people, or in a council. (Second Treatise of Government)

Treaty of Versailles

1919

The Council may in any case under this Article refer the dispute to the Assembly. (reference)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Use in Literature: Council

TitleAuthorQuote

Emma

Austen, Jane

I think we do want a larger council.

Les Miserables

Hugo, Victor

He did wrong to hold a council with his aides, in full moonlight, in the Rollin square

Grapes of Wrath

Steinbeck, John

In a moment she walked back to the brooding council.

Gulliver's Travels

Swift, Jonathan

And when the matter was debated in council, the wisest part of the ministry were of my opinion

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Non-Fiction Usage: Council

SubjectTopicQuote

Health

These recommendations are set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Science. (references)

Find out what kind of information is available where you live by calling your State department of health, health care council, or hospital association. (references)

Data from the 1994 Newborn Screening Report of the Council of Regional Networks for Genetic Services (CORN) were used to address the incidence of this clinically heterogeneous metabolic disease. (references)

Business

Council Recommendations, unlike Council Regulations, are not mandatory. (references)

SEPA has revised these regulations and is awaiting approval from the State Council. (references)

Otherwise a proposal is put forward to the Council, which decides by qualified majority. (references)

Children

Ghana

All fees approved by the Council are to be paid by the Government. (references)

Fiji

The Fiji National Council for Disabled Persons works to protect the rights of persons with disabilities. (references)

Seychelles

The strongest public advocate for young victims is a semiautonomous agency, the National Council for Children. (references)

Civil Liberties

Croatia

In line with this legislation, the new HRT council was selected in May. (references)

Burkina Faso

The audiovisual media are regulated further by the Superior Council of Information (CSI). (references)

Norway

Since 1975 the town council in Drammen regularly has denied applications to build a mosque. (references)

Economic History

Iraq

Type: Ruling Council. (references)

Georgia

It is an observer in the Council of Europe. (references)

Switzerland

The top executive body is the Federal Council. (references)

Human Rights

Jamaica

The PNP's council on human rights echoed the residents' call. (references)

Kiribati

Litigants also have the right of appeal to the Privy Council in London. (references)

Bahrain

The Amir appoints judges upon the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council. (references)

Indigenous People

Dominica

Building permits are obtained from the Carib Council. (references)

Malaysia

Two NGOs criticized the fact that only 5 out of 17 council members are Orang Asli. (references)

Bangladesh

On April 13, a group of 50 to 60 Bengalis led by a former union council member attacked a Khasi village. (references)

Minorities

India

A few days earlier, staff members at the council also had been attacked by alleged VHP members. (references)

India

On July 21, a member of the All India Christian Council was attacked and beaten by members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. (references)

Tanzania

An interdenominational religious council periodically meets to discuss issues of mutual concern, such as the recent violence in Zanzibar. (references)

Political Economy

THE BAHAMAS

To date no such council has been established. (references)

Haiti

This cabinet is called the Council of Ministers. (references)

West Bank

The Palestinian Council (PC) exercises legislative power. (references)

Political Rights

Monaco

Two political parties are represented on the Council. (references)