General Councils, Assemblies of bishops of the world in union with the Pope

0. Jerusalem, Acts of Apostles, decided Gentiles need not obey Mosaic laws

1. Nicaea I 325 AD, declared Christ divine

3. Constantinople I 381, proclaimed the Trinity

4. Ephesus, 431, said that Jesus is truly human, Mary is the mother of God

5. Chalcedon 451, concurred with earlier Councils

6. Constantinople II 553

7. Constantinople III 681

8. Nicaea II 787

9. Constantinople IV 870

10. Lateran I 1123

11. Lateran II 1139

12. Lateran III 1179

14. Lateran IV 1215

15. Lyon I 1245

16. Lyon II 1274

17. Vienna 1311-12

18. Constance 1414-18

19. Ferrara-Florence 1438-c.1445

20 Lateran V 1512-17

21 Trent 1545-63 clarified dogma and reformed the Church

22. Vatican I, 1869-70, defined papal infallibility

22. Vatican II, 1962-65, updated the Church and brought it back to 

its apostolic roots. Results: liturgy reform, catechism,

code of canon law, catechumenate, ecumenism.

    Orthodox Churches accept the first seven general councils,

and some Protestant churches accept the first few of them.