EndrTimes: Council of Laodicea

Monday, March 24, 2014

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Council of Laodicea was a regional synod of approximately thirty clerics from Asia Minor that assembled about 363–364 AD in Laodicea, Phrygia Pacatiana.

Contents
1 Historical context
2 Major concerns
3 Biblical canon
4 Astrology/astronomy
5 References
6 External links
Historical context

The council took place soon after the conclusion of the war between the Roman Empire and the Persian Empire, waged by Emperor Julian. Julian, the last Constantinian emperor, attempted a revival of paganism and resumed discrimination against Christians. After his death in battle on June 26, 363, officers of the army elected the Christian Jovian as his successor, who in his precarious position far from supplies ended the war with Persia unfavorably for Rome. He was soon succeeded by Valentinian I, who named his brother Valens Emperor of the East.
Major concerns

The major concerns of the Council involved regulating the conduct of church members. The Council expressed its decrees in the form of written rules or canons. Among the sixty canons decreed, several aimed at:

Maintaining order among bishops, clerics and laypeople (canons 3–5, 11–13, 21–27, 40–44, 56–57)
Enforcing modest behaviour of clerics and laypeople (4, 27, 30, 36, 53–55)
Regulating approach to heretics (canons 6–10, 31–34, 37), Jews (canons 16, 37–38) and pagans (canon 39)
Outlawing the keeping of the Jewish sabbath (Saturday) and encouraging rest on the Lord's Day (Sunday) (canon 29)
Outlining liturgical practices (canons 14–20, 21–23, 25, 28, 58–59)
Restrictions during Lent (canons 45, 49–52)
Admission and instruction of catechumens and neophytes (canons 45–48)
Specifying a Biblical canon (canons 59–60)

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