Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On Councils · On the Authority of Councils, Book I
Chapter 3: The Name and Origin of a Council
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. II, De Conciliis (De Conciliorum Auctoritate), On Councils, Book I (of the controversy On Councils and the Church). The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
By the name of Council the same is signified in the Church as by the name of parliament (comitia) in kingdoms; for just as, when a controversy arises in the Commonwealth, the Princes of the Kingdom or the Magistrates come together into one and determine what needs to be done, so in the Church, when some controversy arises concerning religion, the Prelates of the Churches come together, and, their opinions being compared, determine what seems good. So we see it done Acts 15, where the Christian Councils first began to be celebrated, and thenceforth in every age.
Now this origin of Councils, although Albert Pighius, Book 6 on the celestial hierarchy, chapter 1, contends to be plainly human and devised by natural reason, yet it is more probable that it is divine. For the Council of Chalcedon, in its letter to Leo, and the Sixth Synod, act 17, and Pope Celestine in his letter to the Council of Ephesus, and the third Council of Toledo not far from the beginning, teach that Councils were shown by Christ in those words of Matthew 18: Where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Next, it is credible that the Apostles, who were full of the Holy Spirit, gathered the first Council only at the admonition of the Holy Spirit Himself; whence also they say: It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, Acts 15. Moreover, although natural reason dictates that in doubtful matters a Prince consult skilled men, yet that Bishops alone be convoked, and that they be not counsellors but judges, does not seem the invention of human reason alone. Finally, it is certain that the celebration of Councils, which has been in the Church in every age, descends from Apostolic tradition; and Apostolic traditions I for my part would not dare to call human inventions. But thus far of the origin. Now of the names in a word.
The Latin name of Council (Concilium) is found everywhere in the Old and New Testament for the assemblies of the Jews; but the Greek name, that is, synodos, is not found in the Scriptures — for where in Latin we read Concilium, in the Greek text there is everywhere synedrion or synagoge. But the name of Synod is found first in the Canons of the Apostles, canon 38, where Bishops are commanded to celebrate Councils twice every year; then it is found in Eusebius, Book 5 of his history, chapter 23, and thenceforth in all the Authors.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT III. De nomine Concilii et origine. Porro Concilii nomine idem significatur in Ecclesia, quod nomine comitiorum in reg¬ nis; nam quemadmodum cum oritur contro¬ versia in Republica, conveniunt in unum Principes Regni, vel Magistratus, ac statuunt quid facto opus sit : ita in Ecclesia cum ori¬ tur Controversia aliqua de religione, conve¬ niunt Praesules Ecclesiarum , et simul colla- tis sententiis, statuunt quod bonum videtur. Ita actum videmus Act. XV, ubi primum coe¬ perunt Concilia Christiana celebrari, ac dein¬ ceps singulis aetatibus. Hanc autem originem Conciliorum, etsi Albertus Pighius lib. VI de coelest. hierarch. cap. 1. contendat esse plane humanam, et naturali ratione excogitatam, probabilius ta¬ men est divinam esse. Nam Concilium Chal- cedonense in epist. ad Leonem, et VI Syno¬ dus, act. 17. et Coelestinus Papa in epist. ad Cone. Ephes. et Cone. Tolet. III non procul ab initio, docent, Concilia esse demonstrata a Christo in illis verbis Matth. XVIII : Ubi fuerint duo , vel tres congregati in nomine meo , illic ego in medio illorum sum (1). Deinde, credibile est, Apostolos, qui ple¬ ni erant Spiritu sancto nonnisi ipso Spi¬ ritu Sancto admonente primum Concilium congregasse ; unde etiam dicunt : Visum est Spiritui sancto et nobis, Actor. XV (2). Praeterea, etsi ratio naturalis dictat, ut in rebus, dubiis Princeps consulat homines pe¬ ritos ; tamen ut soli Episcopi convocentur, et ii non sint consiliarii, sed judices, non vi¬ detur solius humanae rationis inventum. De¬ nique certum est, Conciliorum celebratio¬ nem, quae omnibus saeculis in Ecclesia fuit, de Apostolica traditione descendere : Apos- tolicas vero traditiones ego quidem humana inventa appellare non auderem. Sed hacte¬ nus de origine. Nunc de nominibus uno verbo. Nomen Latinum Concilii, invenitur passim in Testamento veteri et novo, pro congrega¬ tionibus Judaeorum , sed Graece nomen , id est, auvoSoj, non invenitur in Scripturis , ubi enim Latine legimus Concilium, in Graeco textu ubique est o-uvIS/jiov velo-uvaywy/! ; inveni¬ tur autem nomen Synodi primum in cano¬ nibus Apostolorum can. 38, ubi jubentur Episcopi singulis annis bis Concilia celebra¬ re : deinde invenitur apud Eusebium lib. V hist. cap. 23 ac deinceps in omnibus Aucto¬ ribus.