Acts of Ecclesiastical Councils

Acts of ecclesiastical councils provide some of the most important information for the period, not simply in terms of theological questions, but about the loyalties and attitudes of bishops and other clergy, about the territorial extent of the empire in respect of the number of sees and the issue of whether or not they were held in absentia, as well as about imperial policy, aspects of the administration, and related issues. They can also provide information on the extent or distribution of particular ideas and attitudes among the higher clergy and across the empire, since the arguments and debates in each session of the council provide important insights into such matters. 1

Along with the Acts of the councils a large number of associated documents are generally transmitted in the manuscript tradition, in particular letters written by the patriarchs and leading clergy in Constantinople and elsewhere, and letters from the popes or papal chancery, to and from emperors, and so forth; as well as theological tracts, synodal or imperial decrees to do with the calling of a councilor its results and implications, and so forth. 2 The Acts themselves follow a standard format, and reflect the actual procedure for discussion within the council. The actual process of debate was recorded in notes written down by scribes present at each session, which preserve the detailed transcript of the discussion. Brief summaries of these detailed Acts were drawn up from these notes. The conclusions reached at the end of each session were extracted from the detailed Acts and the notes and written up at a later stage, before being appended to the transcript of the Acts. Such protocols consisted of several parts: an opening statement detailing place, date, and session (including the chair and others present); a statement listing each decision taken and agreed; and the full list of those present during the session and agreeing with the decisions reached. The document could then be 'published' as the final decision ofthe council on a particular issue.