The Fourth Lateran Council of 1215 - Essay Example

The first Lateran Council was convened during 1123 BC that confirmed the Concordat of Worms. The second Lateran Council was convened in 1139 and formulated several tenets such as invalidation of the clerical marriage, regulation of clerical dress, and ex-communication of the people who attacked clerics.
The third Lateran Council was convened during 1179 and continued reforms in the church with condemnation of simony, limitation of papal electees to the Cardinals, and forbidding of promotion to the episcopate before the thirtieth year of the age. The fourth Lateran Council was convened during 1215 and continued with reform measures such as papal primacy, transubstantiation, and the conduct of the clergy.

The council was also concerned about distinguishing people of other religions such as Muslims and Jews from Christians in a public area, and they suggested the differentiation of the dress as a resolution of the issue. The fifth Lateran Council that was convened from 1512 to 1517 continued with further reform of the Church.

Fourth Lateran Council during 1215

The fourth Lateran Council was summoned by Pope Innocent III in 1215 to resolve many issues that concerned Roman Catholic Church. These issues included the disaster of the Crusade wars, to strengthen the faith and continue reforms in the church.
Pope Innocent III himself worded the goals of the fourth Lateran Council as the plantation of the virtues, eradication of the vices, reformation of the morals, correction of the faults, and removal of heresies. The other goals included the establishment of peace, settlement of discord, and getting rid of oppression. He also wanted to persuade Christian people and princes to aid the cause of the Crusades.
Some Important Goals and Concerns of the Fourth Lateran Council
There were many reasons why Pope Innocent III summoned the Fourth Lateran Council. The Christian society and Roman Catholic Church were in considerable turmoil due to moral issues. In addition to that, the last Crusade had disastrous consequences for Christian Society. Pope Innocent III wanted to address the issues regarding the new Crusade War as an instrument of ecclesiastical administration as well as the reformation of the Church to continue a fierce war against heretics. So, Pope Innocent III summoned the Fourth Lateran Council on 19 April 1213.

About Fourth Lateran Council
The Fourth Lateran Council opened on 11 November 1215 in Rome. The list of people who were invited was comprehensive and included abbots, bishops, priors, and new religious orders as well as chapters such as Templers, Hospitallers, Premonstratensians, and Cistercians.
The civil side was represented by civil authorities and kings throughout Europe. During the preparation for the council, the Pope dispatched Legates all over Europe and almost all bishops save one or two in each province were commanded the attendance.

Although the primary aim of the fourth Lateran council was religious matters, such as the reformation of the Church as well as planning for the new Crusade, power politics and secular matters were also discussed that gave rise to contentious as well as bitter debate. However, the Council completed its goals and concerns with desirable results. Further, they also set out more than 70 canons. Some of them are as follows.
• The first Canon lays down rules about the creed Caput Firmiter that includes the exposition of the Catholic Church as well as the sacraments. It also includes the reference to Transubstantiation.
• The second canon condemns the doctrines of Joachim of Amaury and Joachim of Flora (The Canons of the Fourth Lateran Council, 1215)
• The next Canon lays out the penalties and procedures again heretics and their protectors.

• The fourth Canon appeals to the Greeks for union with Roman Church and accepts its tenets. It further reminded them that as per the Gospel, there will be only one fold and one shepherd.
• The fifth Canon proclaimed the primacy of the Papacy by all people. As per this Canon, primacy is granted to another Patriarchy in a pre-determined order.
Implementation of Goals of the Fourth Lateran Council
The fourth Lateran Council is considered a landmark by many experts. As per Dom David Knowles, the concept of the church that emerged from the deliberations of the Fourth Lateran Council could be defined as the rationalized, orderly and comprehensive machine that was driven by the papacy.

Pope Innocent III was very concerned about the falling morals in various parts of Europe as well as the failure of the Crusade. Due to these reasons, he convened the Fourth Lateran Council in an attempt to reform the Church as well as start a new Crusade. He invited both religious and civil authorities to the council to get the desired results as well as the implementation of the decisions taken at the Lateran Council. Further, he also asked the bishops from every region to propose topics for discussion. This was a novel approach as there was no precedent regarding this issue. The council was attended by all the important sections of the society, such as bishops, kings, and representatives of various religious orders. In this way, he ensured the implementation of the goals of the Fourth Lateran Council throughout the continent. Read More