1. Survey
According to canon law (Ecclesiastical law), a council (from Latin concilium, “assembly”) is a gathering, generally of Catholic or Orthodox bishops, who discuss questions of the faith, trusting in the assistance of the Holy Spirit, and arrive at a decision that is binding on the whole church. The term synod (from Greek synodos, “assembly”) is sometimes used synonymously (similarly the adjectives conciliar and synodal).
The t…