Fourth Council of the Lateran

Fourth Council of the Lateran (Lateran IV)
An ink drawing in a manuscript of two groups of clergy facing each other in a discussion. The clergy are drawn from the waist-up and below them is a wavy decoration in green ink.
Matthew Paris' illustration in the Chronica Maiora of the Fourth Lateran Council
Date1215
Accepted byCatholic Church
Previous council
Third Council of the Lateran
Next council
First Council of Lyon
Convoked byPope Innocent III
PresidentPope Innocent III
TopicsCrusading, ecclesiastical reform, heresy, Islam, Judaism, laity
Documents and statements
71 papal decrees
Chronological list of ecumenical councils

The Fourth Council of the Lateran or Lateran IV was convoked by Pope Innocent III in April 1213 and opened at the Lateran Palace in Rome on 11 November 1215. Due to the great length of time between the council's convocation and its meeting, many bishops had the opportunity to attend this council, which is considered by the Catholic Church to be the twelfth ecumenical council. The council addressed a number of issues, including the sacraments, the role of the laity, the treatment of Jews and heretics, and the organization of the church.

In the case of Jews and Muslims, this included compelling them to wear distinctive badges to prevent social contact "through error". The council is viewed by medievalists as both opening up many reforms, and as formalising and enforcing intolerance in European society, both to heretics and Jews, and thus playing a role in the development of systemic European antisemitism.


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