This book is a scholarly examination of the history, traditions, and politics of the Catholic Church through the lens of its councils. Written by the respected theologian Karl Joseph von Hefele, the text provides a comprehensive overview of the council system, from its ancient origins to modern times. A must-read for anyone with an interest in church history or the workings of the Catholic system. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.