Council of Jerusalem

The Council of Jerusalem was an early Christian meeting, described in Acts, where leaders debated whether Gentile converts had to observe Jewish law, especially circumcision.

Acts 15: A chapter of the Acts of the Apostles that narrates the Jerusalem meeting and its decision. It provides the fullest account of the council’s debate and ruling.
Early Christianity: The diverse movement centered on Jesus that developed in the first centuries CE. The council addressed a defining question for this emerging movement.
Galatians 2: A passage in Paul’s letter to the Galatians describing a Jerusalem visit and conflict over Gentile inclusion. Its account differs in emphasis and chronology from Acts 15.
Gentile mission: The spread of Christianity among non-Jewish peoples. The council’s decision removed circumcision as a prerequisite for this mission.
Circumcision in Christianity: The practice and interpretation of circumcision within Christian communities and theology. The dispute centered on whether Gentile believers had to be circumcised.
Antioch: An ancient city in Syria that became a major center of early Christianity. The controversy arose in the church at Antioch before representatives went to Jerusalem.
Pauline Christianity: Christian teaching and practice associated with the letters and mission of Paul. Paul’s letters illuminate how he argued against requiring circumcision of Gentiles.
Early Christian ecclesiology: Early Christian ideas about the church’s identity, membership, and authority. The meeting modeled collective leadership across geographically distinct communities.
James the Just: A leader of the Jerusalem church and a prominent figure in early Christianity. Acts presents James as proposing the ruling adopted by the assembly.
Gentile Christianity: Christian communities whose members were predominantly non-Jewish. Their growing presence prompted the dispute over Jewish law.

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