JERUSALEM, COUNCIL OF


Meaning of JERUSALEM, COUNCIL OF in English

Conference of the Christian Apostles at Jerusalem 0441; AD 50, which decreed that Gentile Christians did not have to observe the Mosaic law of the Jews.

It was occasioned by the controversy over whether circumcision was necessary for Gentile converts to Christianity. Led by Sts. Peter the Apostle and James , the council decided the issue in favor of St. Paul and the Gentile Christians, thus helping to separate early Christianity from Judaism.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.