Fourth Council of the Lateran

Fourth Council of the Lateran (Lateran IV)
Fourth Council of the Lateran (Lateran IV)
Date	1215
Accepted by	Catholic Church
Previous council	Third Council of the Lateran
Next council	First Council of Lyon
Convoked by	Pope Innocent III
President	Pope Innocent III
Topics	Crusading, ecclesiastical reform, Judaism, heresy, 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 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.