Synod of Gangra

The Synod of Gangra was a council of the Christian church held in the fourth century, at Gangra (in modern Turkey). The exact date is contested, but is generally agreed to be the year 340.^[1]^[2]

The synod was arranged with 14 bishops and led by Eusebius of Nicomedia.^[3]

The synod condemned Manichaeans, and their practices. The concluding canons of the synod condemned the Manichaeans for their actions, and declared many of their practices anathematised. The synod also spoke against the beliefs and actions of Eustathius of Sebaste.^[4]

The canons of the synod condemned and anathematised the practices of:^[5]

the condemnation of marriage
forbidding the eating of most forms of meat
urging slaves to flee their masters
arguing that married priests could not perform valid sacraments
condemning normal church services and holding their own
distributing church revenues without the consent of the bishop
remaining celibate for reasons other than holiness
reviling married persons and the celebration of Christian love-feasts
wearing certain types of ascetic clothing "as if this gave him righteousness" and condemning others
women wearing men's clothing under the pretense of asceticism
women leaving their husbands
parents abandoning their children
children leaving their parents
women cutting off their hair "from pretended asceticism"
fasting on a Sunday under the pretense of asceticism
refusing to honour Christian martyrs