Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style

What was St. James’s role in the Jerusalem church?

Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

St. James (the Lord’s Brother, or James the Just) was an important leader in the Jerusalem church, becoming the chief spokesman at the Council of Jerusalem (c. 50 ce) regarding St. Paul’s mission to the Gentiles (Acts 15:13) and final visit to Jerusalem (Acts 21:18). He gained significance after the beheading of St. James, son of Zebedee, and after Peter’s flight from Jerusalem.