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Assyrian Church of the East

qawe
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
What is the Church's position on the Assyrian Church of the East in contrast to the Eastern Orthodox Church? I know we are not in communion, but that's all I know. Interested to hear from you especially Father Peter.

Comments

  • imikhailimikhail
    [quote author=qawe link=topic=12843.msg151129#msg151129 date=1327662581]
    What is the Church's position on the Assyrian Church of the East in contrast to the Eastern Orthodox Church? I know we are not in communion, but that's all I know. Interested to hear from you especially Father Peter.


    The Assyrian church is Nestorian and thus is heretic. It is not recognized either by the Eastern or the Oriental Orthodox.

  • mabsootamabsoota
    they say they are not nestorian, but actually their understanding of Jesus (humanity / divinity issues) is not the same as the orthodox churches, so we don't consider them orthodox.
    they would have to be chrismated or baptised to take Holy Communion with us.

    do you have friends from this church?
  • ilovesaintmarkilovesaintmark
    They recognize the litany of the heretics:  Nestorius, Paul of Samosata, Theodore of Mepsuestia, etc as saints.

    They hail fire and curses upon St. Cyril of Alexandria.

    His Eminence, Metropolitan Bishoy, the current Secretary of the Holy Synod has written two books relating to their history and the current relations.  I'm sure you will find it in your church's bookstore.
  • qawe
    [quote author=mabsoota link=topic=12843.msg151134#msg151134 date=1327681222]
    they say they are not nestorian, but actually their understanding of Jesus (humanity / divinity issues) is not the same as the orthodox churches, so we don't consider them orthodox.
    they would have to be chrismated or baptised to take Holy Communion with us.

    do you have friends from this church?


    No, I was recently reading a Wikipedia article on Eastern vs Oriental Orthodox, and came across it.
  • mabsootamabsoota
    better sources are www.orthodoxunity.org or websites of eastern orthodox churches which have links to theological sources.
  • qawe
    Thanks
  • TigranTigran
    I read a book “Christology of Assyrian Church of East”, written by russian historian Nicolai Selesnev. (Official Assyrian Church recommends to read it on their russian website).

    In this book he had broken a lot of myths, connected with this Church.
  • Dioscoros
    Thank you for the book recommendation.  The Assyrian Church of the East is actually closer to Orthodoxy than the Chalcedonites, interestingly, in that they allow for the profession of one theandric operation and one theandric will - whereas the Chalcedonites rejected this after the 7th century, only allowing to figuratively term one of their "two wills/operations" as theandric by its conjunction/juxtaposition with the other.

    Also, the Assyrian Church of the East has a much more authentic liturgy than the rest of the non-Orthodox churches, and its form is very ancient and even includes Christological things that predate their Theodorean Christology.  I think the prospects for union with them in the future is hopeful.
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