www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Christian farest East

L.I.Ch.!
I think some members may find this document interesting: http://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/PCCUASCH.HTM
In Christ
Piotr C

Dear Piotr, Thanks for your post. You may not get much response because this topic was discussed on a recent thread. The agreement is certainly very significant for those who pray for unity. Peace to you, Vito

Dear Piotr and Vito,

It is interesting that, historically, the Church always "went easy" on the "Nestorians" who returned to it and the Chaldean Christological confession.

We are only now seeing the entire Nestorian controversy in a more accurate light while, at the same time, coming to a greater appreciation for the tremendous missionary work that the Assyrian Church did in Asia.

Catholic commentators have usually tried to "rehabilitate" Diodore of Tarsus and Theodore of Mopsuestia while attacking Nestorius.

Today we know that Nestorius' theology was not nearly as developed in this regard as that of Theodore.

Nestorius, banished to Libya, was said to have agreed with the confession of St Flavian of Constantinople. Certainly the Roman Church was better disposed toward the Antiochian school of Lucian, Theodore and others than it was toward the Alexandrian school that seemed to get along much better with Byzantium.

It is therefore almost "natural" that the Assyrian Church's ecumenism is much stronger with the Roman Catholic Church than with either the Eastern or Oriental Orthodox families.

Apart from the Christological disagreements, the Assyrian Church is a great Apostolic witness of the ancient Christian Church.

During the T'ang Dynasty in Tibet, there were two Archbishops and twenty bishops of the Assyrian Church of China. Some believe that many of the rituals of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition in China, including the mitres, come directly from the Assyrian tradition that was stamped out later.

In India, the Assyrians wore their sari on the shoulder opposite from that which everyone else did and by this all India recognized this as their outward Christian identity symbol.

May the day hasten when all Assyrian Christians are one!

Alex

Dear Alex,

Thanks for your post-as usual-I learn much from what you say.

I was wondering if you are familiar with Samuel Hugh Moffett's (a Protestant scholar) "A History of Christianity in Asia" Vol. 1 Beginnings to 1500. I read some time ago and found it fascinating. Need to reread it.

Also, "Mystagogy" by Enrico Mazza. Father Mazza writes of the fourth century distinct form of mystagogical catechesis which emerged in the homilies of Ambrose of Milan, Cyril of Jerusalem, John Chrysostom, and Theodore of Mopsuestia.

I wish I could paraphrase from this stuff, but a don't have it in mind without rereading.

Happy Thanksgiving Day (even though you are in Canada) Vito

Dear Vito,

I've read those, but too long ago to remember much of them . . .

We have a Chaldean priest who served in our Basilian Chapel. He regularly invited an Assyrian "Nestorian" priest to serve with him.

He even reminded our Basilian Fathers that Mar Nestorius was of the Rule of St Basil himself . . . That always went over well . . .

Like other Eastern Catholics, the Chaldeans have much from the Assyrian tradition, even though they too are charged with Latinization.

The ecumenical movement with respect to these seems to be driven more by Assyrian pride and need for unity overall, which is as it should be, nothing wrong with that.

The Chaldean Particular Church is unique among Eastern Catholic Churches in that they number more than twice the members of their Mother Church.

It is very true that the Russians sent a missionary, whose name escapes me, among the Assyrians. A group of these actually joined the Orthodox Church together with their Assyrian Rite. They called themselves "Assyrian Orthodox" but so does an Oriental Orthodox group of Assyrians.

If the Assyrian Patriarch of Seleucia-Ctesiphon comes into full unity with Rome, together with the Chaldeans (there is another Assyrian Patriarch who split over the Calendar issue alone, believe it or not), then that church will probably be allowed to maintain its cult of "Sts. Nestorius, Theodore and Diodore" while removing any liturgical censure pronounced against St Cyril. How this will work given the conciliar condemnation of Nestorius, I don't know.

The Oriental Orthodox are much bolder in their ecumenical endeavours than we Romans or Byzantines.

For example, the Copts actually removed liturgical references to the Chalcedonians, I believe it was against Flavian, to bring about a better atmosphere for unity talks with the Coptic Catholics and others.

And I really do think that we have much to learn from our Oriental Orthodox brothers and sisters in terms of church relations.

I learn much from you and this Forum, my friend. I sometimes talk too much because I've led a rather sheltered life . . .

Alex

Dear Alex,

I had my first encounter with a Coptic Orthodox priest recently. He was one of our presenters at our recent local Society of Saint John Chrysostom seminar: "Who Are Eastern Christians?" The Very Rev. Fr. Mikhail Edward Mikhail, D. Min. is pastor of St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Cleveland. www.stmarkcoccleveland.org [stmarkcoccleveland.org] This church experienced the Miracle of Holy Oil seeping from the Icons of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Holy Mother of God, St. Mary. After personally seeing the Icons in January of 1991, H.H. Pope Shenouda III declared the phenomenon an official miracle in May of 1991.
Fr. Mikhail brought with him a display of the Holy Family's stay in Egypt. He is a soft-spoken man who radiates an aura of holiness.
Our local chapter now includes several Coptic Orthodox members.
We are gaining a whole new perspective on our Christianity from their presence.