Assyrian Church Question

[Little_Boy_Lost]

Hi,

So I’m confused as to where the Assyrian Church stands in relation to Rome, Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy. I heard there was a body of Christians in communion with Assyria that came into communion with Oriental Orthodoxy. Is that true? I also read a pamphlet about Chaldean Catholics and how they are allowed under extraordinary circumstances to receive the Holy Mysteries from an Assyrian Priest. I know the term “Heretic” is no longer applied for the Orientals, are the Assyrians still considered Nestorian Heretics? Answers to this would be much obliged! Thanks!

 

[Jehoshua]

The Assyrian Church of the East and the Ancient Church of the East are unnafiliated with the oriental or eastern orthodox communions. They are indeed nestorian (he is in fact a saint in those churches) and although we may not use the term heretic these days, they are indeed heterodox and separated from orthodox christianity.

However I believe that the church considers them to have valid orders even if they are in doctrinal error and thus in exceptional, extraordinary circumstances a catholic can recieve communion in one of these churches. It is similar to the situation that allows a catholic to recieve the eucharist in an eastern orthodox church. This does not make them any less heterodox however.

As to a group joining the Oriental Orthodox Communion I am unaware of such an event although I am aware that a group joined the russian orthodox church previously and that there has been dialogue between the assyrian church of the east and oriental orthodoxy.

 

[Nine_Two]

Doesn’t the CHaldean Catholic Church also venerate Nestorius as a saint?

 

[Little_Boy_Lost]

So the Assyrian Church is heterodox in ways that Oriental Orthodoxy is not? I just want to be clear.

 

[Vico]

Read these Vatican statements.

vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/sub-index/index_east-assyrian.htm

 

[Little_Boy_Lost]

Thanks! I appreciate!

 

[Alexander_Roman]

Doesn’t the CHaldean Catholic Church also venerate Nestorius as a saint?

NO, it does not. It does not honour any of those implicated in the Nestorian heresy, including Theodore of Mopsuestia and Diodore of Tarsus who are, in the Assyrian Church, referred to as the “Greek Doctors.” Or Mar Barsauma for that matter.

In North America and also in Russia, groups of Assyrians have joined the Eastern Orthodox Church and kept their liturgical rites. These also expunged the names of the above from their calendars.

There is a movement to exonerate Nestorius of the heretical charge (some say it was actually Theodore of Mopsuestia who developed Nestorianism as a system and not Nestorius himself). Diodore of Tarsus has been called the “innocent generator of Nestorianism” by Fr. Holweck in his “dictionary of Saints, 1924” where Diodore is called a “saint.”

This does not mean that in the event of a future reunion with Catholicism of the Assyrian Church of the East that the Assyrians could not continue to honour these locally.

Alex