New Comers Course

Spring 2016

History of the Church

Orthodoxy
 New Comers Course Spring 2016
History of the Church
Orthodoxy
Preview:
• Introduction
• The Council of Chalcedon
• The Great Schism
• The Oriental Orthodox Churches
• The Eastern Orthodox Churches
• Is Unity possible?

Christianity by the 5th Century:

• Nicaea 325 AD
• Constantinople 381AD
• Ephesus 431 AD

Pre-Chalcedon events
• The role of Church of Alexandria in Council of Ephesus 431 AD
• The heresy of Eutyches
• The local council of Constantinople 448 AD
• 2nd council of Ephesus 449 AD and the role of Pope Dioscorus
• Pope of Rome (1st among equals) (the descendant of St. Peter)
• Tome Leo (Pope Leo I)
• Other political issues.

Chalcedon 451 AD
• Reaffirms and further defines the council of Ephesus creed
• Affirms that Jesus Christ has 2 natures (Divine & Human ) united in one person without mixing,
blending or alteration
• Accepting the Tome Leo as a cannon of faith “Peter has spoken through Leo”
• Excommunication of Pope Dioscorus of Alexandria and other bishops who refused the council’s
laws
• Label the non-Chalcedonian as mono (single) – Physis (nature) or Eutychians
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Chalcedonian vs Non-Chalcedonian

Dyophysite - Miaphysite – Monophysite

Three more councils (Rejected by the Coptic Orthodox Church)

Constantinople II : 553 AD
• Under Emperor Justinian I
• 165 Bishops were present
• The Council confirmed Church's teaching regarding the two natures of Christ (human and divine)
and condemned certain writings with Nestorian & Eutychians teachings.

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Constantinople III : 680 AD

• Under Emperor Constantine IV
• 170 Bishops were present
• The Monothelite Controversy. (one or two wills for Christ)

Nicaea II : 787 AD
• Under Empress Irene
• 367 Bishops were present
• The Iconoclast Controversy. (icons to be man's dynamic way of expressing the divine through art
and beauty and not worshipped)

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The Schism of 1054

 It is also called the East West Schism
 It divided the Rome Empire to Western Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.
 In 337AD Constantine moved the political capital of Rome to Constantinople, from this point the
division of the Roman Empire started having eastern and Western Emperors.
 Theodosius was the last emperor to rule over the two halves together.
 Eastern Empire was known as byzantine derived, as the Western Empire was invaded by barbarians.
 Adding to this the Eastern and Western Churches culture became different for example the language
barrier, the Western used to speak Latin and the Eastern used to speak Greek.
 Things became worse and debates raised concerning Church practice for example the type of bread
to use for the communion.
 Eastern Church disagreed to the Filioque clause, which is concerned about the authority of God the
Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit. This made a real tension between the two Churches and lead to the
Great tension.

The Great Tension was the power and authority of Papacy

At the beginning there were three Patriarchs: (Patriarch of Rome, Patriarch of Alexandria and
Patriarch of Antioch).

In 451 AD there come two more Patriarch on board, Patriarch of Constantinople and Patriarch of
Jerusalem.
The religious power was in the Western Empire although the political power was in the Eastern
Empire. Unfortunately the Eastern Church didn’t agree with this and mentioned to the Pope that they
accept him as the Honor Head of the church, but when it comes to decision making, they would take
it from their place.

From here the east called their Pope the Ecumenical Patriarch (means Universal Patriarch) which
made things worse concerning who is in charge.

In 1054 Ad Patriarch of Constantinople Michael Cerularius condemned western church practices and
closed eastern churches who follow the same practices.

Pope Lyon and Patriarch of Constantinople excommunicated each other as both parties were
unwilling to compromise or step aside. As result of this fighting actions both parties went home,
excommunicated each other, this was the Schism of 1054.

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Oriental Vs. Eastern Orthodox

Oriental Orthodox Churches

(non-Chalcedonian)
• Coptic

• Ethiopia

• Eretria

• Antioch

• India

• Armenia

Ethiopian Church (Tewahedo)

• History: Acts 8:26-39 - St. Mathew - St. Frumentius and the Conversion of Ezana 330 A.D - Full
independence from Coptic Church in 1959

• Coverage: Ethiopia and many other countries in Africa , Europe & USA.

• Patriarch Location : Addis Ababa

• Language of Prayers : Ge’ez & Amharic

• Saints: St. Tekle Haymanot , the 9 saints , St. Frumentius (Abba Salama) (St. Moses the black)

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• Followers : 45-50 Millions

• Feasts : 18 feasts for Christ (9 Major & 9 minor) , 33 feasts for St. Mary and feast of the cross
(Meskel) and St. Michael .

Eritrean Church (Tewahedo)

• History: same history as Ethiopian church- Full independence from Coptic & Ethiopian Church in
1993, the current Patriarch is the 2nd in the history of Eritrea

• Coverage: Eritrea , USA & UK (11 Bishops)

• Patriarch Location : Asmara

• Language of Prayers : Ge’ez

• Saints: same saints of the Ethiopian & Coptic churches

• Followers : 2.5- 3 Millions

• Feasts : same as the Ethiopian Church

Indian Church (Malankara) (Syrian)

• History: St. Thomas 52 AD, Thomas of Cana arrived with 72 families . Split to east & West in 5th
century (Chalcedon)

• Coverage: East of India

• Patriarch Location : Kerala, India

• Language of Prayers : Malayalam, Hindi, English, Konkani in addition to Syriac (Liturgy of St.
James “Holy Qurbana”)

• Saints: Saint Gregorios of Parumala - St. Geevarghese Mar Dionysius Vattasseril

• Followers : around 2 Millions

• Feasts :Annunciation , Epiphany , Great Lent, Resurrection, Pentecost , Transfiguration & Holy
Cross seasons

Syriac Church (Antioch)

• History: Acts 11:26 ,St. Peter , St. Ignatius the Illuminator

• Coverage: Middle East , Turkey , USA , Europe , India & Argentine

• Patriarch Location : Damascus (currently Beirut)

• Language of Prayers : Syriac (Aramaic) , Arabic and local languages

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• Saints: St. Ephrem the Syrian, St. John of Damascus ,St. John of Golden mouthed , St. Hanania the
apostle and many others.

• Followers : Around 1 Million

• Feasts : same as the Coptic church

Armenian Church
• History: St. Bartholomew , Christian state 301 AD.

• Two kingdoms & the Armenian Genocide 1915-1920.

• Coverage: Armenia , Turkey, the Middle East, Europe, Australia, and America

• Patriarch Location : Etchmiadzin (Armenian Apostolic Church), Cilicia (currently Antelias –

Lebanon)

• Language of Prayers : Liturgy (Badarak) in Armenian

• Saints: St. Gregory the Armenian (the illuminator), St. Sarkis the Warrior, forty Braves of Sebastia
& St. Tamar of Moghk

• Followers : 13 – 14 Millions

• Feasts : the naming of Jesus , exaltation of the Cross , Holy Etchmiadzin, Feast of the Holy
Translators & Genocide Remembrance

Eastern Orthodox Churches

(East of Rome- Roman Orthodox)
• Alexandria (Malachite)

• Constantinople

• Jerusalem

• Russia

• Greece

• Romania

• Many other European countries

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The Greek Orthodox Church

• History: All Eastern Orthodox were called Greek Orthodox till 10th Century (Slavic Independence)

• Coverage: Eastern Mediterranean & diaspora

• Patriarch Location : different locations

• Language of Prayers: Greek and local languages.

• Saints: St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil of Caesarea, St. Irene of Athens

• Followers: 23-24 Millions.

• Feasts : Same as Oriental Orthodox

Patriarch Bartholomew I Patriarch Theophilus III Patriarch Theodoros II Archbishop Ieronymos II

Constantinople Jerusalem Alexandria Athens

Istanbul, most of Turkey The Holy City of Egypt, and All Africa Greece
,Mount Athos (32 Jerusalem and all Holy
Monasteries), Crete, part Land, Syria, beyond
of northern Greece, the the Jordan River, Cana
Dodecanese, Greek of Galilee, Mount Sinai
Orthodox Churches in and Holy Zion
the Diaspora

Istanbul Jerusalem Alexandria Athens

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Russian Orthodox Church

• History: St. Andrew the apostle , Prince Vladimir I of Kiev 988 AD, independence from Byzantine
church 1448 AD

• Coverage: Russia (formerly all soviet union , independent churches after division) , Belarus and
USA

• Patriarch Location : Moscow

• Language of Prayers : Slavonic and local languages

• Saints: St. Olga , St. Cyrill and St. Methodius (the teachers of Slavic)

• Followers: more than 150 Million.

• Feasts : 12 great feasts (7 for Christ , 4 for St. Mary & Feast of the Cross)

Is Unity Possible?
Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
(John 17:11)

Several dialogues were held in 20th Century:

• Switzerland 1985

• Egypt , Anba Bishoy monastery 1989

• Switzerland 1990 & 1993

• Corinth 1997

• Damascus 1998 and continues

• Both Orthodox families agreed that they have the same faith

But still the anathemas remain!

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How to deal in missions

Greek Orthodox, Cuba

Russian Orthodox, Cuba

Greek Orthodox, Mozambique

References:
• The Council of Chalcedon Re-Examined , by Fr. V.C. Samuel
• The Coptic Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Movement , by Maged Attia

• Church History Part 2 & Part 3 , by John Gordon Lorimer

• Era of Councils , by Hegomenos Kirellos AlAntony

• www.ethiopianorthodox.org/

For further information please visit the below YouTube Channel:

Church History
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOd4_PB91uLHClc4mNOSwjA

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