The Alexandrian and Antiochene School

Those in both the Alexandrian and Antiochene traditions of

thought considered themselves to be fully catholic. Although
their methods differed.
The Antiochenes showed a noticeable preference for historical
and grammatical details of biblical interpretation while the
Alexandrian preferred to employ allegorical methods for
understanding scriptures.
The Alexandrians were prone to use platonic method which
was flourishing in the city. The Antiochenes were influenced
by Aristotle thought and Jewish theological tradition.

The Antiochenes firmly committed themselves to the doctrine

that Jesus Christ has two natures maintaining that he had
complete human nature which changed and a complete divine
nature (Logos) which did not. The Antiochene emphasized the
relationship between Logos and humanity of Jesus Christ.
The Alexandrians maintained that the Logos was joined to the
Flesh of Jesus Christ in a complete union in one divine human
person. The Alexandrians emphasized the relationship
between Logos to the Flesh.
Political Crisis
Rome and Alexandria held prominence up to now in the
Mediterranean world. The emergence of Constantinople in the
fourth century created tensions. The Supporters of Roman
primacy were not happy with the decision to name
Constantinople so close to Rome. The rise of Constantinople
was seen as a demotion to the Alexandrian church. Alexandria
was no longer wealthiest city and most powerful in the East as
power was on decline. Constantinople looked to Antioch for
its bishops in its early years.
In 428 Nestorius from Antioch was made bishop of
Constantinople, he in a preaching asserted that it is Wrong to
call Mary the Mother of Jesus (Theotokos). The most one
could say was Christotokos.
His sermon was directed towards Pulcheria who was the
empress, whom he was unable to accept. He was not able to
accept women playing a political role in Constantinople. She
was a guardian of her elder brother Theodosius II.
On a Easter Sunday in 428, Pulcheria attempted to enter the
sanctuary as she usually did to take communion with the
priests and her brother, the emperor. Nestorius barred her at
the door, explaining only males could do so. Have I not given
birth to God? Pulcheria asked. “You have given birth to
Satan” the bishop responded. She claimed the dignity of Mary
but Nestorius, like John Chrysostom before him, could grant
her the ignomity of Eve.
Nestorius public sermon attacking the Theotokos provoked an
outcry in Constantinople that was heard in Alexandria where
Cyril reigned as a Bishop. Cyril was from the school of
Alexandria. He was violent in his approach. When he heard
about Nestorius sermon he sent off a letter calling upon
Nestorius to acknowledge the term Theotokos.
A second letter was sent this time with the support of Roman
Bishop Celestine. In the third letter he added a series of
condemnation against Nestorius.

To solve this the emperor called on the Council of Ephesus in

431 which was the third Ecumenical council after Nicaea and
Constantinople. The bishop of Antioch could not be present as
his part got delayed arriving at Ephesus. This absence allowed
Cyril to lead the proceedings as Alexandrian Bishop. He
quickly secured not only the condemnation of Nestorius but
also of John of Antioch for supporting Nestorius. By the time
John arrived Cyril’s work was done.
Nestorius was condemned and he took refuge in Persia.
 History of the Eastern Break-Up

I. Council of Ephesus (431 AD)

As far as division is concerned the official one comes after the
council of Ephesus in 431 AD. Nestorius was the Patriarch of
Constantinople. He considered that Christ was comprised of two
persons. He said that in Christ the divine was absorbed in human. He
could not conceive the two natures of Christ. A practical problem
which he encountered was “How can Mary being human give birth to
Jesus who was divine?” In the council it was declared that Mary is
“Theotókos”. Nestorius was condemned. Actually the council was
convoked by the emperor as for him what was important was the
unity of the Empire more than the theology. So Nestorius fled the
kingdom and went to Persia where he was welcomed (the fact the
Persia welcomed him was also a political motive as they were the
arch rivals of Rome).
On the other hand the Council of Ephesus was convoked and
dissolved before the arrival of the Patriarch of Antioch. Therefore the
council was rejected by the Persians for two reasons:

 They didn’t accept the title Theotókos

 The council started and concluded before the arrival of their
Bishop.

NB: Ecumenical council means the council wherein all the Bishops
partook in the council. But those days because of geographical
distances it was enough that the 6 churches were in favour of the
council for it to be Ecumenical (Rome, Constantinople, Antioch,
Alexandria, Persia, Armenia). Now Persia didn’t accept the council
and hence got separated. Afterwards they didn’t attend any of the
Ecumenical councils.
Chaldean Rite forms the patrimony of Persian Rite. A small part of
this group came back to the Roman Catholic Church in 1553, then
known as Assyrian Church. So to distinguish this group from larger
Persia, the Church called this group Chaldean Church which is an
Arabic form of Persia.

II. Council of Chalcedon (451 AD)

The Chalcedonian Christological formula was “Two natures
found into one person”. This was rejected by Alexandria, Antioch
and Armenia. Here again we see more political reasons than
theological one. Now with this separation only Rome and
Constantinople remained. After Chalcedon there were two more
councils after which there was the Second Council of Nicaea in 787
AD. After this council there started a conflict between Rome and
Constantinople. The root for this conflict was the 28 th Canon of the
Council of Chalcedon which stated that “Missionary churches
evangelized by Constantinople will come under Constantinople”. This
canon was rejected by Rome saying this is not the practice.
Constantinople repatriated saying that this was done in communion
with the delegates of Pope. Therefore the Pope withdrew the
statement. However this was the beginning of a Cold war.

III. Council of Trulo (691 AD)

The council enacted a decree on clerical celibacy. By this time
in the western church clerical celibacy was deep rooted. When it came
to Ecumenical council, the Eastern Churches did not accept this rule.
Therefore the council enacted a canon that “Clerical celibacy should
be optional and not obligatory”. Because of this canon out of 102,
Rome rejected this council as non-Ecumenical. But Constantinople
said that the agreement was reached together. However the Pope
rejected this canon. The Later Pope John VIIIth tried to restore the
unity but his successor changed his position to the former one.
Against this background we have a Patriarch in Constantinople called
Photius, a very powerful person. Rome didn’t like him and was
looking for a chance to depose him attributing some doctrinal errors
to him. He was deposed but the next Pope re-installed him. This
fluctuation had created a mental separation between the two. Rome
was acquiring political power and behind this controversy there was
also a political motive. In 1054 AD, a delegate of Pope went for
reconciliation but ended up excommunicating each other in the same
year. Thereby we have the Western Church and the Eastern Church.
In all these division we have the Catholic Churches and the Non-
Catholic Churches. The re-unification comes after the Council of
Trent. In 1552, the Chaldean Church was the first one to come back
into the Roman Communion.