Writings by Fr. Peter Farrington

If the Orthodox Churches have such an unprecedented opportunity to work for the restoration of communion then what is required of them to make the most of this dialogue? Surely it must be a willingness to listen to the other party with sincerity and honesty putting aside all polemics and stereotypes. The Oriental Orthodox can easily fall back on accusations of Chalcedonian Nestorianism, and the Eastern Orthodox have their accusations of non-Chalcedonian Eutychianism. Such attitudes prevent all progress and are essentially un-Orthodox, since they fail to show that Christian charity which is the mark of true faith. There must be a willingness to unravel the historic theological terminology each side has used and promoted.

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The intent of this study is to support and promote the ongoing dialogue between the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Many Eastern Orthodox are still unaware of the actual content of the Christology of the Oriental Orthodox, it is hoped that these chapters may play some small part in supplying that lack.

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Despite the positive outcome of the dialogues between the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox communions over the last decades, it seems clear that an outstanding and significant issue remains the status of those councils not received by the Oriental Orthodox. These form such an important aspect of the life and witness of the Eastern Orthodox communion that they cannot easily be ignored. Recent agreements produced by the theological dialogue between the Eastern and Orthodox communities have appeared to skate over the need for a formal response from the Oriental Orthodox to these later councils.

Nevertheless, the Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox have been able to produce a Joint Agreement which confesses a mutual confidence that the same Christology has always been held by all. That being so, it must be the case that the later councils of the Eastern Orthodox, and even the most controversial texts such as the Tome of Leo, are all able to be understood in an Orthodox manner. These joint statements have been accepted by the Holy Synods of almost all the Oriental Orthodox churches and therefore represent a formal and official view of the Eastern Orthodox.

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