OO vs. EO

humanity and divinity of Christ

God bless.

Dear Phillip,

I thank you for posting our answers to TAW. It just proves that the people in TAW ignore Orthodox interpretations and go on to ridicule us as people with beards who are no different to the Hassidic Jews.

I also want to show you something else that is "interesting" Phillip. The Miaphysitism that they condemn was actually defended knowingly and consciously by St. Cyril, the Pillar of the Faith himself.

In His letter to Succensus Bishop of Diocaesarea in Isauria, Saint Cyril of Alexandria wrote:
In his next letter to Bishop Succensus, Saint Cyril wrote:

‘But although the body united to him is not consubstantial to the Word begotten of God the Father, even though it is united with a rational soul, still our thoughts certainly presents to our mind the difference of the two natures which have been united, and yet we confess one Son, Christ and Lord, since the Word was made flesh. And whenever we say flesh, we are saying man...

For not only in the case of those who are simple by nature is the term ‘one’ truly used, but also in respect to what has been brought together according to a synthesis, as man is one being, who is of soul and body. For soul and body are of different species and are not consubstantial to each other, but united they produce one fusiV of man, even though in the considerations of the synthesis the difference exist according to the nature of those which have been brought together into a unity. Accordingly they are speaking in vain who say that, if there should be one incarnate fusiV ‘of the Word’ in every way and in every manner it would follow that a mixture and a confusion occurred as if lessening and taking away the nature of man.’

I also suggest another famous work written by St. Cyril "On the Unity of Christ," in which St. Cyril wrote near his death, and unhesitantly teaches "one nature:"

http://www.christianforums.com/showt...&postcount=103

Please also read posts 104 and 105, where I quote documents like the Henoticon, letters from St. Dioscorus (the one who was condemned from Chalcedon), St. Timothy Aelurius, St. Theodosius, and St. Severus. These writings refute the beliefs by polemical EO's like "Rick of Wessex" who believed that "Miaphysitism" wasn't developed until the 10th Century, while ignoring that fathers like St. Timothy and St. Severus anathematized Eutyches and Eutychians.

Coptic Church was always Orthodox. Chalcedon was a Latrocinium of our Alexandrian theology, robbing St. Cyril's thoughts from Ephesus 431. Read Mansi's minutes of Chalcedon, and you will find some valuable information that you can never escape.

I also suggest you read Fr. V.C. Samuel's book "The Council of Chalcedon Re-Examined" based solely on valuable primary resources, not the secondary resources that people like Rick and Maximus uses.

Perhaps, rather than having you keep Chalcedon, I can assist in showing you that the Church didn't cease to exist in the Oriental Churches, and if polemical EO's like Maximus and Rick still believe in One Church that comprises of the "ecumenical councils" perhaps I can persuade them that they are not in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, simply because I am confident and I know that the fathers that they condemn as heretics are innocent, and no Holy Spirit can make such a mistake.

God bless you. I hope this finds TAW members of more interest.

In Christ always,

Mina Soliman

How likely is that someday the EO and OO will reunite?

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I've been told "We're almost there," but some of us are trying to talk to the Monks of Mt. Athos, at least HE Metropolitan Bishoy. I don't know how that's turning out.

Other rumors I heard was "very very soon" like, I was actually given a timeline, but I won't give that timeline here, since I can't verify.

God bless.

That's essentially what I have heard, that reunification is not far off.. but nothing specific. I pray that it happens soon.

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I don't think we could unite with the whole EO. That is because they are not even united among themselves and can't hold ecumenical council. How can they accept us? is it by some archbishop declaring we have the same faith? They don't have a pope to declare we are united.
We are a lot closer to RC then EO, RC have declared that what happened at the council of Chelcedon was a misunderstanding therefore we should work together toward a unity with them, EO can't make such claim because they have no one voice that speaks for them.

orthodoxy,
Please forgive me if I offend, but this a most confusing post. I am not going to protest your view of my church, but I AM going to question your view of your own church (with respect).
Are you telling us that all "Oriental" Orthodox are subservient to the Coptic Pope of Alexandria? I am not sure that the heads of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Syria Orthodox Church of Antioch, the Malankara Orthodox Church of India, and the Ethiopian Orthodox (not sure about the Eritreans) would agree with this.
If you don't mind I will await some more input here from your own sisters and brothers about this.

If you have honest and legitimate questions by all means ask away. The head of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church is the Catholicos or Katholicos, and she is not subservient to the Coptic Pope. Also please be sensitive in using quotes "" while addressing the Oriental Churches. May I also remind you that the Georgian Church was a part of the Oriental Churches for several hundred years. The term orient was used by the western churches to address the eastern churches in the early centuries. The phrased wasn't "coined" until the recently.

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"When I opened my mind's eyes in deep thought through the study of the 'Book', I saw the depth of the knowledge of the graces; I opened my heart in order to understand what seemed difficult to understand, to examine, to be informed and comprehend the depth of its knowledge which filled my frail mind with awe, and in order to take in mentally I was prepared to forget that knowledge which I had in the beginning."
- Saint Gregory of Narek

Just out of curiousity....is this an opinion of the majority here? I've never heard an OO say this before.

H.H. Pope Shenouda III, is only head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, so I'm not sure what orthedoxy is getting at.

But to an extent I do think that we have better relations with some RC's. I get nothing but animosity from a whole lot of EO's, whereas the RC's show a more loving Christian attitude. Obviously this will vary from person to person, but that has been my experience with these forums.

God Bless,
Elizabeth

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