Assyrian Christians

[Christ's_Warrior]

Hi Guys,

It seems as though there has been a lot of misinformation being posted regarding my people. I would like to clear some things up.

Assyrians are not extinct as an ethnic group, we are alive and well (besides the persecution in Iraq). The term syrian is an incorrect term used by the Greeks.

The Assyrian Church of the East has about 3 million members worldwide and we as a nation were the first people to convert enmasse to the Christian faith. Saint Thomas and Thaddeus preached and founded the Church.

We have nothing to do with Nestorious in terms of him founding our Church or influencing our Christology, we also were never a part of the Bynzantine Church. We developed independantly in Eddesa and in Persia respectively and we were unaware of the situation between Nestorious and Cyril.

Our Christology and theology were never influenced by the EO, OO or Nestorious. It is Biblical and without pagan influence, we understand the semetic teachings of Jesus Christ and we still utilise the Aramaic in our Divine Liturgy from about 2000 years ago.

The Assyrians in Iraq are being persecuted and have been for some 1300 years, we are the Church of Martyrs and withstood conversion to Islam enmasse because "the gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church".

 

[Christos Anesti]

Does the Church of the East still have monasteries? I was looking at a list of monasteries in Iraq and a lot of them said they were once under the jurisdiction of the COE but are now under a different Church that is in communion with Rome (sorry can't remember the name of the Church off the top of my head) .

 

[anna ~ grace]

the Assyrian Church of the East is pretty amazing..... i've heard the Church at various times sent missionaries to places as diverse as China, Tibet, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, and a few other nations, too.

pretty incredible record.

your music is also lovely, and ethereal.

 

[Christ's_Warrior]

Does the Church of the East still have monasteries? I was looking at a list of monasteries in Iraq and a lot of them said they were once under the jurisdiction of the COE but are now under a different Church that is in communion with Rome (sorry can't remember the name of the Church off the top of my head) .

Hi Brother,

Yes we do have some in Iraq and in India.

The Chaldean Church has taken over many of the monastries as the Assyrian Christians have left Iraq in the millions during the past 20 years.

 

[Christ's_Warrior]

the Assyrian Church of the East is pretty amazing..... i've heard the Church at various times sent missionaries to places as diverse as China, Tibet, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, and a few other nations, too.

pretty incredible record.

your music is also lovely, and ethereal.

Thank you, all Glory goes to God.

Yes at one stage we spread all the way into Asia, but anti Christ's like Ghengis Khan ensured the slaughter of many Christians during his bloody reign.

 

[WisdomTree]

There's actually members of the Assyrian Church of the East on this forum!?

 

[Albion]

Hi Guys,

It seems as though there has been a lot of misinformation being posted regarding my people. I would like to clear some things up.

Assyrians are not extinct as an ethnic group, we are alive and well (besides the persecution in Iraq). The term syrian is an incorrect term used by the Greeks.

The Assyrian Church of the East has about 3 million members worldwide and we as a nation were the first people to convert enmasse to the Christian faith.

Isn't that usually said about the Armenian Church?

 

[Catherineanne]

Hi Guys,

It seems as though there has been a lot of misinformation being posted regarding my people. I would like to clear some things up.

Assyrians are not extinct as an ethnic group, we are alive and well (besides the persecution in Iraq). The term syrian is an incorrect term used by the Greeks.

The Assyrian Church of the East has about 3 million members worldwide and we as a nation were the first people to convert enmasse to the Christian faith. Saint Thomas and Thaddeus preached and founded the Church.

We have nothing to do with Nestorious in terms of him founding our Church or influencing our Christology, we also were never a part of the Bynzantine Church. We developed independantly in Eddesa and in Persia respectively and we were unaware of the situation between Nestorious and Cyril.

Our Christology and theology were never influenced by the EO, OO or Nestorious. It is Biblical and without pagan influence, we understand the semetic teachings of Jesus Christ and we still utilise the Aramaic in our Divine Liturgy from about 2000 years ago.

The Assyrians in Iraq are being persecuted and have been for some 1300 years, we are the Church of Martyrs and withstood conversion to Islam enmasse because "the gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church".

Hi, CW, lovely to meet you.

I think you have a very good case for an Assyrian church icon, so that the rest of us can recognise you more easily.

Thanks for the overview; it was very interesting indeed. I think Church of Martyrs is a very apt term for such a very, very faithful church.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

read up on this church Interesting history.

 

[WisdomTree]

Isn't that usually said about the Armenian Church?

Armenians weren't considered "Nestorians", but they were categorized as being "Eutchyean Monophysites".

 

[Christ's_Warrior]

hi all, sorry for the late reply! Yes there is an assyrian christian on this forum lol. i am happy to answer ay questions to the best of the abilities.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

the Assyrian Church of the East is pretty amazing..... i've heard the Church at various times sent missionaries to places as diverse as China, Tibet, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Sri Lanka, and a few other nations, too.

pretty incredible record.

your music is also lovely, and ethereal.

Beautiful

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I think you have a very good case for an Assyrian church icon, so that the rest of us can recognise you more easily.

Thanks for the overview; it was very interesting indeed. I think Church of Martyrs is a very apt term for such a very, very faithful church.

So true what you noted And on the issue of icon, I've often wondered why they had icons available for those who are Eastern Orthodox or Oriential Orthodox - yet nothing available for the Assyrian Church of the East. Of course, they could also consider those churches within the Catholic world connected to the Assyrian Church also having icons - such as what occurred with Bishop Mar Bawai Soro - a former Bishop of the Assyrian Church of the East and an Assyrian Catholic bishop and ecumenist whose passion and life's work have been aimed at the attainment of Christ's prayer for the unity of the Church - "that they may be one" (John 17:21)...as he was crucial in the dialogue with the Catholic Church, during which time the signing of the "Common Christological Declaration" became a landmark event, ending theological isolation of this Church for 15 centuries...and in leaving the Assyrian Church of the East, he led a significant minority of the Assyrian Church of the East's faithful into full communion with the Chaldean Catholic Church (more here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here).

Having differing icons would make things a lot easier for identification.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Assyrians are not extinct as an ethnic group, we are alive and well (besides the persecution in Iraq). The term syrian is an incorrect term used by the Greeks.

The Assyrian Church of the East has about 3 million members worldwide and we as a nation were the first people to convert enmasse to the Christian faith. Saint Thomas and Thaddeus preached and founded the Church.

We have nothing to do with Nestorious in terms of him founding our Church or influencing our Christology, we also were never a part of the Bynzantine Church. We developed independantly in Eddesa and in Persia respectively and we were unaware of the situation between Nestorious and Cyril.

Our Christology and theology were never influenced by the EO, OO or Nestorious. It is Biblical and without pagan influence, we understand the semetic teachings of Jesus Christ and we still utilise the Aramaic in our Divine Liturgy from about 2000 years ago.

The Assyrians in Iraq are being persecuted and have been for some 1300 years, we are the Church of Martyrs and withstood conversion to Islam enmasse because "the gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church".

Letting you know how much I appreciated you making the thread as you did - as I've sought to speak out with others in defense of how amazing the Assyrian Church of the East is ( more here in #63 /#126 ). It's amazing how much in the way of Assyrian Christianity seems to be lost in our times - and sadly, not many in the West are aware of how much actions in the Western world have damaged the Assyrian one.

Specifically, when considering the plight of how the Christians of Iraq suffered immensely as a result of strength being used the WRONG WAY by the U.S in the name of "war against terror", so many have suffered as a result - having to flee when other groups came to power and being isolated. For all the Iraq Christians/the Assyrian Christians that were wiped out in the process, it'll never be an issue for them of America always being benevolent in intentions....with the "Peace through Stength" mantra being simply another way of advocating "Peace through War" or "Strength through War".

Facing Extinction - Assyrian Christians of Iraq
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Assyrian Genocide, Christians of Iraq facing extinction part (1) Church Attacks

Assyrian Genocide, Christians of Iraq facing Extinction part (2) Church attacks

Assyrian Christians of Iraq facing Extinction part (3) Church Attacks, Bombings
​

 

[BlindDidymus]

Isn't that usually said about the Armenian Church?

Armenians weren't considered "Nestorians", but they were categorized as being "Eutchyean Monophysites".

Take it Albion meant the part about being the first people to convert on mass. Armenia was the first Christian kingdom but this does not mean that all the population converted as soon as the king did. I'm unsure about how swiftly the Armenians converted so can't answer this more clearly sorry.

The Armenian, like all OOs, have been incorrectly called "Monophysites" however this is most odd in the Armenian case seeing they did not object to the theology of the Council of Chalcedon. In fact, they weren't there but only considered it in hindsight around a century later. At that time they rejected it as they saw that its effect was that the doctrine of Nestorius was spreading and the Armenians had condemned it as heresy.

 

[WisdomTree]

So true what you noted And on the issue of icon, I've often wondered why they had icons available for those who are Eastern Orthodox or Oriential Orthodox - yet nothing available for the Assyrian Church of the East. Of course, they could also consider those churches within the Catholic world connected to the Assyrian Church also having icons - such as what occurred with Bishop Mar Bawai Soro - a former Bishop of the Assyrian Church of the East and an Assyrian Catholic bishop and ecumenist whose passion and life's work have been aimed at the attainment of Christ's prayer for the unity of the Church - "that they may be one" (John 17:21)...as he was crucial in the dialogue with the Catholic Church, during which time the signing of the "Common Christological Declaration" became a landmark event, ending theological isolation of this Church for 15 centuries...and in leaving the Assyrian Church of the East, he led a significant minority of the Assyrian Church of the East's faithful into full communion with the Chaldean Catholic Church (more here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here).

Having differing icons would make things a lot easier for identification.

I actually brought this up on behalf of them to a Forum Administrator in the past (here). However it was dismissed as it was assumed that there were none on this forum. Considering that the Church of the East (both Assyrians and Ancients) are not only legitimate Christians, but also those who hold the ancient inheritance from the Apostles I thought that it wasn't too unreasonable for them to have some kind of safe house or whatever.

At least a faith icon should be warranted considering that unknown groups like "Celtic Catholic" as well as heretical groups and non-Christian groups get their own icons.

 

[Cappadocious]

The Armenian, like all OOs, have been incorrectly called "Monophysites" however this is most odd in the Armenian

According to the late Fr. V. C. Samuel there was a Julianist (a form of monophysite) church in Armenia for a few centuries.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I actually brought this up on behalf of them to a Forum Administrator in the past (here). .

Cool to know - as I also brought up the issue some months ago, including icons ideas for others in that group, which I was told would be considered once discussing more on the issue.

Considering that the Church of the East (both Assyrians and Ancients) are not only legitimate Christians, but also those who hold the ancient inheritance from the Apostles I thought that it wasn't too unreasonable for them to have some kind of safe house or whatever.

At least a faith icon should be warranted considering that unknown groups like "Celtic Catholic" as well as heretical groups and non-Christian groups get their own icons

Very good points - as it's odd to see where the Celtic Catholics have icons and yet those who are Assyrian Christians don't even have one......I do hope something changes...

 

[Gxg (G²)]

At least a faith icon should be warranted considering that unknown groups like "Celtic Catholic" as well as heretical groups and non-Christian groups get their own icons.[/SIZE][/FONT]

Really hoping someone makes an icon soon for Assyrian Christians - it doesn't make any sense not to...

 

[Christ's_Warrior]

We are very used to bring excluded! It's all good though this is the last of our problems.