Hello! I value the EO and OO churches and would like to see them reunite. Their traditions both go back centuries to the first Christians. They both believe in following Christ, and the gospels and Epistles teach us to be one body and overcome factions. What reunion between OOs and another major Church should be easier and simpler than an EO-OO one? I look at the ancient traditions and communities of Greeks and Copts and see how they should be united as brothers. I look at how the EO Patriarch of Jerusalem celebrates the Holy Fire ceremony, with the involvement of OOs, how most Christians in the Holy Land are Chalcedonian, and how the Syriac Christians have the Church of St. Mark in Jerusalem and go back in the Holy Land for centuries, and think that they should value each others' traditions and reunite. Should we try to look to ways to overcome this division?
The fundamental debate in Chalcedon was over the number of "natures" that Christ has. The term "natures" has been used to mean different things. However, EOs and OOs agree that Christ has or is in:
Two essences, two substances, two categories (man and God), two sets of properties (divine and human)
One hypostasis and one person.
Therefore, once one resolves the semantic issue of what "natures" mean, it is hard to see a substantive difference.
St. Cyril is a major saint in both of our churches, and the example that he set was to achieve reunion between his faction teaching one nature after the incarnation and those like John Antiochene teaching two natures after it. This is a model that we should also strive to. St. Cyril recognized that those who stated two natures after the union were not heretical. He explained that since they rejected Nestorius, they were not Nestorian. Further, he and John Antiochene wrote in their Formula of Reunion:
Cyril made many statements that can be construed as accepting major aspects of both Miaphysitism and Diophysitism.
"Even though by the nature of his humanity Christ is one in both natures and from both natures" ~ St. Cyril Letter 53
So what is the best way to overcome the division among EOs and OOs?
I understand that being friendly is important and to consider each others' beliefs. There are joint commissions that are set up and make statements saying that EOs and OOs are not Nestorian or Eutychean. I think we should try to discuss the issues in an open minded way that is not locked into ideology. Neither community wants to make incorrect Christological statements. Our churches should try to make a positive, constructive effort and think of ways to overcome the schism.
The fundamental debate in Chalcedon was over the number of "natures" that Christ has. The term "natures" has been used to mean different things. However, EOs and OOs agree that Christ has or is in:
Two essences, two substances, two categories (man and God), two sets of properties (divine and human)
One hypostasis and one person.
Therefore, once one resolves the semantic issue of what "natures" mean, it is hard to see a substantive difference.
St. Cyril is a major saint in both of our churches, and the example that he set was to achieve reunion between his faction teaching one nature after the incarnation and those like John Antiochene teaching two natures after it. This is a model that we should also strive to. St. Cyril recognized that those who stated two natures after the union were not heretical. He explained that since they rejected Nestorius, they were not Nestorian. Further, he and John Antiochene wrote in their Formula of Reunion:
"As to the evangelical and apostolic expressions about the Lord, we know that theologians treat some in common as of one person and distinguish others as of two natures, and interpret the god-befitting ones in connexion with the godhead of Christ and the lowly ones with his humanity."
Cyril made many statements that can be construed as accepting major aspects of both Miaphysitism and Diophysitism.
"Even though by the nature of his humanity Christ is one in both natures and from both natures" ~ St. Cyril Letter 53
https://orthodoxjointcommission.wordpress.com/2013/12/15/second-letter-of-cyril-to-succensus/
So what is the best way to overcome the division among EOs and OOs?
I understand that being friendly is important and to consider each others' beliefs. There are joint commissions that are set up and make statements saying that EOs and OOs are not Nestorian or Eutychean. I think we should try to discuss the issues in an open minded way that is not locked into ideology. Neither community wants to make incorrect Christological statements. Our churches should try to make a positive, constructive effort and think of ways to overcome the schism.
