Syriac Eastern Christology

Christ is confessed fully divine and fully human in the terminology proper to the Eastern Syriac tradition.

88%

Confidence

Supportive

Contrary

Neutral

What it is: The Assyrian Church of the East has its own Christological formulation, developed in the Eastern Syriac tradition.

How the tradition understands it: Christ is fully God and fully man, with technical language that emphasizes the integral reality of both dimensions and their union in the one Lord.

Basis and context: The tradition developed in dialogue with Theodore of Mopsuestia, Narsai, Babai, and the Christological controversies of the fifth to seventh centuries.

Debates and variations: Historical terminology was often mistranslated or misunderstood in Western and Byzantine polemics.

Supportive

Babai the Great, Book of the Union

assyrian-church-of-the-east,babai,christology,union

An important text of the Church of the East's christology.

Reference: Babai the Great, Book of the Union.
Content: The author formulates the union of divinity and humanity in Christ in the terminology proper to the East Syriac tradition.
Use in debate: It is a central source for East Syriac christology.

John 1:14

bible,new-testament,incarnation,christ

The Word became flesh.

Reference: John 1:14.
Content: The text affirms the incarnation of the Word and is decisive for all ancient Christian christologies.
Use in debate: It is important for East Syriac christology.

Narsai and the School of Nisibis

assyrian-church-of-the-east,narsai,nisibis,theology

A central figure of East Syriac theology and poetry.

Reference: Narsai's homilies and school tradition.
Content: Narsai helped consolidate the exegetical and christological language proper to the East Syriac school.
Use in debate: It is an important source for the theological school and the tradition's christology.

Philippians 2:6-11

bible,new-testament,christology,liturgy

Christ in humiliation and exaltation.

Reference: Philippians 2:6-11.
Content: The christological hymn expresses the descent, obedience, and exaltation of Christ.
Use in debate: It is central for ancient christological and liturgical formulations.

Neutral

Common Christological Declaration of 1994

assyrian-church-of-the-east,ecumenism,christology,1994

A common declaration between the Assyrian Church of the East and the Catholic Church.

Reference: The 1994 common christological declaration between the Assyrian Church of the East and the Catholic Church.
Content: The text recognizes broad convergence in faith in Christ and helps overcome old christological caricatures.
Use in debate: It is an important source for a contemporary rereading of the church's christology.