Coptic Popes and their relationship to the Assyrian Church of the East

[ialmisry]

But they are fellow Christians, living in a very difficult situation and we must always, always put that above what seperates us.

What do you mean by that?

Like not ban them from joining the MECC for one.

Despite ialmisry's bizarre conception that only Byzantines and Orientals should be a part

Part of what?

because only they are properly churches, I think that we could easily say that many Byzantines and Orientals could say of each other that they are not properly churches, and we could say that same about the ACE, and the Romans, and they could say it about us, etc. Such a technicality is not all that helpful. Perhaps it would be good to come up with a different name. But if we want to be so technocratic about that, logically we may just wind up with not being able to have such an organization at all. So I agree that unless the organization itself defines itself more partially towards EOy and OOy that it would be appropriate for the ACE to not be banned.

Yes, this is one rare area where I disagree with HH: the ACE should be allowed in the MECC. It is not, after all, an ecclesiastical organ.  But it is a means of fellowship.  The present attitude makes no distinction between the ACE and Muslims. And that can't be sustained.

Nevermind. I was confused. I thought you were referring to the ACE as not an ecclesiastical organ, rather than the MECC.

ah.

I wouldn't want the Jehovah Witnesses nor the Mormons on the MECC.  But the ACE belong there. As long as the MECC doesn't start acting as a para-Church. I'm a little torn about their endorsement of the Arabic translation of the Bible.

[Antonious Nikolas]

Brother Chris, out of respect for Salpy's admonition to stay on topic, I'll resist the urge to do a point-by-point response here, but there are a couple of things I really must say in this open forum where the comments were made, even if I risk discipline.  I'm glad your theological studies have lead you to the truth of the Miaphysite Christology and that you are looking into the Oriental Orthodox Communion.  You're obviously no Forrest Gump.  That said, are you sure you really gave the Eastern Orthodox Church enough time in terms of living in communion?  I just looked at your intro, and it seems you "jumped ship" very quickly after being received into their flock.

Theology is important, but so is the life in Christ, especially receiving the Eucharist and living a life in Communion with your fellow Orthodox.  Having the priest come to your house to minister to you, teaching Sunday School, ministering to the poor, being a shoulder for your troubled brother to lean on.

Maybe then you'd have some of the humility of His Holiness the Pope, who is really a transcendant theologian in a class with Fr. V.C. Samuel, H.H. Karekin I, and just about anyone else, but writes his books in a simple language to meet the needs of his people, who are not theologians by training, but farmers, pharmacists, housewives, children, et cetera.  Perhaps then you'd also see that if the Byzantines are sincere about Constantinople II and are now confessing the Orthodox Faith, it's not necessarily important to get their arms up behind their backs and force them to say, "...we have now clearly understood that both families have always loyally maintained the same authentic Orthodox Christological faith, and the unbroken continuity of the apostolic tradition except, in the case of the Byzantines, for that one blip at Chalcedon when...".

I mean, you're not even living a life of communion within the Oriental Orthodox Church yet, and you've already left her, intellectually speaking, to rally her dissident elements and further fracture Eastern Chrisitianity.

Not exactly "that they may be one".  As I said, you're clearly a sharp cookie, and you and I agree on quite a bit christologically speaking, but as one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread, please consider what I've said.

Salpy, I apologize.  Back to the regular discussion...I personally think that while no efforts could realistically be made to re-establish communion between any Orthodox Church and the ACE at this point, they should be allowed to participate in ecumenical bodies like the MECC, which make no stipulations as to theology.

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