Österns Assyriska kyrka (19)
Tidigare kallades kyrkan den Nestorianska kyrkan. Idag kan man säga att denna kyrka är den första 'frikyrkan' i historien. Om frikyrkornas historia börjar med reformationen, Luther, protestantismen och anabaptismen som den första frikyrkan i vår mening - på tidigt 1500-tal, så inleder den nestorianska kyrkan sin historia från år 431.
Historia
Det tredje ekumeniska konciliet hölls i Efesos år 431 och gällde Maria som gudaföderska eller ej. Här ifrågasatte Patriarken av Konstantinopel beteckningen "gudaföderska" om Maria. Eftersom Nestorius skilde mellan gudomligt och mänskligt hos Kristus, så påstod han att Maria endast hade fött den mänskliga naturen hos Jesus. Den gudomliga naturen hade i stället tagit sin boning i Jesus först vid födseln.
Det tredje ekumeniska konciliet hölls i Efesos år 431 och gällde Maria som gudaföderska eller ej. Här ifrågasatte Patriarken av Konstantinopel beteckningen "gudaföderska" om Maria. Eftersom Nestorius skilde mellan gudomligt och mänskligt hos Kristus, så påstod han att Maria endast hade fött den mänskliga naturen hos Jesus. Den gudomliga naturen hade i stället tagit sin boning i Jesus först vid födseln.
Patriarken av Alexandria, Kyrillos, företrädde en annan syn; för honom var Kristi gudomlighet det betydelsefulla, men han såg också Kristus som en fullkomlig människa, men en mänsklig själ och utan synd. Han ville främst visa på naturernas enhet. Om Nestorius pekade på självständigheten mellan naturerna så pekade Kyrillos i stället på enheten dem emellan.
Resultatet av mötet blev att Nestorius fördömdes och fördrevs i exil. Beteckningen gudaföderska uppehölls. Nestorius anhängare som inte accepterade detta beslut tvingades österut, där de förenade sig med den öst-syriska kyrkan. Nestorius själv dog 451 i Egypten. Ett halvsekel senare förklarade den öst-syriska kyrkan att de godtog Nestorius lära och bröt sig därmed ur den ortodoxa gemenskapen. De kallades därför också för den nestorianska kyrkan.
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ÖSTERNS ASSYRISKA KYRKA I SVERIGE
H. E . Mar Odisho Oraham Diocesan Bishop Norsborg Sweden
Fem församlingar/kyrkor: Norsborg, Göteborg, Jönköping, Linköping, Skövde
Fem församlingar/kyrkor: Norsborg, Göteborg, Jönköping, Linköping, Skövde
Mera om Kyrkan i >> Sverige och Europa
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Assyrian Church of the East
It is not known exactly when Christianity first took root in upper Mesopotamia, but a Christian presence had certainly been established there by the mid-2nd century. In the 3rd century, the area was conquered by the Persians. Although this was to be a multi-ethnic church, the Assyrian people traditionally played a central role in its ecclesial life. Its geographical location caused it to become known simply as "the Church of the East."
Around the year 300, the bishops were first organized into an ecclesiastical structure under the leadership of a Catholicos, the bishop of the Persian royal capital at Seleucia-Ctesiphon. He later received the additional title of Patriarch.
In the 5th century, the Church of the East gravitated towards the radical Antiochene form of christology that had been articulated by Theodore of Mopsuestia and Nestorius, and fell out of communion with the church in the Roman Empire. This was due in part to the significant influx of Nestorian Christians into Persia that took place following the condemnation of Nestorian christology by the Council of Ephesus in 431, and the expulsion of Nestorians from the Roman Empire by Emperor Zeno (474-491). In addition, the Persian Christians needed to distance themselves from the official church of the Roman Empire, with which Persia was frequently at war. In this way they were able to maintain their Christian faith while avoiding suspicions that they were collaborating with the Roman enemy.
Synods in the 5th century also decreed that celibacy should be obligatory for no one in this church, including bishops. A number of bishops and even patriarchs were married until the early 6th century, when the decision was taken to ordain only celibate monks to the episcopate. Priests, however, have always been allowed to marry, even after ordination.
The Church of the East was always a minority in largely Zoroastrian Persia, but nevertheless it flourished for many centuries, with its rich scholarly activity centered on the famous school of Nisibis. The church expanded through missionary activity into areas as far away as India, Tibet, China, and Mongolia. This continued even after the Mesopotamian homeland was conquered by the Muslim Arabs in the 7th century. The Patriarchate was moved to the new city of Baghdad after it became the capital in 766. By 1318 there were some 30 metropolitan sees and 200 suffragan dioceses. But during the invasions of Tamerlane in the late 14th century, these Christians were almost annihilated. By the 16th century, they had been reduced to a small community of Assyrians in what is now eastern Turkey. The church was then further weakened by the formation of a Catholic counterpart known as the Chaldean Catholic Church.
It is not known exactly when Christianity first took root in upper Mesopotamia, but a Christian presence had certainly been established there by the mid-2nd century. In the 3rd century, the area was conquered by the Persians. Although this was to be a multi-ethnic church, the Assyrian people traditionally played a central role in its ecclesial life. Its geographical location caused it to become known simply as "the Church of the East."
Around the year 300, the bishops were first organized into an ecclesiastical structure under the leadership of a Catholicos, the bishop of the Persian royal capital at Seleucia-Ctesiphon. He later received the additional title of Patriarch.
In the 5th century, the Church of the East gravitated towards the radical Antiochene form of christology that had been articulated by Theodore of Mopsuestia and Nestorius, and fell out of communion with the church in the Roman Empire. This was due in part to the significant influx of Nestorian Christians into Persia that took place following the condemnation of Nestorian christology by the Council of Ephesus in 431, and the expulsion of Nestorians from the Roman Empire by Emperor Zeno (474-491). In addition, the Persian Christians needed to distance themselves from the official church of the Roman Empire, with which Persia was frequently at war. In this way they were able to maintain their Christian faith while avoiding suspicions that they were collaborating with the Roman enemy.
Synods in the 5th century also decreed that celibacy should be obligatory for no one in this church, including bishops. A number of bishops and even patriarchs were married until the early 6th century, when the decision was taken to ordain only celibate monks to the episcopate. Priests, however, have always been allowed to marry, even after ordination.
The Church of the East was always a minority in largely Zoroastrian Persia, but nevertheless it flourished for many centuries, with its rich scholarly activity centered on the famous school of Nisibis. The church expanded through missionary activity into areas as far away as India, Tibet, China, and Mongolia. This continued even after the Mesopotamian homeland was conquered by the Muslim Arabs in the 7th century. The Patriarchate was moved to the new city of Baghdad after it became the capital in 766. By 1318 there were some 30 metropolitan sees and 200 suffragan dioceses. But during the invasions of Tamerlane in the late 14th century, these Christians were almost annihilated. By the 16th century, they had been reduced to a small community of Assyrians in what is now eastern Turkey. The church was then further weakened by the formation of a Catholic counterpart known as the Chaldean Catholic Church.
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Assyrian Church of the East: Thomas Christians
A Christian community known as "The Thomas Christians" has existed on the southwest coast of India since ancient times, attested to in documented sources dating back to the fourth century. The Thomas Christians claim with considerable credibility to have been founded by the Apostle Thomas, who had evangelized India following the death and resurrection of Christ. Located in what is now the state of Kerala, they were a distinct religious community fully integrated into Indian society. They were also in full communion with the Assyrian Church of the East, which in early centuries had regularly sent bishops to India to ordain deacons and priests. The head of the Thomas Christian Church, which had considerable autonomy, was a Metropolitan of the Assyrian Church of the East from at least the 8th century, and occupied the tenth place in the Assyrian hierarchy with the title, "Metropolitan and Gate of All India." But because the Metropolitans generally did not speak the local language, real jurisdiction was placed in the hands of an Indian priest with the title "Archdeacon of All India." He was effectively the civil and religious superior of the entire community until the arrival of the Portuguese in Kerala at the end of the 15th century.
A Christian community known as "The Thomas Christians" has existed on the southwest coast of India since ancient times, attested to in documented sources dating back to the fourth century. The Thomas Christians claim with considerable credibility to have been founded by the Apostle Thomas, who had evangelized India following the death and resurrection of Christ. Located in what is now the state of Kerala, they were a distinct religious community fully integrated into Indian society. They were also in full communion with the Assyrian Church of the East, which in early centuries had regularly sent bishops to India to ordain deacons and priests. The head of the Thomas Christian Church, which had considerable autonomy, was a Metropolitan of the Assyrian Church of the East from at least the 8th century, and occupied the tenth place in the Assyrian hierarchy with the title, "Metropolitan and Gate of All India." But because the Metropolitans generally did not speak the local language, real jurisdiction was placed in the hands of an Indian priest with the title "Archdeacon of All India." He was effectively the civil and religious superior of the entire community until the arrival of the Portuguese in Kerala at the end of the 15th century.
Read about >> Thomas and India
Om skillnaden mellan assyrier/syrianer >> professor John Joseph
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