Ground

Andrew Ground

December 6th, 2021

Prof. M. Mikhail

HIST 412A, Thurs 4:00

The Separation of the Syriac and Coptic Churches

The period stretching from the 7th and 14th century is a period of division within

Christendom in which regional influences became increasingly prominent and produced distinct

cultural varieties to the tradition. The edict at Chalcedon resulted in the breaking off of the

Nestorians and Miaphysities. Subsequently, the Arab Conquests in the 7th century saw the

Eastern Roman Empire weakened and the authority of the Nestorians and Miaphysites fall out of

their grasp and into the Arabs, as well as hope of repatriation. In this 700 year span, two

Christian Churches will be evaluated, the Nestorians otherwise known as the Syriac Church of

the East, and the Miaphysites located in Egypt.

The Council of Chalcedon in 451 began as a matter that convened over the matter of the

flesh of Christ.1 Earlier that century, Cyril of Alexandria(375-444 A.D.), argued that after the

incarnation there was one incarnate nature of God the Logos. He then tied the concept of nature

close to that of a person(hupostasis).2 In the interpretation of Cyril, Christ could not be separated

into divine or human components. This position of the Alexandrian school was represented at the

Council of Ephesus by Dioscorus in 449 proved to win out against the view of Ibas who

represented the Antiochene school. 3 Chalcedon itself saw the Antiochenes and Alexandrians both

agree that Christ was both human and divine, but while the Antiochenes emphasized the

humanity of God suffering without denying his divinity, the Alexandrians the divine as being

1
Irvin and Sunquist, 192
2
Irvin and Sunquist, 192
3
Irvin and Sunquist, 192

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incarnate through his humanity.4 It saw the emergence of non-Chalcedon churches within the

Roman empire in the latter half of the fifth century.5 Citing the work of Theodore of Mopsuestia,

Nestorius, the 5th century bishop of Constantinople, rejected the doctrine of Theotokos. Labeling

the rejection of the Definition of Chalcedon, the Eastern Syriacs would often be known due to

his name as ‘Nestorians’.6

Following the council of Chalcedon, the emperor had a new bishop of Alexandria

installed through military force.7 This resulted in two bishops, one elected by popular assembly

from Egypt and the other by imperial appointment, Timothy Alerius and Proterius respectively.

Proterius would be unpopular to many in Egypt and would be assassinated 457. Yet despite this,

two separate churches would crop up within the province. The Melkites were in favor of

Chalcedon, but were also indicative of supporting the rule of Constantinople.8 Then there were

the non-Chalcedon known as Monophysite. The bishop of the latter was regarded as being the

legitimate head of the orthodox faith within their view of the Christianity, a view held only in

common with the Ethiopian church.9 Despite the issue of Chalcedon and the embitterment

between them, Melkites and Monophysites would appear to be similar. In liturgy, sacramental

vestment, order of leadership, buildings, and spiritual practices they were easily likened to one

another.10

The patriarch of Alexandria, Benjamin, had also been exiled by the emperor in 631 and

for some time the non-Chaldcedonian churches had been under the discrimination of the Roman

empire and imperial intervention with eccliastical matters.11 Following the Arab conquest, the

4
Irvin and Sunquist, 193
5
Irvin and Sunquist, 214
6
Irvin and Sunquist, 193 & 282
7
Irvin and Sunquist, 215
8
Irvin and Sunquist, 215
9
Irvin and Sunquist, 219
10
Irvin and Sunquist, 219
11
Irvin and Sunquist, 290

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patriarch would even be invited to return, an offer that Benjamin would accept.12 Bishops in

those conquered areas were allowed to keep their residence near churches, the area around them

becoming Christian quarters of cities and towns.13 The Coptic patriarch was allowed to move his

residence from Alexandria to the new capital of Egypt in Cairo. 14 So too the patriarch of the East,

from Seleucia-Ctesiphon to Baghdad.15 Similar to the system run by the Sassanid Shah, the

Abbasid Caliph would become the one to officially appoint the Patriarch of the East.16 The

various churches would vote for their choice in Patriarch and follow it up by submitting their

choice for Caliph approval.17 By the 10th century, this had changed and the Caliph would appoint

the patriarch directly.18

The Umayyad caliphate would proclaim that Arabic would become the official language

of the Caliphate.19 Coptic as well as Syriacs would then be resigned to a similar fate in that their

spoken language would risk dying out in everyday use within the House of Islam. Despite this,

both languages would be preserved by its use in liturgies. For the Coptics, they would be those

that celebrated Basil, Gregory, and Cyril of Alexandria. 20

Patriarchs like Timothy who served from 780 - 823 A.D. were engaged and missionary

minded, establishing presences of the church in Tibet and possibly Yemen, while also appointing

giving the Christians of India their own metropolitan separate from Rewardashir in Persia.21 In

his dialogues with the Caliph Mahdi in 781, he would express the Antiochene conclusion

12
Mikhail, 40
13
Irvin and Sunquist, 292
14
Irvin and Sunquist, 292
15
Irvin and Sunquist, 282
16
Irvin and Sunquist, 283
17
Irvin and Sunquist, 284
18
Irvin and Sunquist, 284
19
Mikhail, 41
20
Irvin and Sunquist, 292
21
Irvin and Sunquist, 285

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regarding the two-natures of God.22 Created and uncreated were the two proposed natures and

those two, one Christ, and one son with a comparison to being a soul and a body joined.

Throughout these discussions, the patriarch made a point against the Melkites and Jacobites in

how God did not suffer in the flesh of Jesus Christ.23 In this, the Nestorians would find

similarities with Muslim in regards to the divine nature of God as well as perhaps a belief

regarding images within places of worship.24 The Jacobites and Melkites were the expressions of

Western faith within the theologically Greek east and scorned by the East Syriac Church.25 The

patriarch identified himself through the traditions of Cyprian, Basil, Gregory of Nazarus,

Theodore of Mopsuestia, and Nicene Orthodoxy.26

Regardless of whatever interreligious sympathies there were, the Nestorians were still

part of dhimmi with their belief in the Trinity as being misguided in the view of Muslims.27

Despite their refusal to the dictates of Chalcedon, both the Coptics and Nestorians still upheld the

decisions from the Council of Nicaea. They practiced baptism, eucharist, and ordination into the

priesthood.28 East Syrian and Coptic monasticism would persevere throughout the Arabic

presence. In the Nestorians it would persist in places such as Gandishpar, Rabban Shabur, and

Beit ‘Abhe.29 Monasteries there would be important influences within their Christian locality as

they became learning and pastoral resources for their communities.30 For the Coptics monasteries

built in the deserts were remote from the increasingly urbanized Muslim population and provided

22
Irvin and Sunquist, 285
23
Irvin and Sunquist, 286
24
Irvin and Sunquist, 282 & 307
25
Irvin and Sunquist, 286
26
Irvin and Sunquist, 286
27
Irvin and Sunquist, 282
28
Irvin and Sunquist, 282
29
Irvin and Sunquist, 283, 284 & 285
30
Irvin and Sunquist, 287

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a means of escape and seclusion.31 Here monks or nuns occupied themselves with seven hours of

prayer, theological education, and practice in spirituality.32

The reign of Mahdi and Timothy saw maybe the high point in Christian-Muslim

relations.33 The decline of the Abbasids saw the increased persecution of Christians, as well as a

breakdown in church hierarchy that saw rampant abuse of office and corruption.34 Meanwhile in

Egypt the ability of Alexandria’s patriarch to engage in international relations was restricted by

Muslilm rulers.35 There would even be times that the Coptic church was unable to secure the

appointment of their own patriarch, let alone assist other parts in the world who looked to the

bishop of Alexandria for leadership such as in Ethiopia. 36

Despite their differences in conclusion regarding the two natures of God, both Nestorians

had in common the ramifications of the Council of Chalcedon. So too did they have in common

the overlordship of Muslims and status of dhimmi within the Caliphate. Their similar state in

Muslim society afforded them common ground. But while the Coptic church was often confined

exclusively to Egypt, the Christian movement would grow throughout the east by means of India,

Central Asia, and China due to the work of the East Syrians. 37

31
Irvin and Sunquist, 292
32
Irvin and Sunquist, 283
33
Irvin and Sunquist, 287
34
Irvin and Sunquist, 287
35
Irvin and Sunquist, 297
36
Irvin and Sunquist, 297
37
Irvin and Sunquist, 305