This entry is about the Church of the East (
ܥܕܬܐ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ, transliterated:
ʽĒttāʾ d-Maḏenḥā), often colloquially referred to as the Nestorian Church, the Persian Church or the Assyrian Church. The Church of the East is one of the largest Christian denominations in the medieval world, and by far the dominant one to the east of the Euphrates River. It as parishes in places so far apart as he coasts of Somalia and the Naiman and Kerait Steppes, from Kerala in India to the marshes along the rivers of Ob and Irtysh.
The Seljuq conquests have brought Nestorian communities further westward into the Levant, and most importantly, brought the Holy Land under Nestorian control.
Theology
The Church of the East did accept the results of the first two councils in early Christianity, those of Nicaea and the First Council of Constantinople. However, it rejected the results of the Council of Ephesus and the following ones. For their part, the Nestorians were not invited anyway, so had no real say in the matter. From their point of view, those “ecumenical councils” were concerning Christianity in the Mediterranean, and were not universally valid.
Nestorian theology emphasizes the distinctiveness of the divine and human natures of Jesus Christ. These two are loosely united. Summarized in one sentence, Nestorian Christology says: "Jesus Christ, who is not identical with the Son but personally united with the Son, who lives in him, is one hypostasis and one nature: human."
As you can see from the chart above, Nestorian theology is a direct antithesis of the Monophysite and Miaphysite understanding, which are the theological positions of the Oriental Orthodox Communion (spanning from Himyar and Ethiopia through Nubia and Hejaz into Egypt, through Syria towards Armenia and Aghbania). The Oriental Orthodox practically teach that the human nature has lost its distinctiveness within the greater divine.
In a peculiar way, the Christological position nearest to the Church of the East is actually that practically embraced by the Patriarchate of Rome, which is geographically furthest apart.
Critics claim that Nestorianism is on the edge of Adoptionism (claiming that Jesus was an ordinary man before being adopted as God´s son… When? Perhaps during the temptation in the desert).
From the practical point of view, the distinctiveness of Nestorianism is its reluctance to call Virgin Mary
Theotokos (Mother of God). (1). Furthermore, the Church of the East tends to focus more on divine majesty and grandeur, with prostration being a very common gesture.
Outside of Mesopotamia proper, the Church of the East came into contact with other established religions, namely Zoroastrianism in Persia and Buddhism further eastwards, although its main adversary was Manicheism, which came a little earlier than Assyrian monks to many places along the Silk Road. A layer of Manicheism has indeed entered the “folk Nestorianism” further eastwards, in Sogdia and the Steppes.
During the past century, the Church has managed to wrestle dominance in the regions around the Silk Road from the Manicheans, partly due to higher birth rates, partly due to the organized effort of Assyrian monks and partly due to royal patronage (the Karakhanids and the Seljuqs are Nestorian Christians).
Organization
A Nestorian Church in northern Mesopotamia
The Church of the East has only one Religious Head, and is thus administered in a very centralized manner (2). The Katholikos, or Patriarch of the East resides in Qtēspōn (Seleucia-Ctesiphon), the former capital of the Sassanid Empire in Mesopotamia.
The Nestorian Church does not have any autocephalous or autonomous jurisdictions; all parishes are organized into dioceses, and the dioceses are grouped into Metropolitan Provinces under the authority of the Metropolitan archbishop (these participate in the election of the Patriarch of the East).
The ordained clergy are in the traditional orders of bishops, priests and deacons. Parallel to them is the Order of Mar Addai (3), a movement of Nestorian monasticism ready for evangelization with a missionary zeal. Throughout the Silk Road, the Order of Mar Addai has built a network of monasteries, multifunctional centres, with the Church being the dominant, and equipped with a hospital, a library, a school and an inn(4). In the Steppes, the monasteries were often the core around which small towns, which later grew into cities were established.
Each monk would belong to a particular discipline: with medics, scribes, teachers, social aid workers (5), as well as technical upkeep guys. All of these disciplines operate synergically within one monastery, just as the limbs function together in one body, carrying out different functions.
The rules of each monastery are determined by its abbot, and as such there exists a greater liberty or variety in monastic life compared to other churches. The monasteries operate in close cooperation with the local church, but are not fully subordinate to their bishop. Rather, the Order of Mar Addai itself is also territorially subdivided as well. The office of the
Visitor (6) is the intermediary between the Patriarch and the individual monasteries; the Visitors cover each province of the Order of Mar Addai and oversee the monastic life and discipline.
But let us get back to the territorial organization of the Church. The Metropolitan provinces are the top divisions of the Church, and have been in general divided into Interior and Exterior provinces, with the border on the ridges of the Zagros. In the 11th century, such a division becomes problematic, for it raises the question as of where to put Beth Qatriye or Syria – the former being outside of scope of the border and Syria being practically a diasporic province.
Metropolitan Provinces
Province of the Patriarch
The province of the Patriarch is the area surrounding the city and Patriarchal See at Qtēspōn (ܩܛܝܣܦܘܢ). Suffragan dioceses include : Hirta (ܚܝܪܬܐ, Arabic
al-Ḥīrah, الحيرة Beth Darayeh( (ܒܝܬ ܕܐܪܐܝܗ) , Dasqarta d´Malka (ܕܐܣܩܐܪܬܐ ܕ ܡܐܠܟܐ), Peroz Shapur (ܦܪܙ ܫܐܦܪ), Karme (ܟܪܡܗ), Tirhan (ܬܪܗܐܢ), Sena (ܣܢܗ), Ukbara (ܘܟܒܪܗ), Radhan (ܪܛܢ) and Arar.
Province of Kashkar
Located on the lower Tigris, the province of Kashkar (ܟܫܟܪ ) had long been part of the Province of the Patriarch and had been separated from it only recently. The Bishops (now Metropolitans) had enjoyed the privilege of guarding the patriarchal throne during an interregnum. It had one suffragan diocese: Zabe (ܝܐܒܥ)
Province of Beth Huzaye
The province of Beth Huzaye (ܒܝܬ ܗܘܙܝܐ ) was based in Gundeshapur (Syriac: Beth Lapat: ܒܝܬ ܠܦܛ ). Other dioceses include : Karka d´Ledan (ܟܪܟܐ ܕ ܠܕܢ), Hormizd Ardashir (ܗܪܡܝܕ ܐܪܕܫܝܪ), Shushtar (ܫܘܫܛܪ), Ramhormoz (ܪܡ ܗܪܡܝ), Susa (ܫܘܫ), Darrenshar (7) (ܕܐܪܢܫܐܗܪ) and Shahpur Qwast (8) (ܫܐܦܘܪ ܩܐܤܬ)
Province of Nisibis
The province of Nisibis (ܢܨܝܒܝܢ) encompassed a large area in the Gozarto or island between the Euhrates and Tigris. Suffragan dioceses include Arzun (ܐܪܝܘܢ), Qardu (ܩܪܕܘ, Kurds), Beth Zabdai (ܒܝܬ ܙܒܕܐ), Beth Moksaye, Beth Rahimay, Tamanon, Harran, Maiperqat (ܡܝܦܪܩܝܛ), Balad, Shigar (9), Beth Tabyathe , Qaymar, Hesn d´Kifa (ܟܐܦܐ) and also covered a bishopric for Armenia at Halat (10).
Province of Maishan
The Province of Maishan (ܡܝܫܢ) was based in the area of the Mesopotamian estuary into the Persian Gulf. The Metropolitan Archdiocese was Prath d´Maishan (ܦܪܬ ܕܡܝܫܢ) (11), and suffragans include Karka d´Maishan (ܟܪܟܐ ܕܡܝܫܢ), Rima (ܪܝܡܐ) and Nahargur (ܢܗܪܓܘܪ).
Province of Adiabene
The Metropolitan Province of Adiabene (Syriac: Hadyab ܚܕܝܐܒ) was located in the region of the Upper Tigris River and its Zab tributaries. Eventually, the Niniveh region got separated to form a new metropolitan province
The seat of the Archbishop was thus Arbela (ܐܪܒܝܠܐ), suffragan dioceses are Ramonin, Dabarin, Maaltha, Hnitha, Hebton, Hdatta (ܚܕܬܐ ), Salakh (ܣܠܟ )
Province of Niniveh
The region of Ninwe (ܢܝܢܒ݂ܐ )(12) was separated as a distinct Metropolitan see from Adiabene, and this new Metropolitan province also includes the bishoprics of Taimana, Nuhadra (ܢܘܗܕܪܐ )(13), Beth Dasen, Marga and Beth Bgash.
Province of Beth Beth Garmai
The province of Beth Garmai is based on Karka d´Beth Slokh (ܟܪܟܐ ܕܒܝܬ ܣܠܘܟ ) (14). Other dioceses within this province are Shahrgard, Lashom (ܠܫܘܡ ), Khanijar, Mahoze d´Arewan (ܡܚܘܙܐ ܕܐܪܝܘܢ), Radani, Hrbath Glal (ܚܪܒܬܓܠܠ), Tahal and Shahrzur.
Province of Beth Qatriye
The province of Beth Qatriye (ܒܝܬ ܩܛܪܝܐ ) is located on the southern coast of the Persian Gulf, with dioceses located at Meshmashiq, Dairin, Hagar(15), Hatta and Yamamah. The metropolitan see was at Mezruah. The Christians of Beth Qatriye were often reminded by the Patriarchs that the practice of slavery was not in accordance with Christian ethics; thus officially they remain serfs however.
Province of Beth Parsaye
The metropolitan province of Beth Parsaye (ܒܝܬ ܦܪܣܝܐ )encompasses land on both shores of the Straits of Hormuz; the metropolitan see is located at Rev Ardashir, and suffragan dioceses being located at Istakhr, Ardashir Khurraf (16), Darabgard, Bih Shapur (17), Qish, Hormuz and Mazoun. The province also extends estawards to include the diocese of Gwadar and Karachi. Beth Parsaye was, as its name suggests, Persophone and was in a dispute with the Syriac-speaking heartland of the Church; ultimately, Beth Qatriye and Suqutra had been detatched to form separate metropolitan provinces. Christianity in Beth Parsaye is heavily influenced by neighbouring faiths, especially Zoroastrianism, Mazdakism and Manicheanism; to such an extent that complaints from Qtespon regarding Persianate practices such as taking multiple wives are often shrugged upon.
Province of Suqutra
The Island of Suqutra in the Indian Ocean has been elevated to a Metropolitan See due to it being considered a forward base of further missionary enterprises on the African Coast, to a lesser extent also in Himyar. The seat of the Archdiocese is at Hadibou; suffragan bishoprics include those of Sana, Aden, Hadhramawt, and Mosylon (18)
Province of Syria
Let us not forget the westernmost outpost of the Nestorian world, the metropolitan province of Syria seated in Damascus, with its suffragan dioceses in Aleppo, Jerusalem, Mambeg,Mopsuestia, Malatya and Tarsus. The earliest parishioners were diasporic communities who fled the early Rhomaic-Persian wars. Later, they were accompanied by Mesopotamian merchants and pilgrims (in the region of Jerusalem). Ultimately, during the 11th century, the most important segment of the Nestorian community in the area became the Seljuq conquerors. After the Rhomaic reconquist, most of them are located within the Archdiocese of Damascus or the diocese of Jerusalem. Relations with the Syriac Orthodox Church, professed by the majority in the environs of Damascus remain rather hostile, the relations with the Chalcedonians less so. However, after the Custody of the Holy Land is placed under the control of Nestorian monks, who collect high fees, tensions fire high.
(1) This is the instant way to get labelled as a heretic in Asia. Don’t do that!
(2) As opposed to all other denominations.
(3) Saint Thaddeus
(4) The idea in general was adopted from that on Ill Bethisad Wiki on Assyrian monasticism.
(5) Yes this expression sounds funny in the medieval period. But yeah these monks were the ones who took care of the needy.
(6) Or inspector, although that has a rather stricter association
(7) In Lorestan
(8) Khoremmabad
(9) Sinjar
(10)Ahlat. However, this diocese was relatively large and had very few parishes.
(11)Basra
(12)Mosul
(13)Dohuk
(14)Kirkuk
(15)UAE
(16)Shiraz
(17)Kazrun
(18) In Somalia