The Eastern Orthodox–Oriental Orthodox Dialogue hits stormy waters

The ecclesial communities that separated themselves from the Orthodox Church of the Roman Empire in the aftermath of the Fourth Ecumenical Council (the Council of Chalcedon of 451) are known today as the Oriental Orthodox or Non-Chalcedonian Churches. They comprise the Coptic Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, Apostolic Armenian, and Tewahedo Ethiopian Churches. Attempts to reunite them to the imperial Church were abandoned in the mid-sixth century and were only resumed unofficially in 1964 and then officially in 1985. The Official Consultation was suspended in 1994 after a strong protest from the Holy Community of Mount Athos concerning the theological implications of the Agreed Statements and has only recently been resumed. The issues discussed in the two books under review include the compatibility of different understandings of the key terms of Christology, the role of contextual theology, and the non-negotiability of the status of ecumenical councils. Both books make important contributions to what is still an intensely debated problematic

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