| Description |
1 online resource (ix, 347 pages) : illustrations, maps printed on endpapers |
| Contents |
Foreword / by His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, Patriarch of the Church of the East -- I. Introduction. A first glance at the history of the Assyrian Church of the East -- Spiritual aspects -- The term 'Nestorian' -- II. The beginnings of East Syrian Christianity. The political and religious situation on both sides of the Euphrates. Partia : empire to the east of the Euphrates ; Rome : empire to the west of the Euphrates ; Paul in Antioch and the broadening of paleo-Christianity -- Christianity crosses the Euphrates. The traditions of Mar Thoma, Mar Addai and Mar Aggai, and the correspondence of King Abgar of Edessa with Jesus Christ ; Mar Mari and the first missionary journey to the Parthian Empire -- The Thomas Christians of South India -- III. From diversity to unity : church fathers and heretics. The concept of the Trinity and the question of the nature of Christ. Jesus is foremost man, not God ; Jesus is foremost God, not man -- Christianity becomes the Roman state Church -- The foundations of East Syrian theology. The Church Fathers Diodore of Tarsus and Theodore of Mopsuestia -- Nestorius and the Council of Ephesus. Nestorius as patriarch of Constantinople ; The theological dispute with Patriarch Cyril of Alexandria ; Nestorius's removal as patriarch -- IV. The loss of Christian ecumene. The Council of Chalcedon -- Intra-Byzantine debates over belief and their effects on the Church of the East -- The Peshitta Bible, the common tie between the Syrian Churches -- V. The patriarchate of Seleucia-Ctesiphon. The political and religious situation under the early Sassinians -- Zoroastrianism in the Sassanian Empire -- A century-long martyrdom from 340 to 457 and the first creation of an ecclesiastical hierarchy -- The organization of the Church of the East -- The final declaration of independence of the Church of the East -- The confession of Dyophysite Christology and the dispute with the Miaphysite Jacobites -- Crisis and renewal in the Church of the East between 450 and 650 -- The emergence of the Syrian Orthodox, Jacobite Church -- VI. Aspects of East Syrian theology and spirituality. The dispute with Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism. A Zoroastrian apology ; Mani : the self-proclaimed Paraclete ; East Syrian monasticism and the Manichaean electi -- The goodness of human nature and the question of original sin -- Jesus Christ as the Second Adam, the Tree of Life and the cross of the Resurrection -- The sacraments in the Church of the East -- Church architecture and liturgy : symbols in space and time -- Monasticism and acesticism -- East Syrian mysticism, exemplified by John of Dalyatha -- VII. Christians under Islamic Rule. Christians in the Persian Gulf region and in Arabia. Christianity becomes the state religion in southern Arabia ; The loss of the Arabian dioceses -- Between tolerance and oppression : Christians as second-class citizens -- The heyday of the Church of the East under Patriarch Timothy I -- In the maelstrom of politics -- The preservation of ancient heritage -- The Church of the East and Islam -- Is the Church of the East aniconic? -- VIII. The mission to the East. Nestorians along the Silk Road of Central Asia. Sogdia and the Land of Seven Rivers ; Tibet ; Eastern Turkistan -- Bishop Alopen brings the radiant religion to china -- A dialogue with Buddhism and Taoism : between orthodoxy and syncretism -- IX. The period of the Mongols. Shamanism and religious among the Turko-Mongolian peoples -- Nestorian Turkic and Mongol peoples. The Keriat ; The Oirat, Merkit and Manchurians ; The Öngüt ; The Naiman, Uigurs and Tangut ; The Nestorian Küchlüg and the Turkic tribes of present Kyrgyzstan -- The myth of Prester John and the encounter of Catholic monks with Nestorians in Mongolia -- Nestorian Mongol princesses and high-ranking Nestorian dignitaries -- Cross and lotus : a synthesis of Christian and Buddhist symbolism on the eastern coast of China -- A final flourishing under the Mongol Il-Khans of Iran -- The chance for an alliance between the Mongol Il-Khanate and Europe -- Rabban Bar Sauma and Rabban Markos : Nestorian 'Marco Polos' from Asia -- The ravages of Tamerlane and the retreat to the mountains of Kurdistan -- X. The Thomas Christians of South India. The East Syrian community on the Malabar Coast -- The forced conversion of Nestorians to Catholicism -- The revolt of the Thomas Christians at the Cross of Koonan -- The rebuilding of the Church of the East in India -- XI. The period of trials and divisions. The first Chaldean Church : a union with Rome -- Patriarchs and anti-patriarchs -- The political situation in the Ottoman Empire and the Chaldean Catholic Church until the twentieth century -- Catholic, Russian Orthodox and Protestant missionaries -- The genocide of 1915-1918 -- Hopes betrayed -- Why did the Church of the East collapse? -- XII. The Renaissance of the Assyrian Church of the East. Rebuilding in exile -- Assyrian Christians in the twenty-first century : a brief overview -- The identity of the Church of the East -- Ecumenical dialogue -- The relevance of the Church of the East and its theology -- XIII. Recent archaeological discoveries, and ecclesiastical and political developments. Recent archaeological discoveries -- Recent development within the Church of the East -- Recent political developments in Iraq and the plight of the Christians -- Annexes. The most important Eastern churches -- The Oriental churches of India -- Patriarchs of the Church of the East and the Chaldean Catholic Church -- The Sassanian Dynasty (224-561) -- Arab and Muslim dynasties -- The House of Toghril, Khan of the Kerait -- The House of Genghis Khan -- The Il-Khans of Iran -- The Archdioceses and Dioceses of the Assyrian Church of the East in 2016 -- The Holy Synod as per April 2016 |
| Summary |
Charts in full the rich history and culture of this age-old yet endangered community. The author is one of the very few Westerners to have visited many of the most important Assyrian sites, and his book remains an indispensable point of reference for anyone interested in the history of Christianity in the Middle East. The book is now reissued in a new edition with an additional chapter to take account of the recent sufferings of the Christians of Iraq inflicted by Islamic State, fresh archaeological discoveries in relation to the Assyrians and the most recent developments in the Church elsewhere. Guiding the reader from apostolic beginnings to present-day activity, the author discusses the theology of the Assyrian Church, its Christology and its uniquely vigorous spirituality. He analyzes, furthermore, the turbulent relationship it has had with other Christian churches as well as its various dialogs with neighboring world religions such as Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism. Abundantly illustrated with maps and over 170 full-color photographs, the book will be essential reading for all those who want better to appreciate and understand this fascinating but depredated Christian community which has so profoundly shaped the history of civilization in both East and West |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index |
| Notes |
Print version record |
| Subject |
Assyrian Church of the East -- History
|
| SUBJECT |
Assyrian Church of the East fast |
| Subject |
RELIGION -- Christianity -- Orthodox.
|
| SUBJECT |
Assyria -- Church history
|
| Subject |
Middle East -- Assyria
|
| Genre/Form |
Church history
|
|
History
|
| Form |
Electronic book
|
| ISBN |
9781838609344 |
|
1838609342 |
|
1350988537 |
|
9781350988538 |
|
