Compare
Assyrian Church of the EastandAnglican Communion
At a glance
- Common groundIn full: Common ground
- Common inheritanceNo direct historical relationship: the Church of the East developed beyond the Roman Empire from the 5th century, more than a thousand years before the Reformation. What they share is the Bible and the faith of Nicaea as each receives it.
2 sources
- The Christology of the Church of the East in the Synods of the Fifth to Early Seventh Centuries: Preliminary Considerations and MaterialsSource verified
- Christianity: The First Three Thousand YearsIdentified, not independently read
Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.
- GodOne God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
- Church and ministryBishops in historic apostolic succession
- Creeds and councilsThe Nicene Creed is confessed
- Common inheritanceNo direct historical relationship: the Church of the East developed beyond the Roman Empire from the 5th century, more than a thousand years before the Reformation. What they share is the Bible and the faith of Nicaea as each receives it.
- Key differencesIn full: Key differences
- Church and ministryAssyrian Church of the EastBishops governing in synods; self-governing churches without a universal headAnglican CommunionBishops; autonomous member churches joined in a communion
- Creeds and councilsAssyrian Church of the EastThe Council of Nicaea (325); The Council of Ephesus (431) is not receivedAnglican CommunionCouncils can err and are tested by Scripture
Below: 1 topic where teaching varies.
- How their histories connectIn full: How their histories connect
- Lines parted · 410–7th century · A gradual processA church beyond the Roman Empire (gradual estrangement)Read the account in Assyrian Church of the East
- Line of descentAnglican Communion took shape in the Reformation of the Western church under Rome (1534–1559).
- Connected today?In full: their relationship today
Not yet researched
The Atlas has not yet researched their present relationship. This is a gap, not evidence either way.
Composed from each tradition’s sourced records. Where a topic is not yet recorded for one side, the Atlas says so rather than guess.
Structured comparison. Composed from each tradition’s sourced position records. No research has yet been written for this particular pair, so the Atlas shows only what those records establish.
Where they differ
Creeds and councils
Councils received
- Assyrian Church of the East
- The Council of Nicaea (325); The Council of Ephesus (431) is not received
- Anglican Communion
- Councils can err and are tested by Scripture
Church and ministry
Church government
- Assyrian Church of the East
- Bishops governing in synods; self-governing churches without a universal head
- Anglican Communion
- Bishops; autonomous member churches joined in a communion
Where teaching varies within a tradition (1)
Sacraments and ordinances
Christ's presence in the Eucharist or Lord's Supper
- Assyrian Church of the East
- Christ's body and blood are truly present
- Anglican Communion
- Article XXVIII speaks of receiving Christ 'after an heavenly and spiritual manner'; Anglo-Catholic and evangelical Anglicans interpret Christ's presence very differently.
Not yet comparable (7)
No sourced position is recorded for one side, so the Atlas does not say whether they agree:
- Christ (christ's divinity): not recorded for Anglican Communion
- Christ (how christ's divinity and humanity are expressed): not recorded for Anglican Communion
- Scripture and authority (sources of authority): not recorded for Assyrian Church of the East
- Sacraments and ordinances (how the rites are understood and counted): not recorded for Assyrian Church of the East
- Sacraments and ordinances (who is baptised): not recorded for Assyrian Church of the East
- Mary and the saints (asking the saints to pray): not recorded for Assyrian Church of the East
- Mary and the saints (how mary is named): not recorded for Anglican Communion
How their histories relate
The Atlas has no researched record of a direct historical relationship between these two. Not every pair of traditions experienced a schism or union with each other. Each took shape in its own way:
Their relationship today
Not yet researched
The Atlas has no researched record of the present relationship between these two. That is a gap in the research, not evidence of any particular relationship.
Developments towards reconciliation
No documented agreement or formal dialogue between these traditions is recorded in the Atlas.
Explore further
Assyrian Church of the East
All citations link to the Atlas’s single source register.