Compare
Greek Orthodox ChurchandAssyrian Church of the East
At a glance
- Common groundIn full: Common ground
- Common inheritanceThe faith of Nicaea and the church of the first centuries. The Church of the East grew up in the Persian Empire, outside the churches of the Roman Empire, and never received the Council of Ephesus (431).
- GodOne God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
- ChristChrist is fully divine and fully human
- Church and ministryBishops governing in synods; self-governing churches without a universal head; Bishops in historic apostolic succession
- Key differencesIn full: Key differences
- ChristGreek Orthodox ChurchTwo natures united in one person, as defined at Chalcedon (451)Assyrian Church of the EastTwo natures and two qnome in one person (East Syriac)
- Creeds and councilsGreek Orthodox ChurchThe first three ecumenical councils (325, 381, 431); The fourth to seventh councils (451 to 787)Assyrian Church of the EastThe Council of Nicaea (325); The Council of Ephesus (431) is not received
Below: 1 difference of emphasis.
- How their histories connectIn full: How their histories connect
- Lines parted · 410–7th century · A gradual process · Through the wider familyA church beyond the Roman Empire (gradual estrangement)Read the account in Assyrian Church of the East
- Line of descentGreek Orthodox Church became self-governing from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (1833).
- 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
Christ
How Christ's divinity and humanity are expressed
- Greek Orthodox Church
- Two natures united in one person, as defined at Chalcedon (451)
- Assyrian Church of the East
- Two natures and two qnome in one person (East Syriac)
Creeds and councils
Councils received
- Greek Orthodox Church
- The first three ecumenical councils (325, 381, 431); The fourth to seventh councils (451 to 787)
- Assyrian Church of the East
- The Council of Nicaea (325); The Council of Ephesus (431) is not received
Different emphases, not necessarily opposed (1)
Mary and the saints
How Mary is named
- Greek Orthodox Church
- Mary is honoured as Mother of God (Theotokos)
- Assyrian Church of the East
- Mary is honoured as 'Mother of Christ our God and Saviour'
Not yet comparable (7)
No sourced position is recorded for one side, so the Atlas does not say whether they agree:
- Creeds and councils (the filioque): not recorded for Assyrian Church of the East
- Scripture and authority (sources of authority): not recorded for Assyrian Church of the East
- Salvation and grace (characteristic emphasis): 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
- Day of worship (weekly day of worship): not recorded for Assyrian Church of the East
How their histories relate
Gradual estrangement · 410–7th centuryA gradual processWider family
A church beyond the Roman Empire
Churches grow apart over a long period without a single act of separation. Any date given is a convenient marker, not a moment of division.
The Church of the East grew up in the Persian Empire. A synod at Seleucia-Ctesiphon in 410 received the Creed of Nicaea; synods in 420 and 424 followed, and the church came to govern itself under its catholicos. It never received the Council of Ephesus (431), but its separation was a gradual development rather than a single schism at Ephesus.Read in Assyrian Church of the East history3 sources
- The Christology of the Church of the East in the Synods of the Fifth to Early Seventh Centuries: Preliminary Considerations and MaterialsSource verified
- About us: When did it begin?Source verified
- The Church of the East: A Concise HistoryIdentified, not independently read
Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.
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
Greek Orthodox Church
All citations link to the Atlas’s single source register.