Coptic interpretations of the Fourth Ecumenical Council - Saint Mina ...

together coming to a clear understanding that both families have always
loyally maintained the same authentic Orthodox Christological faith, and the
unbroken continuity of the apostolic tradition, though they may have used
Christological terms in different ways. It is this common faith and continuous
loyality to the apostolic tradition that has been the basis of the
conversations held over the last two decades towards unity and communion.
In 1964 a fresh dialogue began at the University of Aarhus in Denmark. This
was followed by meetings at Bristol in 1967, Geneva in 1970 and Addis Ababa in
1971. These were a series of non-official consultations which served as steps
towards mutual understanding.
The official consultations in which concrete steps were taken began in 1985 at
Chambesy in Geneva. The second official consultation was held at the monastery
of Saint Bishoy in Wadi-El-Natroun, Egypt in June 1989. The outcome of this
latter meeting was of historical dimensions, since in this meeting the two
families of Orthodoxy were able to agree on a Christological formula, thus
ending the controversy regarding Christology which had lasted for more than
fifteen centuries.
In September 1990, the two families of Orthodoxy signed an agreement on
Christology and recommendations were passed to the different Orthodox
Churches, to lift the anathemas and enmity of the past, after revising the
results of the dialogues. If both agreements are accepted by the various
Orthodox Churches, the restoration of communion will be very easy at all
levels, even as far as sharing one table in the Eucharist.
''As for its part, the Coptic Orthodox Church has agreed to lift the
anathemas, but this will not take place unless it is performed bilaterally,
possibly by holding a joint ceremony.'' (H.E. Metropolitan Bishoy,
Metropolitan of Damiette and Secretary of the Holy Synod, Coptic Orthodox
Church, and Co-chairman of the Joint Commission of the Official Dialogue,
El-Kerasa English Magazine, May 1992, Vol. 1, No. 1, p. 8).
3. SYNOPSIS
AARHUS 196 4
+ Over 3 days, 15 theologians from both families met in Aarhus in Denmark for
informal conversations. They recognised in each other the one orthodox
faith.
+ The well known phrase used by our common father, St. Cyril of Alexandria
''the one nature of God's Word Incarnate'' was at the centre of the
conversations. Through the different terminologies used by each side,
they saw the same truth expressed. On the essence of the Christological
dogma they found themselves in full agreement.
+ As for the Council of Chalcedon (451) both families agreed without
reservation on rejecting the teaching of Eutyches as well as Nestorius, and
thus the acceptance or non-acceptance of the Council of Chalcedon does not
entail the acceptance of either heresy.
+ It was agreed that the significant role of political, sociological and
cultural factors in creating tension between factions in the last fifteen
centuries should be recognized and studied together. They should not,
however, continue to divide us.
BRISTOL 1967
The Agreed Statement from the second informal conversations in Bristol,
England, firstly affirmed new areas of agreement and then discussed the
questions that still remained to be studied and settled.
— ONE —
+ Based on the teachings of common fathers of the universal Church they
approached the Christological question from the perspective of salvation.
2