Evaluating the Antiochian-Syriac Joint Declaration

Evaluating the Antiochian-Syriac Joint Declaration

On November 12, 1991, the Antiochian Orthodox Synod (EO) and the Syriac Orthodox Synod (OO) came into agreement on matters related to faith and practice, creating a Joint Declaration, which was approved and signed by Antiochian Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim (EO) and Syriac Patriarch Ignatius Zakka Iwas (OO). This document, though not well-known today, instituted…

Orthodoxy and Rome: No Excommunication but No Communication

Orthodoxy and Rome: No Excommunication but No Communication

While the Orthodox Church and the Roman Church continue to have critical issues dividing our communions, I wanted to hearken back to the time when Constantinople and Rome mutually dropped excommunications (“into oblivion”) pronounced against each other and their respective communions. While we are no longer under mutual excommunication, nor under communication, it would appear…