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Joseph wrote:

Hi, guys —

I have heard that the Armenian Apostolic Church recently resolved their original theological differences with the Catholic Church, within the last two years. My understanding is that these differences were based on Christological issues apart from the notion of the Roman primacy.

  • Is this true?
  • What is the nature of this resolution?
  • Where can I find out more? (My current sources are unreliable daily papers)

A close friend is an Armenian Apostolic Christian and is considering converting to the Church.

Many thanks for your fantastic work.

God Bless,

Joseph

  { How were the differences resolved between the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic Church? }

John replied:

Hi, Joseph —

In the fifth century, there were two schisms over Christology. The first happened after the Council of Ephesus (431). This Council declared that Jesus was one Divine Person from the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary and therefore Mary is the Mother of God. At this point, some Eastern Churches left and followed a man called Nestorius.

About 30 years later, a man named Apollinaris started teaching that Christ was not only one person but only had one Divine nature and will, unlike what we believe as Catholics. (See my Catechism references below.) This was rejected at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. Those that went into Schism were called Monophysites. Among them are the Coptics and Armenian Apostolic Churches.

In Brief.

481 Jesus Christ possesses two natures, one divine and the other human, not confused, but united in the one person of God's Son.

482 Christ, being true God and true man, has a human intellect and will, perfectly attuned and subject to his divine intellect and divine will, which he has in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

483 The Incarnation is therefore the mystery of the wonderful union of the divine and human natures in the one person of the Word.

In recent years both these camps have worked out formulas between both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches which satisfy everyone involved. Much of the problem was semantical and based on miscommunications due to the language barrier in the fifth century.

In substance, there is no longer an issue over Christology with either the Monophysites or Nestorians.

Hope this helps,

Under His Mercy,

John C. DiMascio

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