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'{{Eastern Christianity}} '''Eastern Christianity''' consists of four main church families: the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], the [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox Churches]], the [[Assyrian Church of the East]], and the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]]. The term is used in contrast to [[Western Christianity]]. Collectively they comprise the [[Christianity|Christian]] traditions and churches that developed in the [[Balkans]], [[Eastern Europe]], [[Asia Minor]], the [[Middle East]], [[Africa]], [[India]] and parts of the [[Far East]] over several centuries. The term does not describe a single communion or common religious tradition. Some Eastern churches have more in common historically and theologically with Western Christianity than with one another. The various Eastern churches do not normally refer to themselves as "Eastern", with the exception of the [[Assyrian Church of the East]] and its offshoots. The terms "Eastern" and "Western" in this regard originated with geographical divisions in the Christian Church mirroring the cultural divide between the [[Hellenistic period|Hellenistic east]] and [[Romance-speaking Europe|Latinate west]] and the political divide between the [[Western Roman Empire|Western]] and [[Byzantine Empire|Eastern Roman empires]]. Because the largest church in the East is the body currently known as the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], the term "Orthodox" is often used in a similarly loose fashion as "Eastern", to refer to specific historical Christian [[communion (Christian)|communions]]. However, strictly speaking, most Christian churches, whether Eastern or Western, consider themselves to be "[[Orthodoxy|orthodox]]" (following correct beliefs) as well as "catholic" (universal), even when they do not include those words in their official names. == Families of churches == [[File:Orthodox Christians by country.png|thumb|450px|Countries by number of Orthodox Christians in 2010 {{legend|black|More than 50 million}} {{legend|#006600|More than 20 million}} {{legend|#00A550|More than 10 million}} {{legend|#9ACD32|More than 5 million}} {{legend|#ADFF2F|More than 1 million}} ]] Eastern Christians do not share the same religious traditions, but do share many cultural traditions. Christianity divided itself in the East during its early centuries both within and outside of the Roman Empire in disputes about [[Christology]] and fundamental theology, as well as national divisions (Roman, Persian, etc.). It would be many centuries later that Western Christianity fully split from these traditions as its own communion. Today there are four main branches or families of Eastern Christianity, each of which has distinct [[theology]] and [[dogma]]. * the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] * the [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox Churches]] * the [[Assyrian Church of the East]] * the [[Eastern Catholic Churches]] In many Eastern churches, some parish priests administer the sacrament of [[chrismation]] to infants after [[baptism]], and priests are allowed to marry before ordination. While all the Eastern Catholic Churches recognize the authority of the Pope, some of them who having originally been part of the [[Orthodox Church]] or Oriental Orthodox Church closely follow the traditions of Orthodoxy or Oriental Orthodoxy, including the tradition of allowing married men to become priests. The Eastern churches' differences from [[Western Christianity]] have as much, if not more, to do with culture, language, and politics, as [[Roman Catholic–Eastern Orthodox theological differences|theology]]. For the non-Catholic Eastern churches, a definitive date for the commencement of [[Schism (religion)|schism]] cannot usually be given (see [[East-West Schism]]). The [[Church of the East]] declared independence from the churches of the [[Roman Empire]] at its general council in 424, which was before the [[First Council of Ephesus|Council of Ephesus]] in 431, and so had nothing to do with the theology declared at that Council. Oriental Orthodoxy separated after the [[Council of Chalcedon]] in 451. Since the time of the historian [[Edward Gibbon]], the split between the Church of Rome and the Orthodox Church has been conveniently dated to 1054,though the reality is more complex. This split is sometimes referred to as the ''Great Schism'', but now more usually referred to as the [[East-West Schism]]. This final schism reflected a larger cultural and political division which had developed in Europe and southwest Asia during the [[Middle Ages]] and coincided with Western Europe's re-emergence from the collapse of the [[Western Roman Empire]]. === Eastern Orthodox Church === [[File:Christ Hagia Sofia.jpg|thumb|Christ Pantocrator, detail of the Deesis mosaic in [[Hagia Sophia]] – [[Constantinople]] ([[Istanbul]]) 12th century ]] {{Main|History of the Eastern Orthodox Church}} The Eastern Orthodox Church is a Christian body whose adherents are largely based in the [[Middle East]] (particularly [[Syria]], [[State of Palestine|Palestine]]) and [[Anatolia]], [[Russia]], [[Greece]], [[Eastern Europe]] and [[The Caucasus]] ([[Armenia]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Ossetia]] etc.), with a growing presence in the western world. Eastern Orthodox Christians accept the decisions of the [[First seven Ecumenical Councils]]. Eastern Orthodox Christianity identifies itself as the original Christian church (see [[early centers of Christianity]]) founded by Christ and the Apostles, and traces its lineage back to the [[early church]] through the process of [[apostolic succession]] and unchanged theology and practice. Distinguishing characteristics of the Eastern Orthodox Church (shared with some of the Eastern Catholic churches) include the [[Byzantine Rite]], the [[Divine Liturgy]], the mysteries or [[sacrament]]s, and an emphasis on the continuation of [[Sacred tradition|Holy Tradition]], which it holds to be [[Apostle (Christian)|apostolic]] in nature. The Eastern Orthodox Church is organized into self-governing jurisdictions along geographical, national, ethnic, and/or linguistic lines. Eastern Orthodoxy is thus made up of 15 or 16 [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] bodies. Smaller churches are [[wikt:autonomy|autonomous]] and each have a mother church that is autocephalous. {{Christianity}} The Eastern Orthodox Church includes the following jurisdictions: * [[Autocephaly|Autocephalous]] churches ** [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople|Church of Constantinople]] ** [[Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria|Greek Church of Alexandria]] ** [[Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch|Church of Antioch]] ** [[Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem|Church of Jerusalem]] ** [[Russian Orthodox Church]] (Moscow Patriarchate) ** [[Church of Greece]] ** [[Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church|Church of Georgia]] ** [[Serbian Orthodox Church|Church of Serbia]] ** [[Romanian Orthodox Church|Church of Romania]] ** [[Bulgarian Orthodox Church|Church of Bulgaria]] ** [[Cypriot Orthodox Church|Church of Cyprus]] ** [[Albanian Orthodox Church|Church of Albania]] ** [[Polish Orthodox Church|Church of Poland]] ** [[Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church|Church of Slovakia and the Czech Lands]] ** [[Orthodox Church in America]] * [[Autocephaly|Autonomous]] churches ** [[Saint Catherine's Monastery|Church of Sinai (Jerusalem Patriarchate)]] ** [[Church of Crete|Church of Crete (Ecumenical Patriarchate)]] ** [[Finnish Orthodox Church|Orthodox Church of Finland (Ecumenical Patriarchate)]] ** [[Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church|Church of Estonia (Ecumenical Patriarchate)]] ** [[Japanese Orthodox Church|Church of Japan (Moscow Patriarchate)]] ** [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)|Church of Ukraine (Moscow Patriarchate)]] ** [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]] – formerly claimed autocephaly, but unification with Russian Orthodox Church achieved on May 17, 2007 * Exceptional churches generally considered to be Orthodox in beliefs but otherwise not in communion with all of the above churches. ** [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyiv Patriarchate|Church of Ukraine (Kyiv Patriarchate)]] ** [[Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church]] ** [[Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric]] ** [[Orthodox Church in Italy]] All Eastern Orthodox are united in doctrinal agreement with each other, though a few are not in communion at present, for non-doctrinal reasons. This is in contrast to the Catholic Church and its various Churches. Members of the latter are all in communion with each other, parts of a top-down [[hierarchy]] (see [[primus inter pares]]). The majority of Catholics accept both the [[Filioque|Filioque clause]] and, since 1950, the Assumption of Mary. This puts them in sharp contrast with the Eastern Orthodox. Yet some Catholics who are not in communion with the Catholic Church side with the Eastern Orthodox here and reject these teachings, putting them in theological disagreement with the others. It may also be noted that the [[Catholic Church|Church of Rome]] was once in communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church, but the two were split after the [[East-West Schism]] and thus it is no longer in communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is estimated that there are approximately 240 million Eastern Orthodox Christians in the world.<ref>See details for [[Major religious groups]]</ref> Today, many adherents shun the term "Eastern" as denying the church's universal character. They refer to Eastern Orthodoxy simply as the ''Orthodox Church''.<ref>{{citation |last1=Ware |first1=Bishop Kallistos (Timothy) |authorlink1=Kallistos Ware |title=The Orthodox Church |edition=new |publicationplace=New York, NY, USA |publisher=Penguin Books |date=29 Apr 1993 |isbn=978-0-14-014656-1 |ref=none }}</ref> === Oriental Orthodox churches === Oriental Orthodoxy refers to the churches of Eastern Christian tradition that keep the faith of the first three [[Ecumenical Council]]s of the undivided Christian Church: the [[First Council of Nicaea]] (AD 325), the [[First Council of Constantinople]] (381) and the [[First Council of Ephesus|Council of Ephesus]] (431), while rejecting the [[dogmatic definition]]s of the [[Council of Chalcedon]] (451). Hence, these churches are also called ''Old Oriental churches''. Oriental Orthodoxy developed in reaction to Chalcedon on the eastern limit of the [[Byzantine Empire]] and in [[Egypt]] and [[Syria]] and [[Mesopotamia]]. In those locations, there are also Eastern Orthodox patriarchs, but the rivalry between the two has largely vanished in the centuries since the schism. Oriental Orthodox churches which are autocephalous and in [[full communion]]: * [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]] * [[Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church]] * [[Syriac Orthodox Church]] ** [[Jacobite Syrian Church]] * [[Indian Orthodox Church]] * [[Coptic Orthodox Church]] ** [[British Orthodox Church]] ** [[French Coptic Orthodox Church]] * [[Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church]] Oriental Orthodox churches which are autocephalous and not in communion with other Oriental Orthodox churches: * [[Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church]] * [[Malabar Independent Syrian Church]] === Church of the East === {{Main|Church of the East|Nestorianism}} Historically, the Church of the East was the widest reaching branch of Eastern Christianity, at its height spreading from its heartland in [[Persia]]n ruled [[Assyria]] to the [[Mediterranean]], [[India]], and [[China]]. Originally the church of [[Sassanid Empire|Sassanid Persia]], the Church of the East declared itself independent of other churches in 424 and over the next century became affiliated with [[Nestorianism]], a [[Christology|Christological]] doctrine advanced by [[Nestorius]], [[Patriarch of Constantinople]] from 428 to 431, which had been declared heretical in the [[Roman Empire]]. Thereafter it was often known, possibly inaccurately, as the Nestorian Church in the West. Surviving a period of persecution within Persia, the Church of the East flourished under the caliphate and branched out, establishing dioceses throughout Asia. After a period of expansion under the [[Mongol Empire]], the church went into decline through the 14th century, and was eventually confined largely to its founding [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]] adherents heartland in the [[Assyrian homeland]] in what is now northern [[Iraq]], northeastern [[Syria]], southeastern [[Turkey]], northwestern [[Iran]], and also to the [[Malabar Coast]] of India. In the 16th century dynastic struggles sent the church into schism, resulting in the formation of two rival churches. Two modern churches developed from the schism, the [[Chaldean Church]], which entered into communion with Rome as an [[Eastern Catholic Church]], and the [[Assyrian Church of the East]]. The followers of these two churches are almost exclusively ethnic [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]]. In India, the local Church of the East community, known as the [[Saint Thomas Christians]], experienced its own rifts as a result of [[Portugal|Portuguese]] influence. ==== Assyrian Church of the East ==== {{Main|Church of the East|Assyrian Church of the East}} The Assyrian Church of the East emerged from the historical Church of the East, which was centered in [[Mesopotamia]]/[[Assyria]], then part of the Persian Empire and spread widely throughout Asia. The modern Assyrian Church of the East emerged in the 16th century following a split with the [[Chaldean Catholic Church|Chaldean Church]], which later entered into communion with Rome as an [[Eastern Catholic Churches|Eastern Catholic Church]]. The Church of the East was associated with the doctrine of [[Nestorianism]], advanced by [[Nestorius]], [[Patriarch of Constantinople]] from 428 – 431, which emphasized the disunion between the human and divine natures of [[Jesus]]. Nestorius and his doctrine were condemned at the [[First Council of Ephesus]] in 431, leading to the [[Nestorian Schism]] in which churches supporting Nestorius split from the rest of Christianity. Many followers relocated to Persia and became affiliated with the local Christian community there. This community adopted an increasingly Nestorian theology and was thereafter often known as the Nestorian Church. As such, the Church of the East accepts only the first two [[Ecumenical Council]]s of the undivided Church — the [[First Council of Nicaea]] and the [[First Council of Constantinople]] — as defining its faith tradition, and rapidly took a different course from other Eastern Christians. The Church of the East spread widely through Persia and into Asia, being introduced to [[India]] by the 6th century and to the [[Christianity among the Mongols|Mongols]] and [[Christianity in China|China]] in the 7th century. It experienced periodic expansion until the 14th century, when the church was nearly destroyed by the collapse of the [[Mongol Empire]] and the conquests of [[Timur]]. By the 16th century it was largely confined to [[Iraq]], northeast [[Syria]], southeast [[Turkey]], northwest [[Iran]] and the [[Malabar Coast]] of India ([[Kerala]]). The split of the 15th century, which saw the emergence of separate Assyrian and Chaldean Churches, left only the former as an independent sect. Further splits into the 20th century further affected the history of the Assyrian Church of the East. === Eastern Catholic Churches === {{Main|Eastern Catholic Churches}} [[File:Kanjirappally Bishop Mar Mathew Arackal at Tomb of Mar Varghese Payyappilly Palakkappilly.jpg|thumb|An Eastern Catholic Bishop of the [[Syro-Malabar]] Church holding the Mar Thoma Cross which symbolizes the heritage and identity of the [[Saint Thomas Christians]] of [[Christianity in India|India]]]] The twenty-three Eastern Catholic churches are all in [[Communion (Christian)|communion]] with the [[Holy See]] at the Vatican, but are rooted in the theological and liturgical traditions of Eastern Christianity. These Churches were originally part of the Orthodox East, but have since been reconciled to the Roman Church. Many of these churches were originally part of one of the above families and so are closely related to them by way of ethos and [[Liturgy|liturgical practice]]. As in the other Eastern churches, married men may become [[priest]]s, and parish priests administer the [[sacrament|mystery]] of [[confirmation]] to newborn infants immediately after [[baptism]], via the rite of [[chrismation]]; the infants are then administered [[Eucharist|Holy Communion]]. The Syro-Malabar Church, which is part of the [[Saint Thomas Christian]] community in [[India]], follows East Syrian traditions and liturgy. Other Saint Thomas Christians of India, who were originally of the same East Syrian tradition, passed instead to the West Syrian tradition and now form part of [[Oriental Orthodoxy]] (some from the Oriental Orthodox in India united with the Catholic Church in 1930 and became the [[Syro-Malankara Catholic Church]]). The [[Maronite Church]] also claims never to have been separated from Rome, and has no counterpart [[Orthodox Church]] out of [[Communion (Christian)|communion]] with the Pope. It is therefore inaccurate to refer to it as a "Uniate" Church. The [[Italo-Albanian Catholic Church]] has also never been out of communion with Rome, but, unlike the Maronite Church, it resembles [[Orthodox Church]]'s [[Byzantine Rite|liturgical rite]]. === Dissenting movements === In addition to these four mainstream branches, there are a number of much smaller groups which, like [[Protestants]], originated from disputes with the dominant tradition of their original areas, but are usually not referred to as Protestants because they lack historical ties to the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]], and usually lack a classically Protestant theology. Most of these are either part of the more traditional [[Old Believer]] movement, which arose from a [[Schism (religion)|schism]] within Russian Orthodoxy, or the more radical "[[Spiritual Christianity]]" movement. The latter includes a number of diverse "[[Low church|low-church]]" groups, from the Bible-centered [[Molokans]] to the anarchic [[Doukhobors]] to the self-mutilating [[Skoptsy]]. None of these groups are in communion with the mainstream churches listed above, aside from a few [[Old Believer]] parishes in communion with the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]]. There are also national dissidents, where ethnic groups want their own nation-church, such as the [[Macedonian Orthodox Church]] and the [[Montenegrin Orthodox Church]]; both domiciles of the [[Serbian Orthodox Church]]. ===="True Orthodox" churches==== {{Main|True Orthodoxy}} Starting in the 1920s, [[Greek Old Calendarists|parallel hierarchies]] formed in opposition to local Orthodox churches over ecumenism and other matters. These jurisdictions sometimes refer to themselves as being "True Orthodox". In Russia, underground churches formed and maintained solidarity with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia until the late 1970s. There are now traditionalist Orthodox in every area, though in [[Asia]] and the [[Middle East]] their presence is negligible. == Saint Thomas Christians == {{Main|Saint Thomas Christians}} The Saint Thomas Christians are an ancient body of Christians on the southwest coast of India who trace their origins to the evangelical activity of [[Thomas the Apostle]] in the 1st century.<ref name="AFM">A. E. Medlycott, ''India and The Apostle Thomas'', pp.1-71, 213-97; M. R. James, ''Apocryphal New Testament'', pp.364-436; Eusebius, ''History'', chapter 4:30; [[J. N. Farquhar]], ''The Apostle Thomas in North India'', chapter 4:30; V. A. Smith, ''Early History of India'', p.235; L. W. Brown, ''The Indian Christians of St. Thomas'', p.49-59</ref> By the 5th century the Saint Thomas Christians were part of the Church of the East, or Nestorian Church. Until the middle of the 17th century and the arrival of the Portuguese, the Thomas Christians were all one in faith and rite. Thereafter, divisions arose among them, and consequently they are today of several different rites. == Catholic–Orthodox ecumenism == Ecumenical dialogue over the past 43 years since [[Paul VI]]'s meeting with the Orthodox Patriarch [[Athenagoras I]] has awoken the nearly 1000-year hopes for Christian unity. Since the lifting of excommunications during the Paul VI and Athenagoras I meeting in Jerusalem there have been other significant meetings between Popes and Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople. The most recent meeting was between Benedict XVI and Bartholomew I, who signed the ''Common Declaration''. It states that "We give thanks to the Author of all that is good, who allows us once again, in prayer and in dialogue, to express the joy we feel as brothers and to renew ''our commitment to move towards '''full communion'''''".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecupatriarchate.org/ |title=Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople |publisher=Ecupatriarchate.org |date= |accessdate=2014-03-07}}</ref> In 2013 Patriarch [[Bartholomew I]] attended the installation ceremony of the new Roman Catholic Pope, [[Pope Francis]], which was the first time any Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople had ever attended such an installation.<ref>{{cite web|title=auto|url=http://orthodoxyandheterodoxy.org/2013/03/21/the-first-ecumenical-patriarch-at-a-papal-inauguration-not-just-since-1054/}}</ref> === Rejection of Uniatism === At a meeting in [[Balamand]], [[Lebanon]] in June 1993, the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church declared that these initiatives that "led to the union of certain communities with the See of Rome and brought with them, as a consequence, the breaking of communion with their Mother Churches of the East … took place not without the interference of extra-ecclesial interests";<ref>[http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/ch_orthodox_docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_19930624_lebanon_en.html SEVENTH PLENARY SESSION (Vatican Website)]</ref> and that what has been called "[[uniatism]]" "can no longer be accepted either as a method to be followed nor as a model of the unity our Churches are seeking" (section 12). At the same time, the Commission stated: * 3) Concerning the Eastern Catholic Churches, it is clear that they, as part of the Catholic Communion, have the right to exist and to act in response to the spiritual needs of their faithful. * 16) The Oriental Catholic Churches who have desired to re-establish full communion with the See of Rome and have remained faithful to it, have the rights and obligations which are connected with this communion. * 22) Pastoral activity in the Catholic Church, Latin as well as Oriental, no longer aims at having the faithful of one Church pass over to the other; that is to say, it no longer aims at proselytizing among the Orthodox. It aims at answering the spiritual needs of its own faithful and it has no desire for expansion at the expense of the Orthodox Church. Within these perspectives, so that there will be no longer place for mistrust and suspicion, it is necessary that there be reciprocal exchanges of information about various pastoral projects and that thus cooperation between bishops and all those with responsibilities in our Churches, can be set in motion and develop. == Migration trends == There has been a significant Christian migration in the 20th century from the [[Near East]]. One thousand years ago Christians were the majority population in today's Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Egypt. In 1914 Christians constituted 25% of the population of the Ottoman Empire. At the beginning of the 21st century Christians constituted 6–7 percent of the region’s population: less than 1% in Turkey, 3% in Iraq, 12% in Syria, 39% in Lebanon, 6% in Jordan, 2.5% in Israel/Palestine and 15–20% in Egypt. == United States == [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] Christians are [[American upper class|among the wealthiest]] Christian denominations in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/faith-education-and-income/|title=Faith, Education and Income|work=The New York Times|accessdate=May 13, 2011|first=David|last=Leonhardt|date=2011-05-13}}</ref> They also tend to be better educated than most other religious groups in America, having a high number of [[Academic degree|graduate]] (68%) and [[post-graduate]] (28%) degrees per capita.<ref>{{Citation|url=http://religions.pewforum.org/pdf/report-religious-landscape-study-full.pdf|title=US Religious Landscape Survey: Diverse and Dynamic|format=PDF|publisher=The Pew Forum|page=85|publication-date=February 2008|accessdate=2012-09-17|ref=refEducationLevel}}</ref> == Role of Christians in the Islamic culture == [[File:Famous Orthodox Christians Mosaic.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Set of pictures for a number of famous Eastern Christians from various fields.]] [[Christians]] especially [[Nestorianism|Nestorian]] contributed to the Arab Islamic Civilization during the [[Ummayads]] and the [[Abbasids]] by translating works of [[Greek philosophers]] to [[Syriac Language|Syriac]] and afterwards to [[Arabic Language|Arabic]].<ref>Hill, Donald. ''Islamic Science and Engineering''. 1993. Edinburgh Univ. Press. ISBN 0-7486-0455-3, p.4</ref> They also excelled in [[philosophy]], [[science]] ( such as [[Hunayn ibn Ishaq]], [[Qusta ibn Luqa]], [[Masawaiyh]], [[Patriarch Eutychius of Alexandria|Patriarch Eutychius]], [[Jabril ibn Bukhtishu]] etc.) and [[theology]] ( such as [[Tatian]], [[Bar Daisan]], [[Babai the Great]], [[Nestorius]], [[Toma bar Yacoub]] etc.) and the personal [[physicians]] of the Abbasid Caliphs were often [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]] [[Christians]] such as the long serving [[Bukhtishu]] dynasty.<ref>Rémi Brague, [http://www.christiansofiraq.com/assyriancontributionstotheislamiccivilization.htm Assyrians contributions to the Islamic civilization]</ref><ref>Britannica, [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/409819/Nestorian Nestorian]</ref> A hospital and medical training center existed at [[Gundeshapur]]. The city of [[Gundeshapur]] was founded in 271 CE by the Sassanid king [[Shapur I]]. It was one of the major cities in [[Khuzestan]] province of the Persian empire in what is today [[Iran]]. A large percentage of the population was [[Assyrian people|Syriacs]], most of whom were Christians. Under the rule of [[Khusraw I]], refuge was granted to [[Greece|Greek]] [[Nestorian Christian]] philosophers including the scholars of the Persian School of [[Edessa, Mesopotamia|Edessa]] ([[Urfa]]), also called the Academy of [[Athens]], a [[Christian]] theological and medical university. These scholars made their way to Gundeshapur in 529 following the closing of the academy by Emperor Justinian. They were engaged in medical sciences and initiated the first translation projects of medical texts.<ref>''The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences 22:2'' Mehmet Mahfuz Söylemez, ''The Jundishapur School: Its History, Structure, and Functions'', p.3.</ref> The arrival of these medical practitioners from Edessa marks the beginning of the hospital and medical center at Gundeshapur.<ref>Gail Marlow Taylor, ''The Physicians of Gundeshapur'', (University of California, Irvine), p.7.</ref> It included a medical school and hospital (bimaristan), a pharmacology laboratory, a translation house, a library and an observatory.<ref>Cyril Elgood, ''A Medical History of Persia and the Eastern Caliphate'', (Cambridge University Press, 1951), p.7.</ref> Indian doctors also contributed to the school at Gundeshapur, most notably the medical researcher Mankah. Later after Islamic invasion, the writings of Mankah and of the Indian doctor Sustura were translated into Arabic at [[Baghdad]].<ref>Cyril Elgood, ''A Medical History of Persia and the Eastern Caliphate'', (Cambridge University Press, 1951), p.3.</ref> [[Daud al-Antaki]] was one of the last generation of influential Arab Christian writers. [[Arab Christians]] especially [[Maronites]] played important roles in [[Al-Nahda]], and because Arab Christians formed the educated [[upper class|upper]] and bourgeois classes, they have had a significant impact in politics, business and culture, and most important figures of the Al-Nahda movement were Christian Arabs.<ref>[http://miradaglobal.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1643%3Amarcha-historica-de-los-arabes-iel-tercer-momento&catid=27%3Apolitica&Itemid=16&lang=en] "The historical march of the Arabs: the third moment."</ref> == Liturgy == The Eastern churches (excepting the non-liturgical dissenting bodies) each belong to one of several liturgical families: * [[Alexandrian Rite]] * [[Antiochene Rite]] * [[Armenian Rite]] * [[Byzantine Rite]] * [[East Syrian Rite]] * [[West Syrian Rite]] == See also == {{Portal|Eastern Christianity}} {{columns-list|3| * [[Orthodoxy]] - for a broader definition and alternative meanings of the word ''orthodox'' * [[Apophatic theology]] * [[Ascetical theology]] * [[Byzantine Empire]] * [[Cappadocian Fathers]] * [[Desert Fathers]] * [[Eastern Christian monasticism]] * [[Eastern Orthodox - Roman Catholic theological differences]] * [[East-West Schism]] * [[Essence-Energies distinction (Eastern Orthodox theology)|Essence-Energies distinction]] * [[Divine Liturgy]] * [[History of Eastern Christianity]] * [[History of the Orthodox Church]] * [[Sacred Tradition|Holy Tradition]] * [[List of Eastern Christianity-related topics]] * [[Mystical theology]] * [[Eastern Orthodox Christian theology|Orthodox Christian theology]] * [[Seven Ecumenical Councils]] * [[Syriac Christianity]] * [[Tabor Light|Uncreated Light]] * [[Western Christianity]] }} == Notes == {{Reflist}} == Further reading == * {{cite book|editor=Angold, Michael|title=The Cambridge History of Christianity|volume=Volume 5, Eastern Christianity|year=2006|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-81113-2}} * Julius Assfalg (ed.), Kleines Wörterbuch des christlichen Orients, Wiesbaden 1975 * {{cite book|last=Jenkins|first=Philip|title=The Lost History Of Christianity|year=2008|publisher=HarperCollins|location=New York|isbn=978-0-06-147281-7}} == External links == * [http://web.archive.org/web/20091205011935/http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=3&IndexView=toc Eastern Christian Churches] * [http://www.melkite.org/eastern.htm Eastern Catholics] Information concerning Christians of Eastern rites who are in communion with, and under the jurisdiction of, the [[Pope]], the Bishop of Rome. * [http://web.archive.org/web/20070709011102/http://chant.theologian.org/ Byzantine Chant Studies Page] * [http://www.gocanada.org/ The Greek Orthodox Church in Canada] * [http://commons.orthodoxwiki.org/Main_Page OrthodoxWiki] {{Christianity footer}} [[Category:Eastern Christianity| ]] [[Category:Christian terminology]]'