The Oriental Orthodox Churches are the five churches descended from those which did not receive the Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.): the Armenian Apostolic Church, Coptic Orthodox Church (Egypt), Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Syrian Orthodox Church, and Syrian Orthodox Catholicate of the East (India). These five churches share most of their ecclesiastical heritage with the Orthodox Church, but at the same time have their distinct identities not only on ethnic, national, cultural and liturgical grounds, but also on a Christological position that is expressed in their common rejection of Chalcedon. The Oriental Orthodox Churches are members of the World Council of Churches and are in communion with each other, but with no other church.
The Oriental Orthodox Churches have jurisdictions in North America which belong to a Confer-ence of Oriental Orthodox Churches in America (see Episcopal Church Annual).
The Assyrian Church of the East has not been in communion with any other church since the Council of Ephesus (431). Its Catholicos Patriarch resides in Chicago (see Episcopal Church Annual).
The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion have long enjoyed warm relations with the Oriental Orthodox. Nevertheless, it was not until 1983, on the occasion of an Assembly of the World Council of Churches, that the Archbishop of Canterbury called an informal meeting of Anglican and all Oriental Orthodox Church representatives. The meeting recommended that a "Forum" meet to explore ways to promote deeper relationships and mutual understanding. The Anglican-Oriental Orthodox Forum met in 1985 in England, with a represen-tative of the Assyrian Church participating as an observer. It recommended pastoral cooperation in different regions such as North America, theological scholar-ships, and theological conversations in a "Memorandum and Recommendations of the Anglican-Oriental Orthodox Churches Forum (Bulletin 77). Subsequent forums met in Egypt in 1990 and in England in 1993. Light from the East: A Symposium on the Oriental Orthodox and Assyrian Churches, Henry Hill, Editor (Anglican Books Centre, Toronto) provides Anglicans with opportunities and reminds the Communion of its responsibil-ities in relation to theses churches.
In 1987 the Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Shenouda of the Coptic Orthodox Church signed an agreement testifying to their "essential common faith in Christ" (Bulletin 87). Similar common declarations have been signed by Pope John Paul II with leaders of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. Even more significant is the work of Orthodox Church and Oriental Orthodox Church theologians at four conferences beginning in 1964 which has led to recognition that the schism originated in cultural, terminological and political differences rather than real differences in faith. These events mark the beginning of a healing of a division from the fifth century.
The 1991 General Convention called for an Anglican - Oriental Orthodox Consultation in the USA, which met in 1991 and again in 1993.
The Anglican-Oriental International Commission met in the summer of 2001. At this meeting the Commission set an agenda to draft a common statement on Christology in time for the next Lambeth Conference in 2008. It is possible that formal USA Oriental Orthodox-Episcopal dialogues could be coordinated with this international dialogue. Cordial and abiding friendships, locally and nationally, suggest the wisdom of beginning such conversations again.
