These two Statements have formed the basis of a possible reconciliation between the
Chalcedonian and Non-
First Agreed Statement (1989)
A revised translation of the original Greek text, based on the present English translation. (17th August 2004)
1. We have inherited from our fathers in Christ the same apostolic faith and tradition,
though as Churches we have been separated from each other for centuries. As two families
of Orthodox Churches long out of communion with each other we pray and entrust to
God the restoration of this communion on the basis of the common apostolic faith
of the undivided Church of the first centuries which we also confess. It is that
faith of the Apostolic Church which we also confess as the common statement (symbolon)
of our faith. All that follows is a simple reverent statement about our Faith -
2. Throughout our discussions we have had as our common basis the formula of our common Father, St. Cyril of Alexandria: mia physis (or mia hypostasis) tou Theou Logou sesarkomene, and his dictum that "it is sufficient for the confession of our true and irreproachable faith to say and to confess that the Holy Virgin is Theotokos" (Hom : 15, cf. Ep. 39).
3. Great indeed is the wonderful mystery of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the one True God in one ousia and in three hypostases or prosopa. Blessed be the Name of the Lord our God. Great indeed is also the ineffable mystery of the Incarnation (enanthrôpêsis) of our Lord Jesus Christ, for us and for our salvation.
4. The Logos, eternally consubstantial with the Father and the Holy Spirit in His Divinity, has in these last days, become incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, and thus became man, consubstantial with us in His humanity, but without sin. He is true God and at the same time true Man, perfect in His Divinity and perfect in His humanity. We call the Blessed Virgin ‘Theotokos’ because the one who took up his abode (skênôsâs) in her womb was completely God and completely man.
5. When we speak of one composite (synthetos) hypostasis of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we are not saying that there came together in Him a divine hypostasis and a human
hypostasis, but that the one eternal hypostasis of the Second Person (prosôpon) of
the Holy Trinity has assumed our created nature having thus united it with His own
uncreated divine nature, to form an inseparably and unconfusedly united real divine-
6. The hypostasis of the Logos before His incarnation, and along with it His divine nature, was, of course, not composite. The hypostasis also, as distinct from the nature, of the Incarnate Logos is equally not composite. The individual theandric person (prosôpon) of Jesus Christ is the eternal hypostasis which has assumed human nature through the Incarnation. So we call that hypostasis composite, on account of the natures which are united to form one composite unity. The issue is not whether our Fathers used the terms ‘physis’ and ‘hypostasis’ interchangeably and confused the one with the other. The term hypostasis can be used to denote both the person as distinct from his nature, and also the person together with his nature, for a hypostasis never in fact exists without a nature.
7. It is the same hypostasis of the Second Person of the Trinity, which is eternally
begotten of the Father, and which in these last days has become man, having been
made flesh from the Blessed Virgin. This is the mystery of the hypostatic union which
we confess in humble adoration -
8. We agree in condemning the Nestorian and the Eutychian heresies. We neither separate nor divide the human nature in Christ from His divine nature, nor do we think that the former was absorbed in the latter and thus ceased to exist.
9. The four adverbs used to describe the mystery of the hypostatic union belong to
our common tradition -
Our mutual agreement is not confined to Christology alone, but encompasses the whole faith of the one undivided Church of the first centuries. We are agreed also in our understanding of the Person and Work of God the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds from the Father alone, and is always adored with the Father and the Son.
Second Agreed Statement (1990)
The first Agreed Statement on Christology adopted by the Joint Commission of the Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, at our historic meeting at the Anba Bishoy Monastery, Egypt, from 20th to 24th June 1989 forms the basis of this Second Agreed Statement in respect to the following affirmations of our common faith and understanding, and recommendations on steps to be taken for the communion of our two families of Churches in Jesus Christ our Lord, Who prayed "that they all may be one".
1. Both families agree in condemning the Eutychian heresy. Both families confess that the Logos, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, only begotten of the Father before the ages and consubstantial with Him, was incarnate and was born from the Virgin Mary Theotokos; consubstantial with us in all respects and perfect man with soul, body and mind (nous); He was crucified, died, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day, ascended to the Heavenly Father, where He sits on the right hand of the Father as Lord of all Creation. At Pentecost, by the coming of the Holy Spirit He manifested the Church as His Body. We look forward to His coming again in the fullness of His glory, according to the Scriptures.
2. Both families condemn the Nestorian heresy and the crypto-
3. Both families agree that the Hypostasis of the Logos became composite (synthetos) by uniting to His divine uncreated nature with its natural will and energy, which He has in common with the Father and the Holy Spirit, created human nature, which He assumed at the Incarnation and made His own, with its natural will and energy.
4. Both families agree that the natures with their proper energies and wills are united hypostatically and naturally, without commingling (or confusion) (asyngchytôs), without change (atreptôs), without separation (achôristôs) and without division (adiairetôs) and that they are distinguished in thought alone (tê theoria monêi).
5. Both families agree that He Who wills and acts is always the one Hypostasis of the Logos incarnate.
6. Both families agree in rejecting interpretations of Councils which do not fully agree with the Horos of the Third Ecumenical Council and the letter (433) of Cyril of Alexandria to John of Antioch.
7. The Orthodox agree that the Oriental Orthodox can continue to maintain their traditional
Cyrillian terminology regarding the "one nature of the incarnate Logos" ("peri tês
mias physeôs tou sesarkômenou Logou"), since through it they acknowledge the double
consubstantiality of the Logos which Eutyches denied. The Oriental Orthodox agree
that the Orthodox are justified in using the formula ‘two natures’ since they accept
the distinction is "in thought alone" (tê theoria monêi). The correct understanding
of this use [formula] is demonstrated by St.Cyril in his letter to John of Antioch
and his letters to Acacius of Melitene (PG 77, 184-
8. Both families accept the first three Ecumenical Councils, which form our common
heritage. As regards the four later Councils of the Orthodox Church, the Orthodox
state that for them the above points 1-
As regards the teaching of the Seventh Ecumenical Council of the Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox agree that the theology and practice of the veneration of the holy icons as taught by that Council are in basic agreement with the ancient teaching and practice of the Oriental Orthodox, long before the convening of the Council, and that we have no disagreement in this regard.
9. In the light of our Agreed Statement on Christology as well as of the above common affirmations, we have now clearly understood that both families have always loyally maintained the same authentic Orthodox Christological faith, and the unbroken continuity of the Apostolic Tradition, though they have used Christological terms in different ways. This common faith and continuous loyalty to the Apostolic Tradition should form the basis of our unity and communion.
10. Both Churches agree that the anathemas which divide us today and the condemnations of the past should be removed by the Churches so that the last obstacle to full union and communion should be removed by divine grace and power.
