Coptica v. 16 2017

Reviews

95

The Dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches , ed. C HRISTINE C HAILLOT . Volos, Greece: Volos Academy Publications, 2016. Pp. 520; ISBN: 978-618-81264-5-9; paperback, $49.00 . By editing this lengthy volume, Christine Chaillot has performed a great service toward the understanding of the Council of Chalcedon’s legacy and the Christological positions of the pro- and anti-Chalcedonian, or Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, churches. The book provides an overview of the ecumenical efforts and achievements of the past several decades, forwards a host of studies on the historical and theological issues in play, and charts the challenges that still lie ahead. It is, in many ways, a welcomed successor to Chaillot’s previous study (edited with A. Belopopsky) Towards Unity: The Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches (Geneva: Inter-Orthodox Dialogue, 1998). As such, this rich volume would be a welcomed addition to any academic or personal library focused on ecumenism, patristics, liturgics, or Orthodoxy. Following a brief introduction, the volume takes shape in four parts. The bulk (400 pages) is taken up by sections One and Two: Eastern Orthodox Perspectives, and Oriental Orthodox Perspectives. The third section, the shortest—just over 30 pages—recaps incidents of cooperation and interaction among various Orthodox churches around the globe. The volume then concludes with an Appendix containing the official statements issued at pan-Orthodox consultations over the past several decades as well as excerpts from the writings of leading authorities. In general, by cataloging all the work that has been accomplished over the past decades and in demonstrating the current consensus view upheld by most scholars and hierarchs from both Orthodox families, namely that neither side embraced or advocated heresy, this volume is especially relevant today as ecumenical dialogue between the two families has slowed to a crawl and—with little argument—may be better described as having taken a step back. The individual chapters, which are predominantly written by recognizable names within academic and ecumenical circles, present a wide array of materials: from previously published articles, some of which appear here in English for the first time, to original contributions written specifically for this volume. Some of those studies are based on unpublished papers delivered at the various Orthodox consultations, while others are the product of new research. While each contribution warrants a summary in its own right, the question of which chapters to privilege will in large part depend on the reader’s interests; that is, whether one chooses to focus on historical theology, modern ecumenism, or the views of a specific confession or father. For the sake of brevity here, I would suggest that one begin with the chapters