Full communion

Reciprocity among Christian Churches

This article is about the relationship between different Christian churches. For the general concept of Christian communion, see Koinonia.

Full communion is a communion or relationship of full agreement among different Christian denominations that share certain essential principles of Christian theology. Views vary among denominations on exactly what constitutes full communion, but typically when two or more denominations are in full communion it enables services and celebrations, such as the Eucharist, to be shared among congregants or clergy of any of them with the full approval of each.

## Contents

* 1 Definition and terminology
* 2 By Christian denomination
* 2.1 Lutheran Churches
* 2.2 Reformed Churches
* 2.3 Anglican Communion
* 2.4 Catholic Church
* 2.4.1 Full versus partial communion
* 2.4.2 Universal and particular Churches
* 2.4.3 List of Catholic churches in full communion
* 2.4.4 Sharing in the Eucharist
* 2.5 Eastern Orthodox
* 2.6 Church of the East
* 2.7 Oriental Orthodox churches
* 2.8 Other churches
* 3 Agreements between churches
* 4 See also
* 5 Notes
* 6 References
* 7 Sources
* 8 Further reading
* 9 External links

## Definition and terminology[edit | edit source]

Full communion is an ecclesiological term for an established relationship between Christian denominations that may be constituted by shared eucharist, doctrine, and ecclesiology. Different denominations emphasize different aspects or define the term differently.[1]

Several Protestant denominations base their idea of full communion on the Augsburg Confession which says that "the true unity of the church" is present where "the gospel is rightly preached and sacraments rightly administered." They believe that full communion between two denominations is not a merger, they respect each other's differences, but rather it's when two denominations develop a relationship based on a mutual understanding and recognition of Baptism and sharing of the Lord's Supper. They may worship together, exchange clergy, and share commitments to evangelism and service.[2] For example, groups recognized as being in full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church, on this basis, include the Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church (United States), the Moravian Church, and the United Methodist Church.[2] These churches are not necessarily in full communion with each other, however; each denomination is free to develop its own relationships with other churches. For example, The Episcopal Church, in addition to being a member of the Anglican Communion,[3] is in full communion with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Moravian Church (Northern and Southern Provinces), Mar Thoma Syrian Church of India, Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht, Philippine Independent Church, and the Church of Sweden.[4] They are not, currently, in full communion with the Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, or the United Church of Christ, though they are currently in dialogue with other churches; including the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), and Roman Catholic Church.[5]

## By Christian denomination[edit | edit source]

### Lutheran Churches[edit | edit source]

Main article: Altar and pulpit fellowship

### Reformed Churches[edit | edit source]

The United Church of Christ (UCC) defines full communion as meaning that "divided churches recognize each others' sacraments and provide for the orderly transfer of ministers from one denomination to another." Some of these go back to the 17th century Pilgrims in Holland; other relationships are recent. The UCC is in full communion alliance with the members of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, the Union of Evangelical Churches in Germany, the Presbyterian Church in the US, and several others in North America and elsewhere.[6]

### Anglican Communion[edit | edit source]

The Anglican Communion distinguishes between full communion and intercommunion. It applies the first term to situations "where between two Churches, not of the same denominational or confessional family, there is unrestricted communio in sacris including mutual recognition and acceptance of ministries", and the second term to situations "where varying degrees of relation other than full communion are established by agreement between two such Churches".[7] This distinction differs from the distinction that the Catholic Church makes between full and partial communion in that the Anglican concept of intercommunion implies a formal agreement entered into by the churches concerned. As with other Protestant traditions, the Anglican understanding of full communion differs from that of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodoxy, which consider that full communion between churches involves them becoming a single church, as in the case of the particular churches "in which and formed out of which the one and unique Catholic Church exists".[8]

In addition the Anglican Communion recognizes the possibility of full communion between some of its member provinces or churches and other churches, without having the entire Anglican Communion share that relationship.[9] An example is the Porvoo Communion, which is largely composed of Evangelical Lutheran Churches.

The Anglican Communion established full communion with the Old Catholic Churches on the basis of the 1931 Bonn Agreement, which established three principles:

1. Each communion recognizes the catholicity and independence of the other and maintains its own.
2. Each communion agrees to admit members of the other communion to participate in the sacraments.
3. Full communion does not require from either communion the acceptance of all doctrinal opinion, sacramental devotion or liturgical practice characteristic of the other, but implies that each believes the other to hold all the essentials of the Christian faith.[10][11]

The Anglicans Online website provides a list of non-Anglican churches "in full communion with the See of Canterbury" and also indicates some important ecumenical agreements of local character (i.e., not involving the whole of the Anglican Communion) with other non-Anglican churches.[9] It also lists churches that, in spite of bearing names (such as "Anglican" or "Episcopal") that might suggest a relationship with the Anglican Communion, are not in communion with it.[12]

### Catholic Church[edit | edit source]

#### Full versus partial communion[edit | edit source]

The Catholic Church makes a distinction between full and partial communion: where full communion exists, there is but the one Church; partial communion, on the other hand, exists where some elements of Christian faith are held in common, but complete unity on essentials is lacking. Accordingly, they see the Church as in partial communion with Protestants and in much closer, but still incomplete, communion with Orthodox Churches. It has expressed this distinction in documents such as Unitatis redintegratio, the Second Vatican Council's decree on ecumenism, which states: "... quite large communities came to be separated from full communion with the Catholic Church. ...Men who believe in Christ and have been truly baptized are in communion with the Catholic Church even though this communion is imperfect".[13] Other Catholic theologians— often labelled "traditionalists"— blame the language of "full" and "partial" communion for a lack of doctrinal clarity, and as a dubious or dangerous development due to its essential proximity to the condemned "branch theory" of ecclesiology. Such theologians believe that doctrinal clarity is better maintained by usage of the term "vestiges" to describe things held in common with Christians outside the Catholic Church, and that language of "communion" should be reserved to its original meaning, namely communio in sacris, which only exists among Catholics. In this view, there is only communion or lack thereof, not degrees, such as "partial communion".

Nonetheless, the Second Vatican Council used the word "communion" in a sense other than communio in sacris when speaking of Christians separated from the Catholic Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, citing the Second Vatican Council and Pope Paul VI, states:

> "The Church knows that she is joined in many ways to the baptized who are honoured by the name of Christian, but do not profess the Catholic faith in its entirety or have not preserved unity or communion under the successor of Peter" (Lumen gentium 15). Those "who believe in Christ and have been properly baptized are put in a certain, although imperfect, communion with the Catholic Church" (Unitatis redintegratio 3). With the Orthodox Churches, this communion is so profound "that it lacks little to attain the fullness that would permit a common celebration of the Lord's Eucharist" (Paul VI, Discourse, 14 December 1975; cf. Unitatis redintegratio 13-18).[14]

Full communion thus involves completeness of "those bonds of communion - faith, sacraments and pastoral governance - that permit the Faithful to receive the life of grace within the Church."[15]

#### Universal and particular Churches[edit | edit source]

See also: Catholic particular churches and liturgical rites and Sui juris

In Catholicism, the "universal Church" means Catholicism itself, from the Greek adjective καθολικός (katholikos), meaning "universal".[16] The term particular church denotes an ecclesiastical community headed by a bishop or equivalent, and this can include both local dioceses as well as autonomous (or sui juris) particular churches, which include other rites such as the Latin Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches.[17]

The particular Churches that form the Catholic Church are each seen, not as a separate body that has entered into practical arrangements concerning its relations with the others, but as the embodiment in a particular region or culture of the one Catholic Church.

A 1992 Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) letter to Catholic bishops expressed this idea as: "the universal Church cannot be conceived as the sum of the particular Churches, or as a federation of particular Churches. It is not the result of the communion of the Churches, but, in its essential mystery, it is a reality ontologically and temporally prior to every individual particular Church."[18]

#### List of Catholic churches in full communion[edit | edit source]

The autonomous Catholic churches in full communion with the Holy See are:

* Of Alexandrian liturgical tradition:
* Coptic Catholic Church
* Eritrean Catholic Church
* Ethiopian Catholic Church
* Of Syro-Antiochian or West Syriac liturgical tradition:
* Maronite Church
* Syrian Catholic Church
* Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
* Of Armenian liturgical tradition:
* Armenian Catholic Church
* Of Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) liturgical tradition:
* Albanian Greek Catholic Church
* Belarusian Greek Catholic Church
* Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church
* Byzantine Catholic Church of Croatia and Serbia
* Greek Byzantine Catholic Church
* Hungarian Greek Catholic Church
* Italo-Albanian Catholic Church
* Macedonian Greek Catholic Church
* Melkite Greek Catholic Church
* Romanian Greek Catholic Church
* Russian Byzantine Catholic Church
* Ruthenian Catholic Church
* Slovak Greek Catholic Church
* Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
* Of Chaldean or East Syriac tradition:
* Chaldean Catholic Church
* Syro-Malabar Church
* Of Western liturgical tradition:
* Latin Church[a]

#### Sharing in the Eucharist[edit | edit source]

Scale of justice

Part of a series on the
Canon law of the
Catholic Church

Ius vigens (current law)

* 1983 Code of Canon Law
* Omnium in mentem
* Magnum principium
* Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
* Ad tuendam fidem
* Ex corde Ecclesiae
* Indulgentiarum Doctrina
* Pastor bonus
* Pontificalis Domus
* Veritatis gaudium
* Custom
* Matrimonial nullity trial reforms of Pope Francis
* Documents of the Second Vatican Council
* Christus Dominus
* Lumen gentium
* Optatam totius
* Orientalium ecclesiarum
* Presbyterorum ordinis
* Sacrosanctum concilium
* Precepts of the Church

Legal history

Jus antiquum (c. 33-1140)

* Ancient Church Orders
* Didache
* The Apostolic Constitutions
* Canons of the Apostles
* Collections of ancient canons
* Collectiones canonum Dionysianae
* Collectio canonum quadripartita
* Collectio canonum Quesnelliana
* Collectio canonum Wigorniensis
* Gelasian Decree
* Symmachian forgeries
* Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals
* Donation of Constantine
* Gregorian Reform
* Lay investiture controversy
* Dictatus papae
* Libertas ecclesiae
* Plenitudo potestatis

Jus novum (c. 1140-1563)

* Corpus Juris Canonici
* Decretum Gratiani
* Decretist
* Canon Episcopi
* Margaritae
* Jus commune
* Decretals of Gregory IX
* Decretalist
* Regulæ Juris
* Extravagantes
* Liber Septimus

Jus novissimum (c. 1563-1918)

* Council of Trent
* Benedictus Deus
* Tametsi
* Apostolicae Sedis moderationi

Jus codicis (1918-present)

* 1917 Code of Canon Law
* Ecclesiae Sanctae
* 1983 Code of Canon Law

Other

* Contractum trinius
* Papal judge-delegate
* Right of option

Eastern law

* Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches
* Eastern Canonical Reforms of Pius XII
* Nomocanon
* Eparchy
* Exarchate
* Ordinariate for Eastern Catholic faithful
* Protosyncellus

Liturgical law

Latin Church

* General Roman Calendar
* Ranking of liturgical days in the Roman Rite
* General Instruction of the Roman Missal
* Code of Rubrics
* Sacrosanctum Concilium
* Mysterii Paschalis
* Musicam sacram
* Scripturarum thesaurus
* Liturgiam authenticam
* Quattuor abhinc annos
* Ecclesia Dei
* Summorum Pontificum
* Magnum principium
* Traditionis custodes
* Red Mass
* Holy day of obligation

Sacramental law

* Communicatio in sacris
* Ex opere operato
* Omnium in mentem
* Validity and liceity

Sacraments

* Holy Orders
* Impediment (Catholic canon law)
* Abstemius
* Defect of birth
* Obligation of celibacy
* Nullity of Sacred Ordination
* Apostolicae curae
* Dimissorial letters
* Episcopal consecrators
* Approbation (Catholic canon law)
* Confession
* Penitential canons
* Paenitentiale Theodori
* Seal of the Confessional
* Internal and external forum
* Note on the importance of the internal forum and the inviolability of the Sacramental Seal
* Apostolic Penitentiary
* Canon penitentiary
* Complicit absolution
* Sacramentum Poenitentiae
* Eucharist
* Eucharistic discipline
* Canon 915
* Celebret
* Mass stipend

Sacramentals

* Indulgence
* Indulgentiarum doctrina

Sacred places

* Altars
* Major basilica
* Minor basilica
* Oratory (chapel)

Sacred times

* Feast days
* Fast days and abstinence
* Paenitemini
* Holy day of obligation

Matrimonial law

* Canonical form (Latin Church)
* Tametsi
* Ne Temere
* Banns of marriage
* Declaration of Nullity
* Dignitas connubii
* Matrimonial Nullity Trial Reforms of Pope Francis
* Vetitum
* Defender of the Bond
* Impediments to Marriage
* Affinity
* Clandestinity
* Impediment of crime
* Disparity of cult
* Ligamen
* Public propriety
* Matrimonial dispensation
* Ratum sed non consummatum
* Sanatio in radice
* Natural marriage
* Pauline privilege
* Petrine privilege

Supreme authority, particular
churches, and canonical structures

Supreme authority of the Church

* Roman Pontiff
* College of Bishops

Supra-diocesan/eparchal structures

* College of Cardinals

* Conference of bishops
* Synod of Bishops

Particular churches

* Churches sui juris
* Latin Church
* Eastern Catholic Churches
* Local particular churches
* Appointment of bishops
* Abbacy nullius
* Apostolic vicariate
* Apostolic vicar
* Apostolic administration
* Apostolic administrator
* Diocese/Archdiocese
* Aeque principaliter
* Cathedraticum
* In persona episcopi
* Diocesan Curia
* Moderator of the Curia
* Chancery
* Deanery
* Vicar forane
* Eparchy
* Eparchal curia
* Military ordinariate
* Mission sui juris
* Personal ordinariate
* Anglicanorum Coetibus

Juridic persons

* Parish
* Team of priests in solidum
* Collegiate church
* Parish register
* Lay trusteeism
* Roman Curia
* Dicastery
* Congregation
* Pontifical council
* Personal prelature
* Types of membership of Opus Dei
* Association of the Christian faithful
* Vicar general
* Quinquennial visit ad limina

Jurisprudence

* Canonical coronation
* Canonically crowned images
* Computation of time
* Custom
* Delegata potestas non potest delegari
* Derogation
* Dispensation
* Taxa Innocentiana
* Faculty
* Indult
* Impediment
* Interpretation
* Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
* Jurisdiction
* Peritus
* Obreption & subreption
* Obrogation
* Promulgation
* Resignation of the Roman Pontiff
* Sede vacante
* Simony
* Vacatio legis
* Validity and liceity
* Visitation
* Apostolic visitor

Philosophy, theology, and fundamental theory of Catholic canon law

* Theology
* Ecclesiology
* Treatise on Law
* Determinatio

Temporal goods (property)

* Benefice
* Cathedraticum
* Contract law
* Mass stipend
* Stole fee
* Temporalities

Law of persons

* Person (Catholic canon law)
* Formal act of defection from the Catholic Church
* Canonical age
* Emancipation
* Exemption

Clerics

* Secular clergy
* Regular clergy
* Obligation of celibacy
* Clerics and public office
* Incardination and excardination
* Laicization (dispensation)
* Canonical faculties

Office

* Canonical provision
* Canonical election

Juridic and physical persons

* Jus patronatus

Associations of the faithful

Consecrated life

Canonical documents

* Acta Apostolicae Sedis
* Acta Sanctae Sedis
* Censor librorum
* Imprimatur
* Imprimi potest
* Notary
* Protonotary apostolic
* Apostolic constitution
* Canon
* Concordat
* Decree
* Decretal
* Encyclical
* Motu proprio
* Ordinance
* Papal brief
* Papal bull
* Penitential
* Positive law
* Rescript
* Parish register
* Ecclesiastical Latin

Penal law

* Canon 1324
* Canon 1397 §2
* Censure (Catholic canon law)
* De delictis gravioribus
* Complicit absolution
* Crimen sollicitationis
* Excommunication
* List of excommunicable offences in the Catholic Church
* List of people excommunicated by the Catholic Church
* List of excommunicated cardinals
* Interdict
* Laicization (penal)
* Latae sententiae and ferendae sententiae
* Lifetime of prayer and penance
* Canonical admonitions
* Ecclesiastical prison

Procedural law

Pars statica (tribunals & ministers/parties)

* Tribunals
* Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
* Tribunal of the Roman Rota
* Apostolic Penitentiary
* Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
* Ministers of Justice
* Judicial Vicar/Officialis
* Auditor
* Parties
* Defender of the Bond
* Procurator

Pars dynamica (trial procedure)

* Dignitas connubii (matrimonial causes)
* Appeal as from an abuse
* Presumption
* Penal procedure
* Vos estis lux mundi

Canonization

* Congregation for the Causes of Saints
* Maiorem hac dilectionem
* Advocatus Diaboli
* Oblatio vitae
* Positio
* Beatification and canonization process in 1914

Election of the Roman Pontiff

* Current law
* Universi Dominici gregis
* Papal renunciation
* Reforms of Pope Benedict XVI
* Historical
* Cum proxime
* Jus exclusivae
* Papal appointment
* Aeterni Patris Filius
* Romano Pontifici eligendo
* Ingravescentem aetatem
* Ubi periculum
* Quia propter

Legal practice and scholarship

* List of legal abbreviations

Academic degrees

* Licentiate of Canon Law
* Doctor of Canon Law
* Doctor of both laws

Journals and Professional Societies

* Canon Law Society of America
* The Jurist

Faculties of canon law

* School of Canon Law

Canonists

* Medieval
* Gratian
* Hostiensis
* Jean Lemoine
* Raymond of Penyafort
* Rufinus
* Johannes Teutonicus
* Geoffrey of Trani
* Burchard of Worms
* Brocard
* Modern & Contemporary
* Eugenio Corecco
* John D. Faris
* Pietro Gasparri
* Ladislas Orsy
* Edward N. Peters

Law of consecrated life

* Solemn vow
* Exclaustration
* Manifestation of Conscience
* Canonical erection of a house of religious
* Pontifical right
* Diocesan right
* Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

Institute of consecrated life

* Religious institute
* Congregation
* Order
* Monasticism
* Canons regular
* Mendicant orders
* Clerics regular
* Secular institute
* Cum Sanctissimus
* Primo Feliciter
* Provida Mater Ecclesia

Society of apostolic life

* Decretum laudis

* v
* t
* e

See also: Canon 844

As a practical matter for most Catholics, full communion means that a member of one Church may partake of the Eucharist celebrated in another,[19] and for priests, that they are accepted as celebrants of the Eucharist in the other Church.

Restrictions in this matter were already in force in the second century as witnessed to by Justin Martyr in his First Apology: "No one is allowed to partake (of the Eucharist) but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined."[20]

For acceptance into full communion with the Catholic Church a specific profession of the faith of the Catholic Church is required even of those who have been members of a separate church whose sacraments the Catholic Church considers to be valid.[19][21] Being "in full communion with the Catholic Church" requires that they "firmly accept" its teaching on faith and morals.[22]

Intercommunion usually means an agreement between churches by which all members of each church (clergy with clergy, or laity with laity, respectively) may participate in the other's Eucharistic celebrations or may hold joint celebrations.[23] The Catholic Church has entered into no such agreement: it allows no Eucharistic concelebration by its clergy with clergy of churches not in full communion with it.[b]

The Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism indicates the limited circumstances in which Catholics may receive the Eucharist from clergy of churches not in full communion (never if those churches are judged not to have valid apostolic succession and thus valid Eucharist), and in which Catholic clergy may administer the sacraments to members of other churches.[26]: nn. 122–136

The norms there indicated for the giving of the Eucharist to other Christians (communicatio in sacris) are summarized in canon 844 of the Latin Church's 1983 Code of Canon Law.[27] The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches (CCEO) indicates that the norms of the Directory apply also to the clergy and laity of the Eastern Catholic Churches.[28]

### Eastern Orthodox[edit | edit source]

Eastern Orthodox have an understanding of what full communion means that is very similar to that of the Catholic Church.[29] Though they have no figure corresponding to that of the Roman Catholic Pope, performing a function like that of the Pope's Petrine Office for the whole of their respective communions, they see each of their autocephalous churches as embodiments of, respectively, the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. They too consider full communion an essential condition for common sharing in the Eucharist.

For the autocephalous churches that form the Eastern Orthodox Church, see Eastern Orthodox Church organization. Their number is somewhat in dispute.

### Church of the East[edit | edit source]

The Church of the East is currently divided into churches that are not in full communion with one another. The Assyrian Church of the East and the Ancient Church of the East divided in the 20th century over the former's limitation of the post of patriarch to members of a single family[30] and due to the adoption of the New Calendar by the former. There is movement towards reunity, but they are not in full communion with one another at present. The Chaldean Catholic Church shares a similar history with both, but is currently in full communion with neither. The Catholic Church, of which the Chaldean Church is part, allows its ministers to give the Eucharist to members of Eastern churches who seek it on their own accord and are properly disposed, and it allows its faithful who cannot approach a Catholic minister to receive the Eucharist, when necessary or spiritually advantageous, from ministers of non-Catholic churches that have a recognised Eucharist.[31][27]

The Guidelines for Admission to the Eucharist between the Chaldean Church and the Assyrian Church of the East explicitly apply these rules, which hold also for the Ancient Church of the East and all Eastern Orthodox churches, to the Assyrian Church of the East.[32] "When necessity requires, Assyrian faithful are permitted to participate and to receive Holy Communion in a Chaldean celebration of the Holy Eucharist; in the same way, Chaldean faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister, are permitted to participate and to receive Holy Communion in an Assyrian celebration of the Holy Eucharist".[32]

### Oriental Orthodox churches[edit | edit source]

Part of a series on

Oriental Orthodoxy
Coptic icon of Jesus Christ
Oriental Orthodox churches

* Coptic
* Orthodox Tewahedo
* Ethiopian
* Eritrean
* Armenian
* Cilicia
* Syriac
* Indian

Subdivisions

* Autonomous churches grouped by tradition:
* Armenian: Constantinople, Jerusalem
* Syriac: Malankara Jacobite

Noncanonical/Independent churches

* Independent churches grouped by tradition:
* Coptic: British
* Syriac: Malabar Independent

History and theology

* Coptic history
* Tewahedo history
* Syriac history
* Saint Thomas Christians

* Ecumenical Councils:

* First
* Second
* Third

* Historical topics and events:

* Peshitta
* Tur Abdin
* Miaphysitism
* 2nd Council of Ephesus
* 3rd Council of Ephesus
* 1st Council of Dvin
* 2nd Council of Dvin
* 3rd Council of Dvin
* Council of Manzikert
* Council of Capharthutha
* Coonan Cross Oath

Liturgy and practices

* Apostolic Church-Ordinance
* Armenian calendar
* Coptic calendar
* Ethiopian calendar
* Coptic fasting
* Coptic monasticism
* Coptic saints
* Debtera
* Ethiopian chant
* Fast of Nineveh
* Holy Qurbana
* Tabot
* Tewahedo fasting
* Timkat

Major figures

* Abgar V
* Nine Saints of Ethiopia
* Gregory the Illuminator
* Tiridates III
* Mar Awgin
* Athanasius of Alexandria
* Ephrem the Syrian
* Ezana of Axum
* Frumentius
* Shenoute
* Mesrop Mashtots
* Cyril of Alexandria
* Dioscorus of Alexandria
* Severus of Antioch
* Abraham of Farshut
* Yared
* Simon the Tanner
* Gregory of Narek
* Nerses IV
* Michael the Syrian
* Bar Hebraeus
* Tekle Haymanot
* Giyorgis of Segla
* Mar Thoma I
* Gregorios Abdal Jaleel
* Geevarghese Gregorios

Related topics

* Abuna
* Catholicos
* Coptic cross
* Cross of St. Thomas
* Ethiopian cross
* Ethiopian titles
* Maphrian
* Tewahedo biblical canon

* v
* t
* e

The Oriental Orthodox Churches have a similar understanding of communion as the Eastern Orthodox Church and Roman Catholic Church. There is no leader of all the Oriental Orthodox Churches. All churches within the Oriental Orthodox Churches are autocephalous and operate and function on their own. All Oriental Orthodox Churches are in full communion with each other. They can take part in all the 7 sacraments from each other's churches.

The Oriental Orthodox churches are:

* Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch
* Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria
* Armenian Apostolic Church
* Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church
* Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church
* Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

The Oriental Orthodox Churches have a relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, and is working on a relationship with the Eastern Orthodox Church and other Christian Churches.

The Oriental Orthodox Churches believe in Apostolic Succession, the concept that Jesus Christ gave spiritual authority to the 12 Apostles and 72 Disciples, and that authority has been passed on till this day.

For example, the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch is considered the Successor of St. Peter, the Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria is considered the Successor of St. Mark, the Armenian Apostolic Catholicos of Armenia is considered the Successor of St. Bartholomew and St. Thaddeus, the Catholicos of the East of India is considered the Successor of St.Thomas the Apostle

Likewise, the Oriental Orthodox Church acknowledges the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Constantiople as the Successor of St. Andrew and the Roman Catholic Pope of Rome as the Successor of St. Peter and St. Paul. Due to the schisms at the Synod of Chalcedon, the tensions between the churches have been high, but in recent years the leaders of all churches have acknowledged each other, and are working on a relationship with each other.

### Other churches[edit | edit source]

Churches or denominations holding to open communion allow all persons who consider themselves "Christian believers" to participate, even without any arrangement of full communion with the other church or denomination involved, and still less requiring an arrangement involving interchangeability of ordained ministers.

It is in the stronger sense of becoming a single church that in 2007 the Traditional Anglican Communion sought "full communion" with the Roman Catholic Church as a sui iuris (particular Church) jurisdiction, but in 2012 declined the possibility offered by Pope Benedict XVI to join a personal ordinariate for former Anglicans in full communion with the see of Rome.[33]

## Agreements between churches[edit | edit source]

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The following groupings of churches have arrangements for or are working on arrangements for:

* mutual recognition of members
* joint celebration of the Lord's Supper/Holy Communion/Eucharist (these churches practice open communion)
* mutual recognition of ordained ministers
* mutual recognition of sacraments
* a common commitment to mission.

Agreements completed

1. The Anglican Communion, the Old Catholic Church, the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of India, and the Philippine Independent Church[34]
2. The Churches of the Porvoo Communion.[35]
3. The Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada[34]
4. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and each of the following: the member churches of the Lutheran World Federation, the Episcopal Church in the United States of America,[34] the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church[36] and the Moravian Church in America.
5. The Leuenberg Agreement, concluded in 1973 and adopted by 105 European Protestant churches, since renamed the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe.[37]
6. The Moravian Church and each of the following: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.[34]
7. The United Methodist Church with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the African Union Methodist Protestant Church, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Union American Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Northern and Southern Provinces of the Moravian Church.[38]
8. The United Church of Christ and each of the following: the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Reformed Church in America.
9. The United Episcopal Church of North America and each of the following: the Anglican Catholic Church, the Anglican Province of Christ the King, and the Diocese of the Great Lakes.
10. The Anglican Province of America has intercommunion with the Reformed Episcopal Church and the Church of Nigeria.
11. The Church of Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland have established full communion and are working toward interchangeability of ministry.[39]
12. The Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht and the Church of Sweden are in full communion since the joint signature of the Uppsala Agreement in 2016.[40]

Agreements in progress

1. The United Methodist Council of Bishops have approved interim agreements for sharing the Eucharist with the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.[41]
2. The Methodist Church of Great Britain is currently working toward full communion with the Church of England[42] and the United Reformed Church.[43]

## See also[edit | edit source]

* Closed communion
* Ecclesiastical separatism
* Ecumenism
* Eucharist
* Koinonia
* Open communion
* Personal ordinariate

## Notes[edit | edit source]

1. ^ Of the various Latin liturgical rites used within the Latin particular Church, even those associated not with a religious order but with a geographical area do not constitute separate particular Churches. Thus there is no Ambrosian particular Church corresponding to the Ambrosian Rite in use in Milan and neighbouring areas of Italy and Switzerland, nor is there a Mozarabic particular Church in those parts of Spain where the Mozarabic Rite is practiced. In the Latin Church, governance is uniform, even where liturgical rite is not.
2. ^ "Catholic priests are forbidden to concelebrate the Eucharist with priests or ministers of churches or ecclesial communities which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church[24][25]

## References[edit | edit source]

1. ^ Seventh Assembly of the World Council of Churches (20 February 1991). "The unity of the Church: gift and calling - The Canberra Statement". oikoumene.org. Geneva: World Council of Churches. n. 2.1. Archived from the original on 25 October 2014.
2. ^ a b "Full Communion Partners". Evangelical Lutheran Churches in America. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
3. ^ Office, Anglican Communion. "Anglican Communion: Member Churches". Anglican Communion Website. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
4. ^ "Full Communion Partners". The Episcopal Church. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
5. ^ "Ecumenical Dialogue Partners". The Episcopal Church. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
6. ^ "Ecumenical partnerships and relationships of full communion". ucc.org. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
7. ^ "1958 Lambeth Conference, Resolution 14" (PDF). Anglican Communion.
8. ^ Vatican II (21 November 1964). Lumen gentium. vatican.va. n. 23.
9. ^ a b "In Full Communion". Anglicans Online. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
10. ^ "Meaning of Full Communion". Episcopal Church. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
11. ^ "Churches in communion". anglicancommunion.org. London: Anglican Communion Office. Archived from the original on 13 March 2015.
12. ^ "Not in the Communion". Anglicans Online. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
13. ^ Vatican II (21 November 1964). "Unitatis redintegratio". vatican.va. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. n. 3. Archived from the original on 6 March 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
14. ^ "CCC 838". Catechism of the Catholic Church. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 1993. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
15. ^ "USSCB memo" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2008.
16. ^ "Catholic". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
17. ^ Vatican II (21 November 1964). "Orientalium Ecclesiarum". vatican.va. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Archived from the original on 1 September 2000. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
18. ^ Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (28 May 1992). "Letter to the bishops of the Catholic Church on some aspects of the Church understood as communion". Libreria Editrice Vaticana. n. 9. Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
19. ^ a b "RCIA and Confirmation Qualifications: On Participants in RCIA and Confirmation". bostoncatholic.org. Archdiocese of Boston. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
20. ^ Justin Martyr (1870). "The First Apology of Justin Martyr" . In Roberts, Alexander; Donaldson, James; Coxe, A. Cleveland (eds.). The writings of Justin Martyr and Athenagoras. The Ante-Nicene Fathers: the writings of the fathers down to A.D. 325. Vol. 2\. Translated by Marcus Dods (American ed.). Buffalo: Christian Literature. ch. 66 - via Wikisource.
21. ^ McNamara, Edward. "When an Orthodox joins the Catholic Church". Zenit.org. Rome: Innovative Media Inc. Archived from the original on 31 August 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
22. ^ Ratzinger, Joseph; Bertone, Tarcisio (29 June 1998). "Doctrinal Commentary on the Concluding Formula of the Professio fidei". Libreria Editrice Vatican. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
23. ^ Gribble, Richard (18 November 2010). "Part IV: Roman Catholic Theology". The Everything Guide to Catholicism: A complete introduction to the beliefs, traditions, and tenets of the Catholic Church from past to present. Avon, Massacnusetts: Everything Books. p. 115\. ISBN 978-1-4405-0409-9. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
24. ^ CIC 1983, c. 908.
25. ^ CCEO 1990, c. 702.
26. ^ "Principles And Norms On Ecumenism". Vatican.va. Archived from the original on 16 August 2010. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
27. ^ a b CIC 1983, c. 844.
28. ^ CCEO 1990, cc. 908, 1440.
29. ^ "SOME ASPECTS OF THE CHURCH UNDERSTOOD AS COMMUNION". www.vatican.va. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
30. ^ "Our History". St Zaia Cathedral. Middleton Grange, NSW, AU. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
31. ^ CCEO 1990, c. 671.
32. ^ a b "Guidelines for admission to the Eucharist between the Chaldean Church and the Assyrian Church of the East". Vatican.va. Archived from the original on 3 November 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
33. ^ "2012 meeting of Traditional Anglican Communion College of Bishops" (PDF). traditionalanglicancommunion.org (Press release). Traditional Anglican Communion. 1 March 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 April 2012.
34. ^ a b c d "In full communion". anglicansonline.org. Society of Archbishop Justus. 25 July 2015. Archived from the original on 30 July 2015.
35. ^ "History". The Porvoo Communion. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
36. ^ "ELCA shares significant actions with ecumenical, global partners" (Press release). Chicago, IL: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. 26 August 2009.
37. ^ "Agreement & Statute". leuenberg.net. Vienna: Community of Protestant Churches in Europe.
38. ^ "Moravian Church in America ratifies full communion agreement with The United Methodist Church". The United Methodist Church. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
39. ^ Armagh, Robert; Graham, W Winston (26 September 2002). "Church of Ireland and Methodist Covenant". Church of Ireland. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
40. ^ "Utrecht and Uppsala on the way to communion". Union of Utrecht of the Old Catholic churches. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
41. ^ "Council approves interim pacts with Episcopalians, Lutherans". Archives.umc.org. 2006-11-06. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
42. ^ "An Anglican-Methodist Covenant" (PDF). Methodist Publishing House and Church House Publishing. 2001. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
43. ^ "History of the Covenant". An Anglican-Methodist Covenant. The Methodist Church and the Church of England. Retrieved 26 August 2016.

## Sources[edit | edit source]

* Code of Canon Law. Prepared under the auspices of the Canon Law Society of America (from 2001 Latin-English print ed.). Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 4 November 2003 - via vatican.va.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
* Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Prepared under the auspices of the Canon Law Society of America (from 1992 Latin-English print ed.). Rome, IT: Èulogos SpA. 17 July 2007 - via intratext.com.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)

## Further reading[edit | edit source]

* "On Receiving Anglican clergy into the Catholic Church: Statement of the bishops of England and Wales given on April 15, 1994". EWTN.com. Irondale, Alabama: Eternal Word Television Network. Archived from the original on 9 February 2001. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
* Keating, Karl. "How to Become a Catholic". catholic.com. Catholic Answers. Archived from the original on 17 December 2001. Retrieved 7 November 2015.

## External links[edit | edit source]

* Broken but Never Divided: An Eastern Orthodox Perspective

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