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78-700: See also: Terms for Syriac Christians Syrian Christians may refer to Adherents of Christianity in Syria Adherents of Syriac Christianity , various Christian bodies of Syriac traditions Saint Thomas Christians , Christians of Syriac tradition in India, also called Syrians or Nasrani See also [ edit ] Syriac Church (disambiguation) Patriarchate of Antioch (disambiguation) Syrian Catholic (disambiguation) Syriac Orthodox Church Syria (disambiguation) Topics referred to by

156-692: A Muslim , converse in the Malay language , and adhere to Malay customs . According to this legal framework , a Malay man or woman who undergoes conversion from Islam to another religion ceases to be recognized as Malay. Consequently, the privileges accorded to so-called Bumiputra , specifically the entitlements outlined in Article 153 of the Constitution, the New Economic Policy (NEP) , and other related provisions, are forfeited in

234-449: A distinct minority . Ethnoreligious groups can be tied to ethnic nationalism if the ethnoreligious group possesses a historical base in a specific region. In many ethnoreligious groups emphasis is placed upon religious endogamy, and the concurrent discouragement of interfaith marriages or intercourse, as a means of preserving the stability and historical longevity of the community and culture. The term ethnoreligious has been applied by

312-474: A distinctive community, with its particular theological and historical traditions. Historically, Syriac Christianity emerged in the Near East , among Aramaic -speaking communities that accepted Christianity during the first centuries of Christian history. Politically, those communities were divided between eastern regions (ruled in turn by Parthian and Persian empires), and western regions (ruled by

390-564: A fa[ther and a mo]ther for me, §VII and Hiyawa and Assyria (su+ra/i-wa/i-ia-sa-ha(URBS)) were made a single "House". The corresponding Phoenician inscription reads: And the king [of Aššur and (?)] the whole "House" of Aššur ('ŠR) were for me a father [and a] mother, and the DNNYM and the Assyrians ('ŠRYM) The object on which the inscription is found is a monument belonging to Urikki, vassal king of Hiyawa (i.e. Cilicia ), dating to

468-740: A historical point of view, totally misleading and incorrect – quite apart from being highly offensive and a breach of ecumenical good manners". To designate converts from Nestorianism to Catholicism, some early western researchers have coined the term "Catholic Nestorians", but that combination was criticized as contradictory. The term occurred in works of several researchers. In terms of liturgical (ritual) distinctions, Syriac Christians are divided into: Since Syriac Christians live in various regions, both historical and modern, several terms that are generally applied to Christians of those regions are also used to designate local Syriac Christian communities. Various terminological issues, that are related to

546-451: A network of miaphysite ecclesiastical structures throughout the region. In later polemics between Christians, Jacobite appellation was often used by various opponents of miaphysitism as designation for heresy, thus creating basis for a complex history of the term. Various leaders of the miaphysite Syriac Orthodox Church have both rejected, or accepted the term. In polemic terminology, Jacobites were sometimes also labeled as Monophysites ,

624-483: A poly-ethnic group that includes distinctive peoples such as: modern Arameans, modern Assyrians, modern Chaldeans, and others. Such poly-ethnic pan-Syriac views are endorsed by some organizations, such as the European Syriac Union . Similar preferences for the use of Syrian/Syriac designations as unifying terms were also manifested during the formative stages of national awakening, at the beginning of

702-735: A reliable source to the following groups: Prior to the Babylonian exile in the late 7th century BC and early 6th century BC, the Israelites had already emerged as an ethnoreligious group, probably before the time of Hosea in 8th century BC. The ethno-religious character of the Jewish people in antiquity has been expounded upon by scholars such as Salo W. Baron , who spoke of "the ethnoreligious unity of [the Israelite] people", and Shaye J. D. Cohen , when describing Jewish identity during

780-688: A result of Zionism . In Israel, Jewish religious courts have authority over personal status matters, which has led to friction with secular Jews who sometimes find they must leave the country in order to marry or divorce, particularly in relation to the inherited status of mamzer , the marriage of males from the priestly line, persons not recognized as Jewish by the rabbinate, and in cases of agunot . The Israeli rabbinate only recognizes certain approved Orthodox rabbis as legitimate, which has led to friction with Diaspora Jews who for centuries never had an overarching authority. Other classical examples for ethnoreligious groups are traditional Anabaptist groups like

858-627: A subject of terminological disputes between different communities, and also among scholars. Territorially, Syriac Christians are divided in two principal groups: Syriac Christians of the Near East , and Syriac Christians of India . Terminology related to Syriac Christians of the Near East includes a specific group of ethnoreligious terms, related to various Semitic communities of Neo-Aramaic -speaking Christians, that are indigenous to modern Syria , Iraq , Iran , Turkey , Lebanon , Israel , Jordan , and Palestine . Syriac Christians of

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936-651: A term they have always disputed, preferring to be referred to as Miaphysites . During the 7th century, renewed Christological disputes related to monoenergism and monothelitism led to the emergence of new divisions among Christians in the Near East. Some of those who accepted monothelite teachings became known as the Maronites , after their main center, the Monastery of Saint Maron , situated in northeastern region of modern Lebanon . Maronite community included both Greek-speaking and Aramaic-speaking adherents. During

1014-660: Is a resemblance between this [name], and that of the Armenians, Arabians, and Erembians. Ethnoreligious Furthermore, the term ethno-religious group , along with ethno-regional and ethno-linguistic groups , is a sub-category of ethnicity and is used as evidence of belief in a common culture and ancestry . In a narrower sense, they refer to groups whose religious and ethnic traditions are historically linked. The elements that are defined as characteristics of an ethnoreligious group are " social character , historical experience, and theological beliefs". A closing of

1092-406: Is based on similar historical traditions of some other (western) regions, thus demonstrating a balanced and moderate approach to those sensitive issues. Most who support such poly-ethnic approach are ready to accept traditional "Syriac" designation as a cultural umbrella term , but without any suppression of distinctive ethnic identities. Thus, the term "Syriac peoples" (in plural) would designate

1170-544: Is commonly used to designate Christians of Syria in general, but the same term was also used to designate Christians of "Syrian" (Syriac) rites, regardless of their regional affiliation. Because of that, the distinctive term "Syriac" was introduced and favored by some scholars to designate the Syriac branch of Eastern Christianity, thus reducing Syrian designations to their primary (regional) meanings, related to Syria. Terminological transition from "Syrian" to "Syriac" designations

1248-616: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Terms for Syriac Christians Terms for Syriac Christians are endonymic (native) and exonymic (foreign) terms, that are used as designations for Syriac Christians, as adherents of Syriac Christianity . In its widest scope, Syriac Christianity encompass all Christian denominations that follow East Syriac Rite or West Syriac Rite , and thus use Classical Syriac as their main liturgical language . Traditional divisions among Syriac Christians along denominational lines are reflected in

1326-563: Is implemented gradually, primarily in scholarly literature, but duality of forms still persists, even in some modern scholarly works, thus resulting in a continuous variety of parallel uses (Syriac Christianity/Syrian Christianity, Christian Syriacs/Christian Syrians, East Syriac Rite/East Syrian Rite, West Syriac Rite/West Syrian Rite). Syrian designations in particular may be confusing for an outsider, since someone may self-identify as both Syrian and Syriac . For example, Syriac Orthodox Christians from modern Syria are "Syriacs" as members of

1404-541: Is observed in modern English terminology. Syriac Christians belong to several Christian denominations , both historical and modern. Various terms that are applied to those denominations are also used to designate Syriac Christian communities that belong to distinctive branches of the Christian denominational tree. Most important of those terms are: Jacobites , Saint Thomas Syrian Christians , Maronites , Melkites , Nasranis , and Nestorians , each of them designating

1482-413: Is sometimes referred to as a form of religion. In many cases, ethnoreligious groups are also ethno-cultural groups with traditional ethnic religion ; in other cases ethnoreligious groups begin as communities united by a common faith which through endogamy developed cultural and ancestral ties. Some ethnoreligious groups' identities are reinforced by the experience of living within a larger community as

1560-569: Is to clarify that ethno-religious groups, such as Jews, Muslims, and Sikhs, have access to the racial vilification and discrimination provisions of the Act.... extensions of the Anti-Discrimination Act to ethno-religious groups will not extend to discrimination on the ground of religion". The definition of "race" in Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tasmania) likewise includes "ethnic, ethno-religious, or national origin". However, unlike

1638-549: The Assyrian International News Agency interpreted the practice of regional labeling as "Arabist policy of denying Assyrian identity and claiming that Assyrians, including Chaldeans and Syriacs, are Arab Christian minorities". In modern English language, "Syrian" designations are most commonly used in relation to the modern state of Syria , or (in historical context) to the region of Syria . In accordance with that, English term "Syrian Christians"

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1716-666: The Babai the Great at the council of 612, was distinctive both in essence and terminology. Throughout the medieval and early modern periods, the practice of labeling Syriac Christians of the Church of the East as "Nestorians" persisted among other Christian denominations, and even entered the terminology of Islamic scholars. Because of that, a specific duality was created within the Church of

1794-519: The Church of the East in the Sassanian Empire , where Nestorius came to be counted among the teachers of the Church and eventually became venerated as a saint . Since it was the only Christian denomination that practiced such reverence for Nestorius, the term Nestorians became commonly used as designation for adherents of the Church of the East in general, regardless of the fact that its official theological positions, finally formulated by

1872-800: The Church of the East , while a majority of those in the western regions adhered to the Syriac Orthodox Church . At the same time, Aramaic-speaking Christian communities in some regions (like Byzantine Palestine ) opted for the Chalcedonian Christianity . All of those divisions created a basis for the emergence of several denominational terms, created as endonymic (native) or exonymic (foreign) designations for distinctive Christian communities. Main of those terms were, in alphabetical order: Jacobites , Maronites , Melkites , and Nestorians . All of those terms are denominational, without ethnic connotations. During

1950-712: The Near East derive and uphold their ethnic identities by claiming descendancy from peoples of the Ancient Near East , such as: ancient Arameans , ancient Assyrians , ancient Chaldeans , and ancient Phoenicians . Since ethnic composition of the Near East suffered many substantial and successive changes during ancient, medieval, and modern times, all questions related to ethnic continuity are not only viewed as complex, but also treated as highly sensitive. Some of those questions proved to be very challenging, not only for distinctive communities and their mutual relations, but also for scholars from several fields related to

2028-743: The Old Order Amish , the Hutterites , the Old Order Mennonites and traditional groups of Plautdietsch -speaking Russian Mennonites , like the Old Colony Mennonites . All these groups have a shared cultural background, a shared dialect as their everyday language ( Pennsylvania German , Hutterisch , Plautdietsch ), a shared version of their Anabaptist faith, a shared history of several hundred years and they have accepted very few outsiders into their communities in

2106-545: The Phoenicians (the ancient people of Lebanon) and not Arameans. Some Muslim Lebanese nationalists espouse Phoenician identity as well. The question of ethnic identity and self-designation is sometimes connected to the scholarly debate on the etymology of "Syria" . The question has a long history of academic controversy. The terminological problem dates from the Seleucid Empire (323–150 BC), which applied

2184-611: The Roman , or Byzantine empire). That division created a specific notions of "East" and "West" within Syriac Christianity, with first term designating regions under Parthian/Persian rule, and second those under Roman/Byzantine rule. After the emergence of major theological disputes and divisions (4th–7th century), regional distinction between eastern and western branches of Syriac Christianity gained additional significance. A majority of eastern Syriac Christians adhered to

2262-522: The Swedish census ("Assyrier/Syrianer"). Additional distinctions also appeared in regard to some other issues. Unlike the Assyrians, who emphasize their non-Arab ethnicity and have historically sought a state of their own, some urban Chaldean Catholics are more likely to assimilate into Arab identity. Other Chaldeans, particularly in America, identify with the ancient Chaldeans of Chaldea rather than

2340-405: The Syriac Orthodox Church , but also "Syrians" as inhabitants of Syria . Since the historical region of Syria was much wider than modern Syria, in various writings related to earlier historical periods Syriac Christians could also be termed both as "Syriacs" by rite, and "Syrians" by region, even if their homelands are located outside the borders of modern Syria, but do belong within borders of

2418-647: The Syro-Palestinian dialect in Palestine and Transjordan . The Syriac Melkites ( Malkāyā Suryāyē in Aramaic) changed their church’s West Syriac Rite to that of Constantinople in the 9th to 11th centuries, requiring new translations of all their Classical Syriac liturgical books. The decline of Syriac-Aramaic traditions among Syriac Melkites was further enhanced (since the 7th century) by gradual Arabization , since under Islamic rule, Arabic became

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2496-547: The news media , Syriac Christians are often spoken of simply as Christians of their country or geographical region of residence, even when the subject of reporting is specifically related to Syriac denominations. Common terms such as: " Iraqi Christians ", " Iranian Christians ", " Turkish Christians ", and particularly " Syrian Christians ", are often used in a way that is seen by Syriac Christian communities in those countries as non-specific or even improper. Since some of those states (Syria) are officially defined as "Arab Republics",

2574-442: The 1970s and gradually escalated to the point of mutual animosity that attracted the attention of foreign scholars and international institutions. Mutual denialism, particularly between radicalized proponents of pan-Aramean and pan-Assyrian claims, was perceived as being at odds with internationally endorsed principles, based on the notion that every ethnic community should be respected and allowed to choose its own self-designation. By

2652-417: The 20th century. In 1910, Nestorius Malech (d. 1927) edited and published a work of his late father George Malech (d. 1909), that contained a chapter under the title: " The Arameans, Chaldeans, Assyrians and Syrians are One Nation and their Language is One ". In order to explain the nature of those terms, the authors also claimed: " These four names are not national, but geographical significations ". Emphasizing

2730-442: The 5th and 6th century, Christological disputes related to monophysitism and miaphysitism led to the emergence of lasting divisions among Eastern Christians throughout the Near East . Miaphysite communities in the wider region of Syria (consisted of both Greek and Aramaic/Syriac adherents of miaphysitism) became known as Jacobites , after Jacob Baradaeus (d. 578), a prominent miaphysite metropolitan of Edessa who created

2808-616: The 8th century BC. In this monumental inscription, Urikki made reference to the relationship between his kingdom and his Assyrian overlords. The Luwian inscription reads "Sura/i" whereas the Phoenician translation reads ' ŠR or "Ashur" which, according to Rollinger (2006), settles the problem once and for all. Some scholars in the past rejected the theory of 'Syrian' being derived from 'Assyrian' as "naive" and based purely on onomastic similarity in Indo-European languages, until

2886-499: The 8th century BCE. Originally published by Tekoglu and Lemaire (2000), it was more recently analyzed by historian Robert Rollinger, who lend a strong support to the age-old debate of the name "Syria" being derived from "Assyria" (see Name of Syria ). The examined section of the Luwian inscription reads: §VI And then, the/an Assyrian king (su+ra/i-wa/i-ni-sa(URBS)) and the whole Assyrian "House" (su+ra/i-wa/i-za-ha(URBS)) were made

2964-556: The Anti-Discrimination (Amendment) Act 1994 (see above). The Anti-Discrimination (Amendment) Act 1994 made reference to Mandla v Dowell-Lee , which defined ethnic groups as: The significance of the case was that groups like Sikhs and Jews could now be protected under the Race Relations Act 1976 . In Malaysian law, as per Article 160(2) , it is stipulated that an individual classified as Malay must be

3042-534: The Aramaic word malkā (meaning ruler, king, emperor), thus designating those who were loyal to the Empire and its officially imposed religious policies. The term “Melkites” originally designated all loyalists, regardless of their ethnicity ( Arameans , Copts , Greeks , Jews, etc.), thus including those Aramaic-speaking Christians who adhered to Chalcedonian Christianity. Since Melkite communities were dominated by

3120-488: The Assyrians. In addition, while Assyrians self-define as a strictly Christian nation, Aramaic organizations generally accept that Muslim Arameans also exist, and that many Muslims in historic Aramea were converts (forced or voluntary) from Christianity to Islam. An exception to the near-extinction of Western Aramaic are the Lebanese Maronite speakers of Western Neo-Aramaic ; however, they largely self-identify as

3198-503: The East: reverence for Nestorius as a saint persisted, but Nestorian label was resisted if used as a derogatory term by opponents. In modern times, those questions were reexamined and reevaluated by scholars, who argued against improper uses of the term, and that position was also reflected in modern inter-denominational terminology, that avoids the use of any controversial terms. David Wilmshurst noted that for centuries "the word 'Nestorian'

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3276-582: The Greek episcopate, the position of Aramaic-speaking Melkites within the wider Melkite community was somewhat secondary to that of Greek Melkites. This led to the gradual decline of Syriac-Aramaic traditions. Classical Syriac was initially the liturgical language of the Syriac Melkites in Antioch and parts of Syria , while some other Aramaic-speaking Melkites, predominantly of Jewish descent, used

3354-551: The NSW Act, it also prohibits discrimination on the grounds of "religious belief or affiliation" or "religious activity". In the United Kingdom the landmark legal case Mandla v Dowell-Lee placed a legal definition on ethnic groups with religious ties, which, in turn, has paved the way for the definition of an ethnoreligious group. Both Jews and Sikhs were determined to be considered ethnoreligious groups under

3432-544: The Near-Eastern (Semitic) origin use several terms for their self-designation . In alphabetical order, main terms are: Arameans , Assyrians , Chaldeans , Phoenicians and Syriacs . Each of those polysemic terms has a complex semantic history. First four of those names are expressing and implying direct connections with distinctive Semitic peoples of the Ancient Near East (ancient Arameans , ancient Assyrians , ancient Chaldeans , and ancient Phoenicians ), while

3510-478: The Reform movement only recognizes children of mixed marriages as Jewish if they "established through appropriate and timely public and formal acts of identification with the Jewish faith and people." In actual practice, most Reform Jews affirm patrilineal descent as a valid means of Jewish identification, particularly if the individual was "raised Jewish". Israeli national identity is linked with Jewish identity as

3588-688: The Syrian empire say that when the Medes were over thrown by the Persians, and the Syrians by the Medes, they spoke of the Syrians only as those who built the palaces at Babylon and Ninos. Of these, Ninos founded Ninos in Atouria, and his wife Semiramis succeeded her husband and founded Babylon ... The city of Ninos was destroyed immediately after the overthrow of the Syrians. It was much greater than Babylon and

3666-472: The beginning of the 21st century, foreign scholars and institutions have shown an increasing tendency of taking neutral positions, that also affected terminology. Several attempts were made to create acceptable compound terms, by using various combinations of basic terms for Arameans, Assyrians, Chaldeans, and Syriacs in general. Some of those solutions were applied in the US census ("Assyrian/Chaldean/Syriac"), and in

3744-495: The coastal Levant. While himself maintaining a distinction, Herodotus also claimed that "those called Syrians by the Hellenes (Greeks) are called Assyrians by the barbarians (non-Greeks). Greek geographer and historian Strabo (d. in 24 CE) described, in his " Geography ", both Assyria and Syria, dedicating specific chapters to each of them, but also noted, in his chapter on Assyria: Those who have written histories of

3822-423: The common use of " Syrian language " among all those groups, the authors also advocated for the acknowledgement of a common " Syrian nation ". Such ideas, based on the use of " Syrian " designations, lost their practicality soon after 1918, when the foundations of modern Syria were laid, thus giving a distinctive geopolitical meaning to Syrian appellations, that became firmly tied to a country whose population

3900-412: The community takes place through a strict endogamy , which is specifically for the community and that distinguishes an ethno-religious community, that is, as distinct from any other group. In general, ethnoreligious communities define their ethnic identity by both ancestral heritage and religious affiliation. An ethnoreligious group usually has shared history and cultural traditions of their own, which

3978-563: The creation of a specific term: Nestorians , that was used to designate those Christians who shared his views in the fields of Christology and Mariology . That term was applied to all who agreed with teaching of Nestorius, both within the borders of Roman Empire and beyond, regardless of their ethnic, linguistic or other backgrounds. Among Greek Christians, Nestorianism was eventually suppressed, but within some communities of Syriac Christians, particularly those beyond Byzantine imperial borders, support for Nestorius persisted, particularly within

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4056-686: The ethnically and geographically distinct Arameans and Phoenicians of the Levant to be collectively called Syrians and Syriacs in the Greco-Roman world. The 1997 discovery of the Çineköy inscription appears to prove conclusively that the term Syria was derived from the Assyrian term 𒀸𒋗𒁺 𐎹 Aššūrāyu ., and referred to Assyria and Assyrian. The Çineköy inscription is a Hieroglyphic Luwian - Phoenician bilingual , uncovered from Çineköy, Adana Province , Turkey (ancient Cilicia ), dating to

4134-461: The fifth term ( Syriacs ) stems from a very complex etymology of the term Syria , and thus has a wide range of onomastic meanings, both historical and modern. Terminology related to several groups of Arab Christians and other Arabic-speaking Christians who are adherents of Syriac Christianity, presents a specific challenge. Some of those questions, related to geopolitical affiliations and cultural Arabization , are of particular interest for

4212-824: The final two centuries of the Neo-Assyrian Empire . A simplified list presents various self-identifications among modern Syriac Christians of the Near East, with regard to their ethnic or ethno-religious identity (in alphabetical order): One of the main questions, related to ethnic identity of modern Syriac Christians of the Near East , stems from a dispute between two conflicting and mutually exclusive claims: Proponents of pan-ethnic claims are further divided in two radicalized groups, that are mutually adversarial, and also deeply invested into mutual denialism : Contrary to radical pan-Aramean and pan-Assyrian claims, various proponents of poly-ethnic views are focused mainly on their own communities, recognizing at

4290-492: The following centuries, both Greek and Aramaic/Syriac traditions were gradually weakened by the process of Arabization . In modern times, renewed interest for patrimonial historical heritage among Catholic Maronites led to the revival of Aramaic/Syriac cultural traditions and Aramean identity. Official state support, provided by the Byzantine imperial authorities to adherents of Chalcedonian Christianity after 451, laid

4368-402: The foundation for the emergence of a new, specific use of Aramaic terms that designated those who were loyal to the Empire. This loyalty was understood not just in a political sense but also in regard to their acceptance of imperial religious policies. Throughout the Near East , all Christians who accepted the state-backed Chalcedonian Christianity became known as "Melkites", a term derived from

4446-662: The historical region of Syria. One of the most notable example is related to the city of Antioch on the Orontes , that was historical seat of the Patriarchate of Antioch and the capital city of Roman Syria , but since 1939 became part of modern Turkey . Therefore, earlier history of Syriac Christianity in such regions belongs to the Syrian regional history, but since those regions are now in Turkey, their heritage also belongs to

4524-600: The history of Christianity in Turkey . In India , term "Syrian Christians" is still used as one of main designations for Saint Thomas Christians , who are traditionally using Syriac rites and Syriac language in their liturgical practices. Some authors even consider them to be "a distinct, endomagous ethnic group, in many ways similar to a caste. They have a history of close to two thousand years, and in language, religion, and ethnicity, they are related to Persian as well as West Syrian Christian traditions". In recent years, English terminology (based on Syrian/Syriac distinctions)

4602-411: The inscription identified the origins of this derivation. In Classical Greek usage, terms Syria and Assyria were used interchangeably. Herodotus 's distinctions between the two in the 5th century BCE were a notable early exception. Randolph Helm emphasizes that Herodotus "never" applied the term Syria to Mesopotamia, which he always called "Assyria", and used "Syria" to refer to inhabitants of

4680-514: The last 250 years. They may also share common foods , dress, and other customs. Modern proselytizing Mennonite groups, such as the Evangelical Mennonite Conference whose members have lost their shared ancestry, their common ethnic language Plautdietsch, their traditional dress, and other typical ethnic traditions, are no longer seen as an ethnoreligious group, although members within these groups may still identify with

4758-417: The late Second Temple period . Since the 19th century, Reform Judaism has differed from Orthodox Judaism on matters of theology and practice; however, toward the end of the 20th century and into the 21st century, the Reform movement has reoriented itself back toward certain traditions and practices it had previously relinquished (for example, wearing the tallit and/or the kippah ; the use of Hebrew in

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4836-407: The latitudes, there is a great difference between those toward the north and south and the Syrians in the middle, but common condition s prevail, [C42] and the Assyrians and Arimanians somewhat resemble both each other and the others. He [Poseidonios] infers that the names of these peoples are similar to each other, for those whom we call Syrians are called Aramaians by the Syrians themselves, and there

4914-536: The liturgy). In the United States, the increasing rate of mixed marriages has led to attempts to facilitate conversion of the spouse, although conversion to facilitate marriage is strongly discouraged by traditional Jewish law. If the spouse does not convert, the Reform movement will recognize patrilineal descent . Traditional interpretations of Jewish law only recognize descent along the maternal line. Many children of mixed marriages do not identify as Jews and

4992-430: The main language of public life and administration. In later centuries, several Melkite communities were split, thus creating additional distinctions between Orthodox Melkites and Catholic Melkites . Within both communities, Syriac Melkites are today represented by small minorities. Theological controversies that arose in the first half of the 5th century regarding the teachings of Nestorius (d. c. 450) resulted in

5070-545: The modern 'Assyrians' and the ancient Assyrians of Nineveh known to readers of the Old Testament [...] has proved irresistible to the imagination". Since Syriac Christians belong to various ethnic groups , native to the Near East and India, and also spread throughout diaspora , several terms that are applied to those groups are also used to designate Syriac Christian communities that belong to distinctive ethnicities . Various groups among modern Syriac Christians of

5148-518: The proper use of regional and denominational designations, are often examined in scholarly literature , but some terminological issues proved to be particularly challenging for the news media . To distinguish between regional, ethnic, linguistic and other meanings of various polysemic terms, scholars are analyzing both historical and modern aspects of their uses, but those complexities are rarely observed properly outside scholarly circles, by those who are not familiar with terminological distinctions. In

5226-491: The remaining communities of Syriac Christians in Arab countries of the Near East. In modern times, specific terminological challenges arose after 1918, with the creation of a new political entity in the Near East , called Syria , thus giving a distinctive geopolitical meaning to the adjective Syrian . Distinction between Syrian Christians as Christians from Syria in general, and Syriac Christians as Syriac-Rite Christians,

5304-431: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Syrian Christians . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Syrian_Christians&oldid=1192402165 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

5382-455: The same time the equality of other communities and the validity of their self-designations, thus creating a base for mutual acknowledgment and toleration. Advocates of such views are found in all groups, among moderate Arameans, Assyrians, Chaldeans and others. Prominent Assyrian scholar, professor Amir Harrak, who supports Assyrian continuity that is based on historical traditions of Assyrian heartlands , also acknowledges Aramean continuity that

5460-645: The second term was historically accepted as an alternative self-identification only since the 5th century CE, under the influence of Greek terminology. Assyrian activists are endorsing the term Āṯūrāyē ( ܐܬܘܪܝܐ ), and also accept the term Sūryāyē ( ܣܘܪܝܝܐ ), but they claim that it always represented just a slightly shortened form of the main designation for Assyrians. In the Assyrian Neo-Aramaic language , both terms are thus used: Āṯūrāyē ("Assyrians") and Sūrāyē/Sūryāyē ("Syrians/Syriacs"). Disputes over ethnic identity began to intensify during

5538-403: The study of Syriac Christianity. A common cultural denominator for all communities of Syriac Christians is found in the use of Aramaic languages , both historical (Edessan Aramaic: Classical Syriac ) and modern ( Neo-Aramaic languages ), acknowledging in the same time, within the bounds of mutually shared cultural heritage, that ancient Aramaic language was accepted as lingua franca during

5616-551: The term Mennonite as an ethnic identifier. In Australian law , the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 of New South Wales defines "race" to include "ethnic, ethno-religious, or national origin". The reference to "ethno-religious" was added by the Anti-Discrimination (Amendment) Act 1994 (NSW). John Hannaford , the NSW Attorney-General at the time, explained, "The effect of the latter amendment

5694-588: The term Syria , the Greek and Indo-Anatolian form of the name Assyria , which had existed even during the Assyrian Empire, not only to the homeland of the Assyrians but also to lands to the west in the Levant , previously known as Aramea , Eber Nari and Phoenicia (modern Syria , Lebanon and northern Israel ) that later became part of the empire. This caused not only the original Assyrians , but also

5772-466: The use of various theological and ecclesiological designations, both historical and modern. Specific terms such as: Jacobites , Saint Thomas Syrian Christians , Maronites , Melkites , Nasranis , and Nestorians have been used in reference to distinctive groups and branches of Eastern Christianity , including those of Syriac liturgical and linguistic traditions. Some of those terms are polysemic , and their uses (both historical and modern) have been

5850-794: Was consisted mainly of Muslim Arabs . Later attempts to employ slightly distinctive Syriac designations came from foreign terminology, since native language had only one principal and widely accepted form (Suryaye/Suryoye) that simply meant: Syrians , and it took almost a century to accept Syrian/Syriac distinctions, but only in cases when self-designations are expressed in foreign languages. Thus became acceptable to use terms like: Syriac Christianity , Syriac language , Syriac literature , and Syriacs in general, but traditional native appellations (Suryaye/Suryoye) remained unchanged. Views on endonymic (native) designations are also divided. Aramean activists are endorsing two terms: Ārāmayē ( ܐܪܡܝܐ ) and Sūryāyē ( ܣܘܪܝܝܐ ), but they are emphasizing that

5928-694: Was made even more complicated, since several modern authors started to favor exonymic Turkish term Süryânî , by using it in texts written in English language, and thus promoting additional term for Syriac Christians. Some similar questions arose in regard to the use of Assyrian designations as regional terms. John Joseph stated that in the English terminology of the 19th century, term "Assyrian Christians" initially designated Christians of geographical Assyria, but later transformed into 'Christian Assyrians'", thus gaining ethnic connotations, and also cited James Coakley, who remarked that "the link created between

6006-599: Was situated in the plain of Atouria. Throughout his work, Strabo used terms Atouria ( Assyria ) and Syria (and also terms Assyrians and Syrians ) in relation to specific terminological questions, while comparing and analyzing views of previous writers. Reflecting on the works of Poseidonius (d. 51 BCE), Strabo noted: For the people of Armenia, the Syrians, and the Arabians display a great racial kinship, both in their language and their lives and physical characteristics, particularly where they are adjacent ... Considering

6084-475: Was used both as a term of abuse by those who disapproved of the traditional East Syrian theology, as a term of pride by many of its defenders [...] and as a neutral and convenient descriptive term by others. Nowadays it is generally felt that the term carries a stigma". Referring to the same issues, Sebastian Brock noted: "the association between the Church of the East and Nestorius is of a very tenuous nature, and to continue to call that Church 'Nestorian' is, from

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