02-05-2010, 08:24 PM
It seems to me important to understand whether the 7th Century "Nestorians" used the 27 book NT. Here is what I found at Wikipedia. I am notr sure it is accurate.
Otto
Nestorianism is a general term for related forms of Christianity practiced in various parts of Asia since the 5th century. Nestorianism is associated with the Christological view advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428 ??? 431, which emphasizes the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus. However, even from the beginning, not all Christians labeled "Nestorians" adhered to Nestorius' doctrine, leading some modern scholars to prefer other terms, such as "Church of the East", "Persian Church", etc.
Nestorius and his teachings were condemned at the First Council of Ephesus in 431 and the Council of Chalcedon in 451, leading to the Nestorian Schism in which Nestorius-supporting Churches of the East broke with Chalcedonian Christianity. Following the schism, many of Nestorius' supporters relocated to Sassanid Persia, which became the center of a vibrant sect. Nestorian Christianity spread through Persia, entering Central Asia and India at a relatively early date. Nestorian Christianity was introduced to the Mongols and China in the 7th century, and was a significant religious influence during the time of the Mongol Empire and China's Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century. These groups generally maintained some ties with the Persian establishment, and are linked together in contemporary sources, but structure and practice were loose and diverse, and not all churches followed the doctrine of Nestorius.
Nestorianism largely died out in the Middle Ages, but survives in the Assyrian Church of the East, which reveres Nestorius but does not follow all historically Nestorian doctrine. The church has approximately 170,000 members, mostly in Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
Otto
Nestorianism is a general term for related forms of Christianity practiced in various parts of Asia since the 5th century. Nestorianism is associated with the Christological view advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428 ??? 431, which emphasizes the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus. However, even from the beginning, not all Christians labeled "Nestorians" adhered to Nestorius' doctrine, leading some modern scholars to prefer other terms, such as "Church of the East", "Persian Church", etc.
Nestorius and his teachings were condemned at the First Council of Ephesus in 431 and the Council of Chalcedon in 451, leading to the Nestorian Schism in which Nestorius-supporting Churches of the East broke with Chalcedonian Christianity. Following the schism, many of Nestorius' supporters relocated to Sassanid Persia, which became the center of a vibrant sect. Nestorian Christianity spread through Persia, entering Central Asia and India at a relatively early date. Nestorian Christianity was introduced to the Mongols and China in the 7th century, and was a significant religious influence during the time of the Mongol Empire and China's Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century. These groups generally maintained some ties with the Persian establishment, and are linked together in contemporary sources, but structure and practice were loose and diverse, and not all churches followed the doctrine of Nestorius.
Nestorianism largely died out in the Middle Ages, but survives in the Assyrian Church of the East, which reveres Nestorius but does not follow all historically Nestorian doctrine. The church has approximately 170,000 members, mostly in Iran, Iraq, and Syria.