The Oriental Orthodox Churches:

The Oriental Orthodox Churches consist in part of the churches listed below. In an early dispute at the Council of Chalcedon (Fourth Ecumenical Council, 451) over the nature of Christ, these churches split off from the rest of Christianity. These churches recognize only the first three Ecumenical Councils (Nicaea I, Constantinople I, and Ephesus) as binding. In the mid-twentieth century, both the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox communions engaged in dialogue aimed at resolving the schism between the two bodies.

The Copts, Syrians, and Assyrians in particular preserve what are probably the most ancient forms of Christian liturgical practice and music. The Syrians also preserve Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus, as both a living language and a liturgical language. Almost all of the Oriental Orthodox denominations are represented in North America.

1. www.sain.org -- Information about the Armenian Apostolic Church and Armenian nation. In the year 301, Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity as an official religion. This site is a central location for information about Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

2. The Armenian National Institute -- dedicated to the study, research, and affirmation of the Armenian Genocide in the early part of the 20th Century.

3. The Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (East) -- Diocese of the eastern United States. Includes a detailed description of the Badarak, the Armenian Divine Liturgy.

4. Armenian Church Western Diocese -- Diocese of the western United States.

Coptic Egypt

1. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria -- home page for the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria.

Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, Archdiocese of North America, Office of Ecumenical Affairs (under construction)

2. Encyclopedia Coptica: The Christian Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt -- information about the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church. Scholars often refer to the Coptic Church as a living museum of ancient Christian liturgical practice.

3. The Coptic Web -- The Coptic Network (also known as Copt-Net) is the first on-line Christian fellowship dedicated to the service of the emigrant Coptic Orthodox community.

4. Coptichymns.net -- A website with an extensive collection of ancient Christian hymnography, including complete recordings of Coptic hymns.

5. The Liturgy of St. Gregory -- audio files of a Coptic liturgy. Requires an MP3 player.

6. The Coptic Network Sound Clips Archive -- samples of Coptic liturgical music.

7. The Coptic Liturgy of St. Basil -- full text of the Liturgy, in English.

1. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church -- a website about the Church of Ethiopia. Note: the server is based in Orem, Utah. This is probably not an official site of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

2. Ethiopia Online -- A site with a variety of links related to Ethiopia.

3. Cyber Ethiopia dot com -- Search engine for all things Ethiopian.

4. Ethiopia Page of the African Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania -- includes links related to Ethiopian distance learning, culture, and other areas. Mostly academic, but still quite good.

1. Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, Archdiocese of the Eastern United States -- An ancient communion which continues to use Aramaic as a liturgical language. Aramaic is still a living language in parts of Syria. Not to be confused with the Antiochian Orthodox Church, this communion is one of the Oriental Orthodox Churches (which also includes the Coptic Church, the Armenian Church, and the Ethiopian Church).

2. Margoneetho: Syriac Orthodox Resources -- Extensive materials on early Christianity and early Christian liturgical tradition.

The Church of Assyria

1. The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East -- An ancient, Oriental Orthodox communion in present day Iraq and Iran. Certain liturgical prayers are borrowed from Judaism. Note: This page is undergoing reconstruction as of 9/23/10.