Scripture divinely inspired; interpreted through Tradition and three Councils
Oriental Orthodox churches affirm that the Sacred Scriptures are divinely inspired and serve as the authoritative witness to God's revelation. The Bible is interpreted within the living Tradition of the Church, with the three accepted Ecumenical Councils (Nicaea I, Constantinople I, Ephesus) and the consensus of the Church Fathers serving as the hermeneutical framework. Private interpretation apart from the Church's Tradition is not affirmed.
The inerrancy of Scripture in Oriental Orthodox thought is closely connected to the inseparability of Scripture and Tradition: the Bible is understood as the Church's book, written within the community of faith and interpreted by it. The patristic exegetical traditions of Alexandria (allegorical), Antioch (historical-literal), and the Syriac school (typological and poetic) all contribute to how Scripture is understood in different Oriental Orthodox churches.
Key Distinctions
- Inerrancy scope:
- Scripture is divinely inspired and reliable; inerrancy as a Western scholastic category is not widely used
- Hermeneutic approach:
- patristic and typological; tradition guides interpretation; Fathers as authoritative interpreters
Scripture References
Sources
- Council of Nicaea I (325)
- Armenian Apostolic Church, Book of Canon Law
- Common Declaration of Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III (1973)