Council of Batumi (Principia Moderni III Map Game)

Agreement for the Reconciliation of the Armenian Church

 * 1) On the issue of Apostolic Succession and its administration, the Armenian and Orthodox Churches agree that:
 * 2) The Orthodox Church recognizes the Armenian Church's descent from the Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus; the Armenian Church recognizes the Orthodox Church's descent from the Apostle Andrew.
 * 3) If the Armenian Church rejoins the Orthodox community, the Armenian Church will be combined into the Georgian Patriarchate of Kartli. The Armenian Church will remain autonomous in all aspects except the appointment of the Patriarch and those aspects discussed at this Council, or at future ecumenical councils.


 * 1) The Patriarch of Georgia and Armenia shall be appointed by a joint council of the bishops of the Georgian and Armenian churches, requiring a majority vote from both churches for his confirmation.


 * 1) The Georgian and Armenian Churches both acknowledge the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople as "first among equals" within the Orthodox community.
 * 2) On theological issues, the Armenian Church and Orthodox Church agree that:
 * 3) The Armenian Church's interpretation of the Trinitarian relationship as miaphysitic  (one unified nature of both human and divine origins, in a single person) rather than dyophysitic  (two natures, one human and one divine, in a single person) is technically incorrect. However, the perfect unity of Christ's two natures makes the two positions indistinguishable. Accordingly, the Orthodox Church accepts the miaphysitic position as an orthodox interpretation of the nature of Christ, barring further divine revelations on the subject.
 * 4) The Christological doctrines of Monothelitism and Monoenergism are heretical, and shall be tolerated in neither the Armenian nor the Orthodox Church.
 * 5) The use of icons of holy figures such as the Theotokos or the Savior encourage worshippers to emulate these sacred persons, and aid in the transmission of divine grace to fallen mankind. Accordingly, the Armenian Church recognizes the utility of these icons in the salvation of souls, and endorses their use in prayer.
 * 6) On liturgical issues, the Armenian and Orthodox churches agree that:
 * 7) The lack of icons in the Armenian Rite is a serious impediment to the extension of God's grace into the Armenian Church. Accordingly, the Armenian Church shall endeavor to acquire suitable sacred icons for its liturgies as soon as possible, purchasing these from the icon-makers of the Roman Empire where possible.
 * 8) The Armenian and Orthodox Churches shall convene a joint conference of bishops to examine the structure of the Armenian liturgy and determine whether it is the ideal form of the Eucharist. Until such a conference has been convened, the Armenian Church may continue to use its present form of the Eucharist.
 * 9) The marriage of Armenian priests is acceptable to the Orthodox Church, and shall continue unchanged.

Signatories
Catholicos Shio II, Patriarch of Georgia TankOfMidgets (talk) 19:43, February 20, 2014 (UTC)