The Churches of Iraq in the Twentieth Century

I. The Church of the East

The original indigenous Church of Mesopotamia. Became independent of other Western Churches in 424AD.

Split into two main branches in 1964:

1-The Assyrian Church: Those who follow the Gregorian Calendar.

2. The Ancient Church of the East: Those that follow the original Julian Calendar.

II. The Syrian Orthodox Church

The Church that evolved among the Syriac speaking Christians in Syria and Northern Mesopotamia  who rejected the decisions of the council of Chalcedon and who became separated from the body of the Western Church.

III. The Roman Catholic  Churches

1. The Chaldean Church: Those members of the Church of the East who united with the Roman Catholic Church.

2. The Syrian Catholic Church: Those members of the Syrian Orthodox Church who united with the Roman Catholic Church.

3. The Latin Church.

4. The Greek Catholic Church

IV. The Protestant Churches

1. The national evangelical  Church.

2. The Assyrian evangelical Church.

3. The Armenian Evangelical Church.

4. The Lutheran Eastern Church.

5. The seven day Adventist Church.

6. Assemblies of God.

7. The evangelical spiritual brethren.

8. Other small groups

V. The Anglican Church

Mainly constitutes the British Christians who live in Iraq.

VI. The Coptic Church

VI. The Greek Orthodox Church

Dr Suha Rassam