Faith and Doctrine of the Syriac Orthodox Church
The Syriac Orthodox Church is one of the most ancient Christian communities in the world, faithfully preserving the apostolic tradition received from the holy Apostles, especially Saint Peter, who first occupied the See of Antioch. This Church does not understand faith merely as a system of beliefs, but as a living continuity of worship, doctrine, sacramental life, and spiritual experience transmitted unbroken from the early Church.
This document presents the Faith and Doctrine of the Syriac Orthodox Church in a structured and academic manner, while remaining accessible to ordinary readers. Special emphasis is given to the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church in Malankara, Kerala, which forms an integral part of this universal apostolic communion under the Holy Apostolic See of Antioch.
1. Foundations of Faith
1.1 The Nicene Faith
The Syriac Orthodox Church confesses the faith proclaimed in the Nicene Creed. It believes in One God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three distinct Persons sharing one Essence, one Godhead, one Will, one Work, and one Lordship.
The Father is unbegotten, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father. This Trinitarian faith is not a philosophical abstraction but the lived experience of the Church expressed daily in prayer, hymnody, and sacramental worship.
1.2 The Mystery of the Incarnation
Central to Syriac Orthodox theology is the mystery of the Incarnation. The Only-begotten Son of God truly became man without ceasing to be God. At the Annunciation, the Holy Spirit sanctified the Virgin Mary, and the Word of God took flesh from her, becoming perfect God and perfect Man.
The Church confesses that after the union of divinity and humanity in Christ, there exists one incarnate nature of the Word (Miaphysis)—without separation, confusion, change, or division. This faith safeguards the fullness of Christ's humanity and divinity while rejecting any notion of duality after the union.
Mary is therefore rightly honored as Yoldath Aloho, the Bearer of God, because the One born of her is truly God incarnate.
2. Christology: The Heart of Syriac Orthodoxy
The Syriac Orthodox Church rejects the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) because it perceived its formulation as risking a division in the one Person of Christ. Instead, the Church adheres to the Christology affirmed by the first three Ecumenical Councils—Nicaea (325), Constantinople (381), and Ephesus (431).
Christ is one Person, one Son, one Lord, with one will and one operation, in whom divinity and humanity are united naturally and inseparably. Even in death, when His soul was separated from His body, His divinity never departed from either.
Through His death and resurrection, Christ accomplished salvation, reconciling humanity to the Father and opening the path to eternal life.
3. The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, proceeding eternally from the Father. Equal in honor, power, and essence with the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is the giver of life, sanctifier of the Church, and the one who guides the faithful into all truth.
In early Syriac tradition, the Holy Spirit is often described using feminine grammatical forms, reflecting the nurturing and life-giving role attributed to the Spirit in salvation history.
4. The Church: Body of Christ
The Church is understood as the mystical Body of Christ, with Christ Himself as its Head. The visible unity of the Church is preserved through apostolic succession, with the Patriarch of Antioch serving as the Chief Bishop and successor to Saint Peter.
4.1 Apostolic Succession
The threefold priesthood of Deacon, Priest, and Bishop is essential for the life of the Church. Through apostolic succession, the grace entrusted by Christ to His apostles continues to operate in the Church for teaching, sanctifying, and shepherding the faithful.
5. The Holy Sacraments
The Syriac Orthodox Church recognizes seven Holy Sacraments as tangible signs of divine grace:
- Baptism
- Holy Muron (Confirmation)
- Holy Qurbono
- Confession
- Priesthood
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Matrimony
Among these, Baptism, Holy Muron, Confession, and Holy Qurbono are considered necessary for salvation. Baptism, Holy Muron, and Priesthood are received only once. The sacraments are administered by bishops and priests and are reserved for believers.
6. Worship and Liturgical Life
6.1 Canonical Hours of Prayer
In obedience to Psalm 119, the Church observes seven daily hours of prayer:
- Ramsho (ܪܡܫܐ) (Evening)
- Sootoro (ܣܘܬܪܐ) (Compline)
- Lilyo (ܠܠܝܐ) (Midnight)
- Saphro (ܨܦܪܐ) (Morning)
- Tloth Sho'in (ܬܠܬ ܫܥܝܢ) (Third Hour)
- Sheth Sho'in (ܦܫܬܐ ܕܝܘܡܐ) (Sixth Hour)
- Tsha' Sho'in (ܬܫܥ ܫܥܝܢ) (Ninth Hour)
The ecclesiastical day begins at sunset, reflecting the biblical understanding of time.
6.2 Holy Qurbono (Eucharist)
The Holy Qurbono, celebrated using the Liturgy of Saint James, is the center of ecclesial life. Traditionally celebrated on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, it remains the supreme expression of unity between heaven and earth.
All prayers are sung, drawing from the vast treasury of Syriac hymnody preserved in the Beth Gazo (Treasury of Tunes).
7. Spirituality, Saints, and Monasticism
Syriac Orthodox spirituality is deeply ascetical, rooted in fasting, prayer, repentance, and almsgiving. Monasticism flourished early in Syriac Christianity, producing saints, theologians, and missionaries who shaped Christian thought across Asia.
The Church venerates saints and martyrs, seeking their intercession and honoring their witness as living testimonies to the Gospel.
8. Scripture and Tradition
The Syriac Peshitta is the authoritative biblical text of the Church, valued for its linguistic closeness to the spoken language of Christ. Scripture is never separated from Sacred Tradition, which includes liturgy, patristic writings, and apostolic customs transmitted through the life of the Church.
9. The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church in Malankara
The Malankara Jacobite Syrian Christian Church represents the Indian expression of the Syriac Orthodox faith. Rooted in the apostolic mission of Saint Thomas and formally united with the See of Antioch, it preserves Syriac faith, sacraments, and ecclesiology while engaging deeply with Indian culture.
Malayalam liturgy, indigenous music, and local customs coexist harmoniously with Syriac theology and Antiochene authority. The Malankara Church stands as a living witness to the universality of Syriac Orthodoxy.
Conclusion
The Faith and Doctrine of the Syriac Orthodox Church represent a continuous, living apostolic tradition—deeply theological, profoundly liturgical, and authentically spiritual. For scholars, it offers a rich theological and historical legacy. For ordinary believers, it provides a clear path of salvation grounded in worship, sacrament, and communion with God.
The Jacobite Syrian Christian Church in Malankara exemplifies how this ancient faith continues to flourish across cultures, remaining faithful to Antioch while speaking meaningfully to the modern world.