Centre of Eastern and Orthodox Christianity
The Centre of Eastern and Orthodox Christianity focuses on the churches who do not adhere to the Council of Chalcedon (451 C.E.). These principally encompass the Diophysite Church of the East as well as the Miaphysite churches (Syrian Orthodox Church, Armenian Orthodox Church, Coptic Orthodox Church and Ethiopian Orhtodox Church), as well as the uniate branches. The churches are traditionally found in the Middle East, Egypt, Ethiopia as well as Armenia and India, especially on the Malabar coast. In the medieval period, the dioceses of these churches stretched across Central Asia to China.
The Centre's activities revolve around the promotion of teaching, research and study of these churches for staff and students within SOAS and for scholars from other institutions, both within the U.K. and internationally, as well as with the diaspora Christian communities now in Europe, America and Australia. As well as being a forum for lectures and seminars, the Centre of Eastern and Orthodox Studies hosts the annual Christianity in Iraq Seminar Day. For further information see www.easternchristianity.com
