Christian Cyclopedia

1. Heresy* named after Nestorius.* Held that there is no communion of natures in the person of Christ (see also Christology; Christ Jesus, I), that Mary is not theotokos* but Christotokos (mother of Christ), and that acc. to His human nature Christ is in effect the Son of God only by adoption. Condemned by the 431 Council of Ephesus,* but adherents spread its doctrine far and wide.

2. Nestorianism spread into Persia (see Middle East, I), Mesopotamia (see Edessa; Nisibis; Middle East, H), Arabia (see Middle East, L), China (see China, 5), and India (see India, 5, 6).

A. R. Vine, The Nestorian Churches: A Concise History of Nestorian Christianity in Asia from the Persian Schism to the Modern Assyrians (London, 1927); J. Joseph. The Nestorians and Their Muslim Neighbors: A Study of Western Influence on Their Relations (Princeton, 1961); J. P. Junglas, Die Irrlehre des Nestorius (Trier, 1912); F. Loofs, Nestorius and His Place in the History of Christian Doctrine (New York, 1914); R. V. Sellers, Two Ancient Christologies (London, 1940); M. Chemnitz, De duabus naturis, tr. J. A. O. Preus, The Two Natures in Christ (St. Louis, 1971).