Nestrians

Nestorians refer to adherents of a Christian theological doctrine associated with Nestorius, a 5th-century Patriarch of Constantinople. This doctrine, often termed Nestorianism, emphasizes the distinctness of the divine and human natures of Jesus Christ. Nestorius taught that these natures were united in Christ but not in a way that fused them into a single, undifferentiated essence. A key point of contention was the title "Theotokos" (God-bearer) for Mary, mother of Jesus. Nestorius preferred "Christotokos" (Christ-bearer), arguing that Mary gave birth to the human Jesus, who was then united with the divine Logos, rather than giving birth to God himself.

This theological position was condemned as heresy by the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD. Following this condemnation, many of Nestorius's followers emigrated eastward, particularly into the Sasanian Empire (Persia). There, they established the Church of the East, which became a significant Christian community in Asia. While often labeled "Nestorian" by their opponents, the Church of the East historically rejected this designation, preferring to identify as adherents of the original apostolic faith. Over centuries, the Church of the East spread its influence across Asia, reaching as far as China. Today, the Assyrian Church of the East and the Chaldean Catholic Church trace their lineage back to this ancient tradition, though theological and ecclesiological distinctions exist between them and within their historical understanding of their own doctrines.