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Ecumenical Engagement 181

first three ecumenical councils, while the
Eastern Orthodox family accepts the first
seven ecumenical councils. There are also
some minor liturgical differences, such as
those concerning unleavened bread and the
mixing of water in the wine for the eucha-
ristic celebration.
Over the last fifty years, a new period of
mutual understanding has opened between
the Oriental Orthodox churches and the
Eastern Orthodox churches. The spirit of
openness and mutual understanding, which
was generated by the ecumenical move-
ment, paved the way for informal theo-
logical dialogue initiated by the Faith and
Order (1964–71) of the World Council of
Churches, and consultations organized by
Pro Oriente (1971-1978). These encounters
provided solid groundwork for the repre-
sentatives of the two Orthodox families to
meet formally in 1985 for the first time since
their division in 451.
I was a founding member of this theo-
logical dialogue, which took promising steps
forward particularly in the area of christolo-
gy by clarifying prevailing misconceptions,
seeking consensus, and affirming their com-
mon christological basis. Through joint com-
muniqués and statements, the represen-
tatives of the two church families stated that
their differences are mostly semantic and
that the first three ecumenical councils,