DOSSIER The Sacramental Theology Among the East Syrians1. G. De Vries: La théologie sacramentaire chez les Syriens Orientaux2. Syriac dialogue, Fourth non-official consultation on Dialogue within the Syriac Tradition3. Bertold Spuler: Die Morgenländische KirchenG. De Vries: La théologie sacramentaire chez les Syriens OrientauxL’Orient Syrien 4 (1959) 471-4941 Translation by R. MatheusIntroductionThe East-Syrian Church of Persia, whose foundation had gone out from Edessa around the year 100, at first leda distinctly independent existence because of the political opposition between Persia and the Roman Empire.But later, when the persecution had ceased, that is, at the beginning of the fifth century, it entered into closecontact with the “West,” or more precisely with the Patriarchate of Antioch, and thereby soon found itselfinvolved in the Christological controversies. Toward the end of the fifth century, the adoption of Nestorianismset it in opposition to the Western Syrians, both Melkites and Monophysites, which did little to dispose it toalign itself with their teaching. We may therefore expect to find among the Nestorian theologians a rather strongdegree of autonomy; and this originality gives their doctrine a very particular interest.During the period of their isolation, the only noteworthy theologian of the East-Syrian community wasAphrahat, “the Sage of Persia,” who, however, exercised very little influence on the later Nestorian masters. Ofan entirely different importance was the ascendancy of Theodore of Mopsuestia, the great “Interpreter,” who,especially in his baptismal catecheses, offers a highly personal teaching2. It is above all in the liturgicalcommentaries, in letters dealing with liturgical questions [472], and in liturgical casuistry that we findNestorian theology concerning the sacraments. One must, of course, also draw upon works of general theology,exegesis, and even history. Epistolary literature likewise provides many stones for the edifice.Sys...