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tinue their independent existence until 1914 when they were amalga-
mated into one society, the Anglican and Eastern Churches Association,
whose aim was

“to unite members of the Anglican and Eastern Orthodox
Churches for the object of promoting mutual knowledge,
sympathy and intercourse between the Churches, praying
and working for re-union, and encouraging the study of
Eastern Christendom.”6

The work of these two Societies is well illustrated by a publica-
tion, ?rst published for the Eastern Churches Association in 1895, and
re-issued in 1917 for the Anglican and Eastern Churches Association.
Russia and the English Church recounted the exchanges of correspondence
between William Palmer and Alexei Khomiakov in the 1840s.7 This cor-
respondence had articulated the Tractarian branch theory of the
Church for the bene?t of an Orthodox reader. It had fallen from public
memory, and was felt to be su?ciently important that it should be re-
introduced to a wider readership. The work of the two societies dedi-
cated to closer relations between Anglicans and Orthodox had done
much in this period to popularise the work amongst the general public.
This growing interest in closer relations, whether of formal inter-
communion, or of simple ecumenical friendship, had now moved out of
the specialist realm of the Tractarians who had a particular interest in
relations with eastern churches to illustrate their own theological
agenda, and into the realm of the general public. Simultaneously, within
this wider context, there was a growth in the knowledge of Syriac lan-
guage and culture, and an interest in pursuing closer relations with the
Syriac Churches, Syrian Orthodoxy included.

6 Anglican and Eastern Churches Association Archives, deposited in Lambeth Palace Library, Janu-
ary 2008.
7 W. J. Birkbeck, ed., Russia and the English Church, 1844-1894 (London: Anglican and Eastern
Churches Association, 1917).

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