Ephrem the Syrian
About the Early Syriac Church
- "Syriac-Speaking Christians: The Church of the East," ch. 23 of Wilken's opens new windowThe First Thousand Years
Syriac Fathers
- Aphraates, fl. 337–345 (opens new windowabout)
- first Syriac father
- Ephrem of Syria (Ephraem Syrus), c. 306–373
- Hymns on the Nativity, the Epiphany, and the Crucifixion
- Carmina Nisibena ("Songs of Nisibis")
- opens new windowMaron (opens new windowMaronite church), d. c. 410
- Ibas, d. 457
- translated Theodore of Mopsuestia's commentaries
- letter to Maris, c. 433
- Jacob, of Serug, 451–521.
- Rabbula, bishop of Edessa
- translated Cyril's De recta fide ("Concerning the Correct Faith")
- compiled revised Syriac version of the Four Gospels
- Narses, d. c. 503
- Severus of Antioch
- non-Chalcedonian
- Jacob, of Edessa, ca. 640–708
Books on the Syriac Fathers
The Bible in the Syriac Tradition by
This is a basic introduction to the various Syriac translations of the Bible and the ways in which they were used in the Syriac tradition. After an initial discussion of the general problems of biblical translation, the different surviving Syriac translations are outlined, as well as biblical manuscripts, lectionaires, printed editions, and translations. A reception history of the Syriac Bible covers the ways in which it has been interpreted, the commentary tradition, its use in preaching, in liturgy, and in spirituality. An appendix offers some comparative samples (in translation) to illustrate some of the differences between the different Syriac translations.
Call Number: BX156.2 .S44 2006ISBN: 9781593333003Publication Date: 2019-01-02
Early Syriac Theology by
For St. Ephrem of Syria (d. 373) and Jacob of Serugh (d. 521), God is utterly mysterious, yet He is present in all that He has created. The kenosis (self-emptying) of the Word of God is found not only in the human nature of Christ, but in the finite words of Sacred Scripture. In this action, the Divine makes itself accessible to human beings. The triple descent of the Son of God into the womb of Mary, the Jordan River at his baptism, and into sheol at his death, were actions directed both to redemption and divinization. Ephrem and Jacob employed a system of types and antitypes used in Sacred Scripture to demonstrate the sacraments as extensions of Christ's actions through history. St. Ephrem, who was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XV, and Jacob of Serugh were two of the earliest and most important representatives of the theological world-view of the Syriac church. Much of their work was in the form of hymns and metrical homilies, using poetry to express theology. In Early Syriac Theology, Chorbishop Seely Joseph Beggiani strives to present their insights in a systematic form according to headings used in western treatises, while not undermining the originality and cohesiveness of their thought. The material is organized under the themes of the hiddenness of God, creation and sin, revelation, incarnation, redemption, divinization and the Holy Spirit, the Church, Mary, the mysteries of initiation, eschatology and faith. Additionally, the book highlights the fact that the liturgical tradition of the Maronite church, one of the Syriac churches, is consistently and pervasively a living expression of the theology of these two Syriac church fathers.
Call Number: EBSCO eBookPublication Date: 2014
Introduction to Eastern Christian Spirituality by
Introduction to Eastern Christian Spirituality: The Syriac Tradition introduces some of the major writers and ascetics of the Syriac world, that region of the Middle East that was the home of the Syriac language and culture. Although it is an area rich in thought and tradition, the Syriac world has not been studied extensively in English and is little known by the general public. This work is a modest introduction to a very abundant and complex heritage.
Call Number: BX106.2 .B44 1991
An Introduction to Syriac Studies by
This introduction (the first edition of which was published in 1980) aims to provide basic guidance to the most important areas of Syriac studies. This second edition has been considerably expanded and in part completely rewritten in view of the many developments in the field during the last twenty-five years. After a brief first chapter indicating how Syriac is still very much alive in the twenty-first century, Chapter II looks at how Syriac studies are of relevance to a variety of other fields, notably, Biblical studies, Patristics, and the general history of the Near East, especially in Late Antiquity and the early Arab period. A brief orientation to the history of Syriac literature is offered in Chapter III, while Chapter IV sets Syriac within the context of the other Aramaic dialects. Nearly half the book is taken up by Chapter V, on the most important tools, or Instrumenta Studiorum. This should prove invaluable, both for the student commencing on study in the field, and for scholars working in adjacent areas who need some guidance in an area that may be less familiar. Histories of Syriac Literature, bibliographical aids and relevant series, periodicals, and encyclopedias. Chapter VI, in a more personal and light-hearted vein, describes some of the delights of working with Syriac manuscripts. finally, an Appendix explains how the different Churches of Syriac tradition are related to one another and how they fit into the Christian tradition as a whole. It also sorts out the confusing variety of terms by which they are known.
Call Number: BR163 .B665 2006
Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life by Call Number: BV209 .S9 1987
More on the opens new windowSyriac fathers of the church