Syriac Chritianity

The Syriac poetry of the 11th–14th centuries (so-called Syriac Renaissance) was studied very purely until quite recently. One of the reasons for such indifference is a traditional approach of the scholars, who treated this poetry as a secondary one, because of a strong influence of the Islamic literature. In this article, it is argued that the authors of this period were trying to connect their own poetical traditions with the achievements of the Persian and Arabic poetry. As the result, they created new original forms that need to be carefully examined. One of the creators of this new style was probably Bar ʿEbrōyō (1226–1286), a famous West-Syrian  and scientist. His esthetic approach was developed by his East-Syrian contemporary Khāmīs bar Qardaḥē of Arbela, who used sophisticated rhythmic and rhyme schemes to achieve a stronger expressive effect. The article discusses one of his poems that demonstrates his outstanding skills as a poet experimentalist in both rhythm an...

No tempo do governo eclesiástico do Papa Simão de Alexandria (689-701), um "sacerdote do povo das Índias" apresentou-se em sua corte pedindo que lhe ordenasse um bispo para sua comunidade de origem. O fato de o patriarca estar submetido ao governo muçulmano, mas não seu visitante estrangeiro, contudo, impediu que o caso tivesse uma solução simples. O objetivo deste trabalho é, partindo deste episódio, tecer algumas considerações a respeito de como se deu o fechamento do horizonte índico das missões e relações eclesiásticas da Igreja Ortodoxa Copta, ainda antes do primeiro século de domínio árabe muçulmano no Egito.

The earliest Syriac writers interpreted in a particular manner the various strands of the biblical and apostolic traditions regarding divine indwelling. In this article I demonstrate that Aphrahat, by building upon this foundation, developed a more nuanced and broader notion of divine indwelling that is entirely Christological. For Aphrahat, being a Christian and living the Christian life means nothing other than being indwelt by Christ. I first examine the notions of divine indwelling as found in two important sources for the earliest Syriac Christianity: Tatian and the Acts of Thomas. In both of these sources, divine indwelling pertains solely to individuals who are morally pure. Next I discuss how Aphrahat was influenced by this earlier tradition and developed from it a notion of Christ’s indwelling in four modes: by faith, by baptism, by prayer, and by knowledge of God. Placing Aphrahat within the context of the preceding tradition demonstrates both his traditionalism and originality. Aphrahat enlarged the traditional notion of indwelling dependent on purity by linking it to faith, baptism, and prayer. Yet what distinguishes Aphrahat most from the antecedent tradition is his emphasis upon the indwelling of Christ and his development of a fourth mode of indwelling independent of purity, that of knowledge of God.