Description
Book SynopsisDespite their centrality to the history of Christianity in the East, Syriac Christians have generally been excluded from modern accounts of the faith. Originating from Mesopotamia, Syriac Christians quickly spread across Eurasia, from Turkey to China, developing a distinctive and influential form of Christianity that connected empires. These early Christians wrote in the language of Syriac, the lingua franca of the late ancient Middle East, and a dialect of Aramaic, the language of Jesus. Collecting key foundational Syriac texts from the second to the fourteenth centuries, this anthology provides unique access to one of the most intriguing, but least known, branches of the Christian tradition.
Trade Review"A courageous work. . . .meant to become a useful point of departure for teaching, learning, and further research on the numerous facets of Syriac literature. I have no doubt that the volume will serve this function in the best way." * Reading Religion *
"This volume represents a broad and accessible introduction to the material of Syriac studies, suitable for scholars of classics and the ancient world looking to familiarize themselves with this important late ancient language and its literary tradition. . . . also well suited for use as a sourcebook for undergraduate teaching." * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
"This volume is warmly recommended to every library that wants to keep history alive and help its students understand the present and future of an often-forgotten Christianity, through an appeal to the past epitomized in the excellent sources that this book skillfully presents." * Scripta Classica Israelica *
"An essential resource. . . .The rich array of texts succeeds in captivating the audience’s attention and inviting them to further study." * Religion *
"Through the selection of sources and the introductory materials, the editors guide readers through the Christian history of these regions…The result is a landmark volume that will be essential reading for church history seminars, ministers, and laity interested in the origins and history of the faith, and for scholars looking to familiarize themselves with the Syriac tradition." * RESTORATION QUARTERLY *
Table of ContentsContents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgments
Note on Translation, Transliteration, and Nomenclature
Maps by David A. Michelson and Ian Mladjov
Introduction
PART I. FOUNDATIONS
1. Origin Stories
2. Poetry
3. Doctrine and Disputation
PART II. PRACTICES
4. Liturgy
5. Asceticism
6. Mysticism and Prayer
PART III. TEXTS AND TEXTUAL TRANSMISSION
7. Biblical Interpretation
8. Hagiography
9. Books, Knowledge, and Translation
PART IV. INTERRELIGIOUS ENCOUNTERS
10. Judaism
11. Islam
12. Religions of the Silk Road
Appendix A. Translations and Editions
Appendix B. Biographies of Named Authors
Appendix C. Glossary
Index
