Michael Petrin: Ephrem and Gregory of Nyssa on the Multitude of Divine Names: A Comparison

In patristic scholarship, the traditional assumption of a consensus Patrum has given way to an emphasis on early Christian diversity. Among the many beneficial effects of this shift has been a greater appreciation of the distinctive practices, beliefs, and modes of discourse among early Syriac-speaking Christians. Yet the distinctiveness of the Syriac tradition should not lead us to treat it in isolation from the rest of early Christianity. Indeed, even in the case of Ephrem, it has long been recognized that despite his condemnation of ‘the wisdom of the Greeks’, his theology shares many commonalities with the theology of some of his more philosophically minded contemporaries who wrote in Greek or Latin.In this communication, I will analyze and compare Ephrem and Gregory of Nyssa’s respective treatments of the multitude of divine names. I will discuss their shared emphasis on the incomprehensibility of God, and I will argue that, for both authors, the theological style of Scripture provides the basic model for the Christian use of many divine names. I will also contend that, despite their various differences in literary expression, both authors employ a combination of Scripture and Nature in seeking to learn more about the God who has revealed himself to humankind. Finally, I will argue that, for both Ephrem and Gregory, using many divine names is not a form of meddlesome investigation that seeks perfect knowledge of God, but is rather a pragmatic use of the gift of language in the pursuit of spiritual progress.

Stefano Salemi: Rahab’s scarlet cord - Origen and the Cave of Treasures, a soteriological exegesis of ritual sacrifices and of the Cross

“…thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window” Joshua 2:18; “Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop” Leviticus 14:4.This paper aims to investigate how the scene of blood and water flowing from the wounded side of Christ at his Death (John 19:34) has been interpreted, with soteriological nuances, by Origen and a later text, almost unstudied and unknown, ascribed to Ephrem Syrus, called “The Cave of Treasure”, exegetically re-reading with parallelisms the story of Rahab and the sacrificial ritual for the leprosy.These exegetical reflections, well merged into the veterotestamental material, are actually the main soteriological reflections on blood and water imagery in the first four centuries CE, before the Christological positions of the Council of Nicaea (325) and the Christianization of the Roman Empire.Rich of 'mysterious' meaning and a very emblematic and representative episode of the Death of Christ in John’s Passion narrative the episode of blood and water find in Origen and in the Cave of Treasures, a common biblical ground, and their proof-texting methodology made of allegory, figural reading and a rich engaging of Scriptural references, offer a deep and diversified reflection which places the scene of the pierced side of Jesus into a central theological-Christological position not only in the Gospel of John itself but also in the Levitical system of sacrifices and in the history of Israel’s deliverance

Ann Conway-Jones: An Ambiguous Type: The Figure of Aaron Interpreted by Gregory of Nyssa and Ephrem the Syrian

The biblical Aaron is an ambiguous figure.  Brother and spokesperson of Moses, Israel’s first high priest, he nevertheless plays a key role in the episode of the golden calf.  The fourth century Christian exegetes Gregory of Nyssa and Ephrem the Syrian, although writing in different languages, both scoured the Old Testament for types and symbols.  Sebastian Brock has listed a number of themes shared by Gregory and Ephrem.  David Taylor has even suggested considering seriously the possibility of direct influence.  In their interpretations of Aaron, however, they differ markedly.  Gregory sees Aaron as a type of humanity’s older brother: the intellectual, incorporeal angelic nature.  Angels, like brothers, can be good or bad, and Aaron encapsulates both possibilities (Vit. Moys. 2.42–53, 209–213).  Rather than splitting Aaron into two opposite poles, Ephrem places him halfway up Mount Sinai (Par. 2.12).  In Commentary on Exodus, he strenuously distinguishes him from the people, presenting a long list of excuses for his behaviour.  Aaron is a key figure for Ephrem because, like Moses, he wields a rod which prefigures the cross.  Even more importantly, his atoning and death-defeating priesthood (Num 17:41–50) comes down to John the Baptist through Elizabeth, daughter of Aaron (Luke 1:5), and then passes to Jesus at his baptism (Comm. Diat. 1.31, 4.3; Haer. 22.19).  Aaron’s halfway status, in that he holds back Death, but cannot resist Satan (Nis. 53.13), is symptomatic of Ephrem’s troubled relationship with Judaism.

Leslie Groce: Symbolic Imagery of the Cross in "Ephremic" and Ethiopic Literature

This paper outlines Daniélou’s framework of symbolic biblical hermeneutics with particular focus on the cross, and develops a definition of Judaeo-Christianity that is applied to demonstrate the continuity and connection of symbols in Ethiopic and ‘Ephremic’ literature with early Syriac literature, in particular the Odes of Solomon.  Daniélou identified four pertinent categories of symbols relating to the Cross: the shape or sign of the Cross; wooden material; the vivifying action of the Cross; and the global nature of redemption through the Cross.
This framework will be applied to Ethiopic and ‘Ephremic’ accounts of events in the lives of the Old Testament Patriarchs: Noah, Abraham and Moses. Particular attention will be given to the multi-semiotic usage of ዔፅ, qays, meaning ‘wood‘, tree‘, or ‘cross‘, and how it invites salvific significance to be attached to many items made of wood, or actions performed in the shape of the Cross used to enhance symbolism in many cases. Such symbolic interpretations are rare in the Dəggwā (the Ethiopic hymnal), but this paper will illustrate how diverse the set of symbols found in the andəmta (the Ethiopic patristic commentary) are and in the ‘Ephremic’ tradition are unified in the Kəbra Nagaśt through the potency of wood.

Marcel George Gherga: "I will number you with the saints' chorus in my place of rest:" The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste and the Old Testament martyrs in Ephraem Graecus' Encomium in XL Martyres

Already during the fourth century, the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste were celebrated through a widespread cult in Christian East, with several footholds in the West. As a consequence of their cultic importance, the hagiographical literature dedicated to them is well-represented. The martyrs' virtues have been extolled in seven Greek hagiographical texts from the fourth century: the Passio (BHG 1201, 171-181), Testamentum (BHG 1203, 171-181), an homily by Basil the Great (PG 31, 508-525), three by Gregory of Nyssa (GNO X, 1/2), and one by Ephraem Graecus (BHG 1204). My doctoral research seeks to offer a synthetic overview of their cult and the texts it generated. It will assess the function of these texts in constructing Christian identity through the means of literary genre, Scriptural quotations and rhetoric, and the way they were contextualized in different times and regions. The documents have been studied extensively, with the exception of Ephraem Graecus’ homily, which poses questions regarding the relation with the previous texts, especially the dependence to the homilies of the Cappadocian Fathers. In my paper I intend to offer a close reading, focusing on the way the text chooses to forward the theme of the unity of the group of martyrs in the face of persecution. I will argue that Ephraem Graecus used the unity theme for a specific purpose: whereas the Cappadocian Fathers wanted to instill to the audience the need for a unitary Church, Ephraem Graecus saw it as a fulfillment and surpassing of Old Testament martyr examples.

Thomas Cattoi: SCA A Garment of Metaphors? Incarnation as Divine Speech in Ephrem the Syrian and Maximos the Confessor

The burden of this paper is to explore the notion of incarnation as “borrowed speech” in the writings of Ephrem the Syrian (ca. 306-373), highlighting the crucial role played by language and metaphor in his account of the work of Christ, as well as the way in which his understanding of the Logos’ descent into the flesh foreshadows and simultaneously differs from the post-Chalcedonian treatment of the hypostatic union in the writings of Maximos the Confessor (580-662). The first part of the paper will discuss how for Ephrem, God “appeared to the human race under so many metaphors” (Hymn 31), putting them on when they are beneficial, and laying them aside, when they are no longer of use. In Hymn 44.3, Ephrem nuances the distinction between God’s “perfect” and God’s “borrowed” names: while the former intimate the Godhead’s eternal and unchanging characteristics, the latter draw upon the kaleidoscope of the created order to accomplish, and later communicate the mystery of our salvation. The second part of the paper will compare Ephrem’s notion of incarnation with Maximos’ account of the hypostatic union in Ambiguum 10, where the transfigured Christ discloses the congruence between the law of nature and the law of Scripture. This Chalcedonian rendition of God’s descent into language qualifies Ephrem’s intimations of provisionality: for Maximos, the incarnation signals an ontological shift in the economy of salvation, inaugurating humanity’sirreversible participation in Christ’s divine nature. The paper will feature my translations of relevant excerpts from Ephrem’s and Maximos’ works.

Flavia Ruani - Between Myth and Exegesis: Ephrem the Syrian on the Manichaean 'Book of Giants'

This paper intends to examine the reaction of Ephrem the Syrian (ca. 306-373) to the Manichaean interpretation of Gn 6:1-4, regarding the Giants tradition. We will analyze numbers 7 and 19 among his Hymns against the Heresies in order to both identify the polemical techniques used by the Syrian writer in refuting the arguments of his adversaries, and understand how he perceived and what he knew about this controversial narrative material within the Manichaean mythology. Parallels will be drawn from direct Manichaean sources preserved in Coptic and other languages, in order to disclose to what extent Ephrem the Syrian is a witness of the Manichaean ‘Book of Giants’.

Gerard Rouwhorst - Eucharistic Meals East of Antioch

A considerable number of sources deriving from the - partly Greek-, and partly Syriac-speaking - regions east of Antioch contain interesting data and allusions to Eucharistic meals. Some of them date from the pre-Nicene period (Acts of Thomas; propbably the Gospel of Philip; Pseudo-Clementine literature and the oldest core of the anaphora of Addai and Mari) and some from the fourth century (madrashe of Ephrem the Syrian; Aphraates). Joining up the allusions and references found in these documents seems to produce a trajectory which is different from the one(s) that developed in Western Christianity (Northern Africa; Rome). Typical elements which regularly recur in that tradition are: invocations of divine Persons (especially the Spirit); emphasis laid upon the breaking of the bread -  often in combination with a lack of wine - which at least from the fourth century receives a explicitly sacrificial connotation. In my paper I will try to trace this trajectory, while paying specific attention to the pre-Christian roots.

Stan Rosenberg - Nature and the natural world in Ambrose’s Hexameron

The fourth century was a period in which writers increasingly showed keen interest in understanding the nature of creation and the relationship between a creator God and the material world.  Driven by doctrinal battles, philosophical dilemmas, political philosophies, and a sea change in the relationship between the church and the state, the writers explored issues that pressed upon them by interpreting Genesis 1-3 wrestling with relating God, cosmos and humanity.  Often more than mere exploration, exegesis of Genesis and the study of nature was pursued for apologetic purposes.  

These churchmen, including notably the Cappadocians, Ephrem, Ambrose, and Augustine, built upon (or separated themselves from) two sources: 1. Origen; and 2. middle and neo-Platonism.  Less certain as a direct source, but perhaps quite important was Athansius’s Contra Gentes and de Incarnatione.  Of critical import is the genre used in many cases to explore Genesis: sermons.  Those works, which were distributed as sermons were arguably bound to have greater and more diverse influence on the thought life of the communities.  They also are a genre distinct from dogmatic writings and so need to be studied in an appropriate manner, treated distinctly from other writings. 

Investigating Ambrose’s Hexameral sermons (which were based on Basil’s), this paper will explore his view of created nature and his descriptions of the natural world noting the parallels to Athanasius’ view of nature and corruption; it will also consider the extent to which the notions in the sermons can be said to present the full extent of his understanding as they were sermons meant for broader consumption and not dogmatic works (many commentators have compared these unfavourably with commentaries others wrote).  These sermons bear more investigation, as they were influential, on Augustine not the least, and contributed to the formation of Christian understandings of the natural world.

Philippus Botha - The exegesis and polemical use of Psalm 110 in the Pseudo-Ephremitic Sermon on Palm Sunday (Ephrem the Syrian, Sermones II, Sermon 3)

To the authors of the writings of the Early Church, Psalm 110 served as one of the most important sources for the interpretation of Jesus’ status as Son of God, of his divinity, resurrection, and eternal priesthood. This paper proposes to summarise the exegesis and polemical use of Ps 110 in one of the Sermones which have been attributed to Ephrem the Syrian, and to compare this to Ephrem’s interpretation of Ps 110 in his authentic works. The purpose of this is to show that the interpretation found in the sermon reflects the theological thinking of a time shortly after that of Ephrem. Similar to the genuine Ephrem, this document contains anti-Jewish and anti-Arian polemic. It argues that Jesus’ divinity was hidden within his humanity. Israel should have known this, since the prophets and “David” communicated it clearly. “David” also testified to the eternal priesthood of Christ. God therefore rightfully rejected the Jews as his people. According to this sermon, “David” clearly announced in Ps 110:3 that Christ was born in holy rays from the bosom of the being. Ps 110:3-4 are combined with Ps 144:13 and 45:11 to argue that Israel should have recognized her king and accepted him with joy.

Yifat Monnickendam: Midrashic Methods in Ephrem's Commentary to the Diatessaron

The comparative study of Jewish and Christian sources in general and Syriac sources in particular has revealed mutual midrashic traditions in these corpora. In most cases these mutual traditions are interpreted as Jewish influences on Christians and Christian literature, or even as transfer of traditions from Jewish sources to Christian sources. However, the research of rabbinic influence on patristic sources should not be limited to mutual traditions only but should also focus on mutual methods of exegesis, especially biblical exegesis.

            In his commentary on the Diatessaron, Ephrem discusses various biblical verses from the gospels, sometimes juxtaposing these verses with verses from the Old Testament. In a few cases, this juxtaposition is done according to the principals of the halakhic midrash. Words are taken out of their original context and receive a new meaning, thus leading to a new legal conclusion.

            Such Christian midrash cannot be explained as a Jewish tradition which was transferred to Christian sources, since it is based on the Syriac version of the Old Testament and verses from the New Testament, two sources which are not likely to be the basis for a Jewish midrash. However, the method of creating such a midrash characterizes rabbinic literature, thus reflecting the deep influence of rabbinic thought and methodology on Syriac biblical exegesis.

Jobi Patteruparampil: Regula Fidei in St. Ephrem's Sermones de Fide IV and Hymni de Fide VI

In search for the particularity of the “creedal expressions” (Regula fidei) in Syriac tradition (cf. our doctoral dissertation: Early Syriac Creeds: From Rule of Faith to Creed in Early Syriac Tradition), it is necessary to turn our attention to the sermons and Hymns of St. Ephrem. Though there have been many studies done on the historical and theological aspects of these Sermons and Hymns, we find hardly any study on “creedal expressions” in recent scholarship. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to examine the elements of regula fidei in Ephrem’s works, especially in the Sermones de Fide IV and in the Hymni de Fide VI, which provide us with knowledge of expressions of faith in Syriac tradition of the fourth century. We try to achieve this, first of all, by situating the homily and hymn in their historical and theological context, secondly, by exploring the formulation of the rule of faith and finally, by exposing the uniqueness of this rule of faith and its implications for Syriac tradition.

Elena Narinskaya: The Shepherd who became a Lamb: The Eucharistic Theology in Ephrem the Syrian's Poetic Hymns

     Ephrem's thought is revealed to us through the language of symbols and allusions, and his legacy as a theologian lies in his commitment to the Scriptural narrative. Ephrem’s theological approach is also a representative demonstration of the tradition of Syriac Christian theology and symbolic poetry at the time. This thesis explores Ephrem's Eucharistic theology as it is expressed in his poetic Hymns. The aim of the study is to look into various definitions of Eucharist that Ephrem offers in his writings, including his presentation of the Eucharist as the Medicine of Life or as a manifestation of Fire and Spirit.

This study looks into the way Ephrem describes the ‘physicality’ of sacraments, and into extensive use of Scriptural types in his theology. The attempt is made to discern the means of the successful relationship between the Old and the New Testaments in Ephrem’s theology. This research aims to offer a study of Ephrem's appropriation of the sacrament of the Eucharist in the light of the Incarnation.

The study presents an analysis of specific Hymns of Ephrem, which are selected for their affiliation to the Eucharist. This exercise allows us to gather enough textual evidence to identify the main aspects of Ephrem’s Eucharistic theology, while giving credit to his unique way of expressing his theology.

As an outcome of the research there is an attempt to present the reasons behind Ephrem's theological understanding and appropriation of the mystery of the Eucharist by means of highly poetic and symbolic language. The poetic framework of Ephrem's Eucharistic theology contributes to an independent and a freer theological expression of Ephrem's thought. Hence, poetry becomes Ephrem’s vehicle in expressing his often daring and, to his audience, challenging presentation of the Eucharist as an expression of God's love for humanity.

Hannah Hunt, ‘Clothed in the body’: the garment of flesh and the garment of glory in Syrian religious anthroplogy.

Drawing mostly in the writings of St Ephrem this paper explores the image of being clothed in the body from three perspectives – the concept of Adam being originally ‘clothed’ in a garment of flesh or light (according to the translation from the Targum); the repristination of this fleshly robe through baptism, and the links between the original ‘garment’ and the eschatological wedding garment. It will argue that use of this image within the early Syrian tradition contributes an affirming sense of human integrity and that the unity of divine and human natures in Christ, who himself was ‘clothed in the body,’ is mirrored in the anthropological unity of the body, soul and mind of the ‘first Adam.’

Bibliography for Clothed in the Body’ abstract for International Patristic Conference, 2011.

Beggiani, C.S. Introduction to Eastern Christian Spirituality: The Syriac Tradition Scranton, 1991)

Brock, S. The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life (Michigan, 1987)

Brock, S. Saint Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns on Paradise (New York, 1999)

Brock, S. Isaac of Nineveh: The Second Part (Louvain, 1995)

Brock, S. The Harp of the Spirit: Eighteen Poems of St Ephrem (Studies Supplementary to Sobornost no. 4, 1983)

Brock, S.John the Solitary on Prayer, JTS 30 (1979) 84-101

Brock, S. P. The Bride of Light: Hymns on Mary from the Syrian Churches (Kerala, 1994)

Budge, W. (tr) Discourses of Philoxenus vol 2 (1894)

Harvey, S.A.‘Embodiment in Time and Eternity: A Syrian Perspective’, St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly, vol. 43, no. 2 (1999)

Harvey, S.A. Scenting Salvation: Ancient Christians and the Olfactory Imagination (California, 2006)

Harvey, S. A. ‘Why the Perfume mattered: the Sinful Woman in Syriac Exegetical Tradition’, 69-89 of ed. Blower, P.M. In Domino Eloquio;In Lordly Eloquence; Essays on Patristic Exegesis in honor of Robert Louis Wilken (Grand Rapids, 2002)

Hunt, H. Joy-Bearing Grief: Tears of Contrition in the Early Syrian and Byzantine Fathers (Leiden, 2004)

Hunt, H. ‘Sexuality and penitence in Syriac Commentaries on Luke’s Sinful Woman’, Studia Patristica vols 44-49 (forthcoming 2010)

Hunt, H. ‘Tears of the Sinful Woman; A Theology of Redemption’, Hugoye, Vol 1, no. 2, July 1009, (online journal)

Johnston, A. E. Ephrem’s Homilies on Our Lord, Admonition and Repentance and The Sinful Woman Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers series  13, (Massachusetts, 1995)

Louth, A. The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition from Plato to Denys (Oxford, 1981)

McCarthy, C. Ephrem: Commentary on the Diatessaron, Journal of Semitic Studies Supplement 2 (1993)

McVey, K. E. (tr) Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns (New York, 1989)

Miller, D. The Ascetical Homilies of St Isaac the Syrian (Boston, 1991)

Mingana, A. Early Christian Mystics Woodbrooke Studies 7 (1934)

Murray, R. Symbols of Church and Kingdom: A study in Early Syriac Tradition  (London, 2006)

Sauget, J.M. ‘Une homilie syriaque sur la pécheresse attribuée à un évêque Jean’, Parole de l’Orient VI and Vii (1975-6)

CURRICULUM VITAE - HANNAH HUNT

Dr Hannah Hunt

Leeds UK

FORMAL EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Sutton High School GPDST, British School of Brussels, Carshalton Technical College

1974-5:10 ‘O’ levels: English Literature, English Language, Mathematics, Latin, French, Geography, History, Art, Biology, Music.

1975-7: 4 ‘A’ levels: English, French, History, Art

Oxford and Cambridge Use of English

1977-80: University of London, Royal Holloway College

BA in English Literature and Language

1990-1: University of Leeds

Successfully completed the first year of the BA in Theology, including Biblical Hebrew and New Testament Greek.

1991-3: University of Leeds

MA in Theology

1994-1999: University of Leeds

PhD in Theology: Thesis title: Spiritual tears and penthos (compunction) in the Early Christian Fathers.

ACADEMIC WORK

1995-2001       Parish based work, including contributions to Ripon and Leeds Diocese Lay Readership training in various guises; delivery of courses from St John’s College, Nottingham and the Certificate in Christian Studies at Ripon and York St John College. In September 2000, I conducted a series of workshops on Gendered Redemption for the Continuing Ministerial Education course.

1994 – 2004    UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, Postgraduate Tutor within the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, focussing on Early Church History and New Testament studies (including teaching of New Testament Greek).

                        During this period I also taught undergraduates of the Centre for Medieval Studies, (now Institute of Medieval Studies) (Religion and Culture in the Western Middle Ages) and co-taught MA students (Origins of Monasticism and Images and Iconography.) I am on the Board of Directors for the Institute, In 2004/5 I was appointed as advising tutor for a PhD candidate, working on Origen and Abelard.

From 1995-2003, Bible Study for Japanese English Language Students.

                       

                        Personal tutor for an ‘A’ level Religious Studies candidate,                                                  covering Church History, Ethics and Philosophy.

                       

I have assisted overseas MA students with linguistic proof-reading of their work, enhancing their use of English grammar and style.

2000-2002       COLLEGE OF THE RESURRECTION, MIRFIELD, Lecturer offering

a) one to one study support, including language support for foreign students

b) group study support sessions

c) contribution to Mission in Context

d) MA Patristic Readings, Research Methods and presentation of work in progress.

                        f) Introduction to Patristics: lectures and seminars for level 1-2 students.

2001 – 2004    THE OPEN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

Distance learning tutor on Church History and New Testament courses, plus dissertation supervision.

2004                UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE CONTINUING EDUCATION

Supervision of Diploma student in Orthodox Christian Studies

2001 – present OPEN UNIVERSITY

Associate Lecturer on A103 (interdisciplinary course), (2001-2007) A210 (Introduction to Literature) (2006 -) and AA316 (The Nineteenth Century Novel) (2007-8) 

                       

2002 – present LEEDS TRINITY AND ALL SAINTS

Various fixed term contracts as Senior and Associate Senior Lecturer in Theology (permanent .5 from 2005)

In addition, at various times as need arose: part time writing tutor, hourly paid teaching and marking support for English Department, TEFL work for International Students, administration of workplace attachments for other departments.

                       

ACADEMIC RELATED WORK

                       

1998-2000       Part time secretary to the Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Leeds

2001                Subject Review Officer for Department of Theology

2001-2006       Editorial work/proofreading for ARAM, a journal of Syro-Mesopotamian studies (University of Oxford)

2004 -              Arts Faculty Manager, Open University Yorkshire Region (.2 contract)

                       

VOLUNTARY WORK

Among other activities I have staffed a phone helpline, helped run a community newspaper, worked in a Fair Trade shop (both in a personnel function and on the shop floor), acted as clerk to a governing body of a school while in special measures, choir librarian, secretary to Leeds Youth Opera, various positions on Parochial Church councils (including liturgy and worship), conducted Lent Groups and prayer days, lay chaplain in a hospital and for the housebound (Eucharistic administration), taught English to Asian women in their homes, assisted primary school children with reading skills, worked in a residential home for adults with learning difficulties.  I am also a volunteer gardener at the local Sue Ryder hospice.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EXTERNAL ACTIVITY

1988 Westminster Pastoral Foundation Certificate in Counselling Skills

2002: City and Guilds Certificate in Basic Teaching of ESOL (English for Speakers of      Other Languages)

2006: Associate Lecturer Development and Accreditation Pathway (ALDAP) (Open University)

2006/7: Practitioner/Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

At Leeds Trinity and All Saints

July 2004: Blackboard e-learning solution

July 2005: Happy Earth Day: Sustainability and Global Education

October 2005: contribution on Book of Revelation for National Poetry Day

January 2006: Reaching Out With Outreach –Widening Participation Workshop with Villiers Park

March 2006: Moodle: ICT to support learning and teaching in H.E.

March 2006: Conducted Passiontide Meditation

April 2006: Workshop on Discovering Your Myers Briggs Type

June 2006: Skills for Handling Stress

External

June 2006: NAICE, Manchester: Tell us your story-Widening Participation in adult learning through story telling (report of this circulated within Humanities)

March 2007: Oxford Brookes: Teaching Practical Theology in Higher Education (report circulated to Theology Department)

March 2007: University of Northampton: External Examining: Preparation and Practice

July 2007: York St John/Lampeter: The Origins of the Cult of the Virgin Mary

July 2008: Open University: Diversity in the Workplace Certificate

I acted as PhD examiner in January 2009 (London, Royal Holloway College), for Eugenia Russell’s dissertation: Encomia to St Demetrius in Late Byzantine Thessalonica

April/May 2009: Erasmus exchange to Vytuatas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania.

June 2009: What is Masterly? The Fourth Joint Leeds and LMU workshop

June 2009: invited to read a manuscript for Oxford University Press

 

LECTURES, PUBLIC TALKS AND CONFERENCE PAPERS

Lectures for the Rise of Classical Christianity module at the University of Leeds: 1997 Justinian and the Council of Constantinople; 1998 The Fifth Century Christological Crises

                        For The Church in the Byzantine Empire Module: April 1999: Byzantine                             Monasticism.

For local parishes: Talks on Prayer and Desert Spirituality, The Jesus Prayer, The Christians of South India.

Retreat Addresses based on St Gregory of Nyssa’s Homilies on the Beatitudes.

Holy Week Addresses on The Orthodox Liturgy.

                        Advent lecture on Waiting for God (Christ Church, Harrogate)

                        For Research Groups in Leeds:

                        1995: Compunction and Spiritual Tears in Isaac the Syrian

                        1996: Gregory Palamas and Hesychasm

1995: Oxford University Research Group: Anthropology and Tears in Isaac the Syrian.

2004: Byzantine Church History Research Seminar: (inaugural meeting) St

Symeon the New Theologian: the cultural context of Byzantine Homilies.

                        For the Spring Symposium in Byzantine Studies:

                        1994: Penthos in Antiochus Monachus

1999: Penitence and Spiritual Grief in Gregory of Narek’s Book of Lamentation.

                        For the International Patristic Conference, Oxford:

                        1995: The Soul’s Sorrow in Syrian Patristic Thought

                        1999: Spiritual Grief in Symeon the New Theologian

2007: (in absentia) Sexuality and Penitence in Syriac Commentaries on Luke’s Sinful Woman

For a Conference on The Influence of St Ephraim, London, 1997:

The Tears of the sinful Woman: a theology of Redemption                

For the Fourth World Syriac Conference, Kerala, 1998: Praying the Body:Religious Anthropology of St. Isaac the Syrian, with reference to St John of Apamea and a lecture-recital on Western Hymnody

For the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield May, 1999: The Kingdom from the NT to Byzantium.

           

For the International Medieval Congress, Leeds,

1999: The Manly Soul in the Female Breast: St Macrina and her Brothers

2004: St Symeon the New Theologian: the cultural context of Byzantine Homilies

2006: Wiping the feet of Jesus with her hair: sexuality and penitence in the story of Luke’s Sinful Woman as seen by Ephrem and other Syriac writers.

2009: Christian or Pagan? Origen’s synthesis of Platonic and Christian models of Divine Love.

For the inaugural conference of the Orthodox Theological Research Forum, 2003: Love as ‘Philanthropia’: Origen’s response to Platonic concepts of divine love in the ‘Commentary on the Song of Songs’.

                       

2006 (June): University of Durham : Influences and Images conference Asceticism and Human Integrity: John Klimakos’ message from the desert of Mount Sinai

                       

2007 (June):   Royal Holloway College, London: Late Byzantine Spirituality The Reforming Abbot and his Tears: Penthos in Late Byzantium.

The William Temple Association, York, January 2008 Revelation: The Divine Vision explained from the Orthodox Perspective

The William Temple Association, York, February 2008 Revelation: Oppression or Liberation: A Feminist Perspective?

2008 (April) On Light: Aspects and Approaches, Oxford Medieval Graduate Conference: Divine Light and spiritual intoxication: Symeon the New Theologian’s image of penitence as a mystical winepress

2009 (May) Evangelisation in Today’s World (Vytautus Magnus University of Kaunas, Lithuani): Sarx and Soma; some ascetical considerations of the kerygma of St Paul.

 

PUBLICATIONS and RESEARCH

In 2009, I was awarded the Bishop Moorman Scholarship to research for a week at St Deiniol’s Library.  I have also been awarded research leave within Leeds Trinity and All Saints in semester one, 2009/10.

Monographs and chapters

2004: Joybearing Grief: Tears of Contrition in the writings of the Early Syrian and Byzantine Fathers (Brill, Leiden).

2004: The Westminster Handbook to Origen (ed. J McGuckin) Articles on Repentance, Love and Sacraments (Westminster John Knox Press)

2007: The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity (ed. Ken Parry) chapter on Byzantine Christianity (Blackwells, Oxford)

Papers

‘The Soul’s Sorrow in Syrian Patristic Thought’, in Studia Patristica vol. XXX111, Peeters, Leuven, 1997, pp. 530-533

‘The tears of the Sinful Woman: A theology of Redemption’, in Hugoye (on-line journal) March 1998

 ‘Praying the Body: Isaac of Nineveh and John of Apamea’ in The Harp, India, April 1999

‘The Concept of Penitent Weeping in the Psalms of David’, St Ephrem Theological Journal, Spring 1999

‘Penthos and Repentance in Symeon the New Theologian’, Studia Patristica vol XXXV, Peeters, Leuven, 2001, pp.114-120

Reviews and reports

‘Report of the St Ephraim Conference, 17/18 December 1997’, in British Association for the Study of Religions Bulletin, March 1998

Review of ‘St Symeon the New Theologian: The Ethical Discourses, vol. 3’ in Sobornost, 20.2, 1998

Review of ‘Man and the Environment: A Study of St Symeon the New Theologian’, in Sobornost 24.1 (2002)

Review of ‘Abba Isaiah of Scetis’ (trans J Chryssavgis and R Penkett), in Orthodox News, Vol. 17, no.1, Autumn 2003.

Review of ‘In the Heart of the Desert: the spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers’, (John Chryssavgis) in Sobornost 25.2 (2003)

Review of ‘Letters from the Desert: Barsanuphius and John’ (John Chryssavgis (tr)) in Sobornost 26.1 (2004)

Review of ‘God with Us: critical issues in Christian life and thought’ (John Breck) in

Sobornost 26.1 (2004)

Review of Writing and Holiness: The Practice of Authorship in the Early Christian East (Derek Krueger, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004)

Review of The Sex Lives of the Saints: an erotics of Ancient Hagiography (Virginia Burrus, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004), in Journal of the History of Sexuality, vol 14, nos1/2January/April 2005

Review of Fear of God and the Beginning of Wisdom; The School of Nisibis and Christian Scholastic Culture in Late Antique Mesopotamia (Adam Becker) for The Journal Henoch vol. xxx, 2008/2, pp. 163-165.

Publications in press/under consideration

‘The Reforming Abbot and his Tears: Penthos in late Byzantium’ (pp. 13-20 in Spirituality in Late Byzantium: Essays Presenting New Research by International Scholars ed. Eugenia Russell, Cambridge Scholars, 2009)

‘Asceticism and Human Integrity: John Klimakos’ message from the desert of Mount Sinai’ (Studies Supplementary to Sobornost, July 2008)

‘Sexuality and penitence in Syriac Commentaries on Luke’s Sinful woman’ (accepted for Studia Patristica, vols XLIV-XLIX (44-49), 2010)

‘Divine Light and Spiritual Intoxication: Symeon the New Theologian’s Image of Penitence as a Mystical Winepress’ (accepted for Medium Aevum, May 2009)

‘Sarx and Soma: some ascetical considerations of the kerygma of St Paul’ (accepted for SOTER, Lithuania, April 2009)

The following monograph is currently being offered to publishers (currently exploring Oxford University Press and Ashgate):

Asceticism and Human Integrity: sarcophylic and sarcophobic tendencies in the late antique era.