This unit examines the development of Syriac theology, one of Christianity’s oldest theological traditions. It considers the Syriac tradition’s contribution to wider Christian thought alongside Greek and Latin traditions, introduces key Syriac teachers from the early Church to the twentieth century, and explores their distinctive doctrinal perspectives, including those later condemned as heretical. The unit also examines the central role of liturgical theology in the Syriac tradition and considers the ongoing significance of Syriac theology in global and local Christian contexts.
Unit code: CT3800A
Unit status: Approved (New unit)
Points: 18.0
Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3
Unit discipline: Systematic Theology
Delivery Mode: Online - Synchronous
Proposing College: St Athanasius College
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Demonstrate an understanding of the theological significance of the Syriac tradition and its liturgical principles. |
| 2. | Evaluate the theology of Syriac tradition in relation to Greek and Latin traditions. |
| 3. | Discuss the theological controversies that influenced the development of Syriac theology. |
| 4. | Identify the global and local impacts of Syriac theological tradition. |
Asynchronous pre-recorded lectures, synchronous zoom tutorials, presentations, forums, quizzes.
Aras, Martina, Charbel Rizk, and Klaus von Stosch, eds. Syriac Theology: Past and Present. Beiträge zur Komparativen Theologie 36. Paderborn, Brill Schöningh, 2022.
Barsoum, Ignatius Aphram. History of Syriac Literature and Sciences (Kitab Al-Lulu Al Manthur Fi Tarikh Al-Ulum Wa Al Adab Al-Suryaniyya. Translated by Matti Moosa. Passeggiata Press, 2000.
Beggiani, Seely Joseph. Early Syriac Theology with Special Reference to the Maronite Tradition. Rev. ed. Catholic University of America Press, 2014.
Brock, Sebastian P. The Luminous Eye: The Spiritual World Vision of Saint Ephrem the Syrian. Rev. ed. Cistercian Studies 124. Cistercian Publications, 1992.
Duca, Valentina. 'Exploring Finitude': Weakness and Integrity in Isaac of Nineveh. Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta. Peeters, 2022.
Kollamparampil, Thomas. Salvation in Christ According to Jacob of Serugh: An Exegetico-theological Study on the Homilies of Jacob of Serugh on the Feasts of Our Lord. Gorgias Studies in Early Christianity and Patristics 49. Piscataway, New Jersey: Gorgias Press, 2010.
Louth, Andrew. Greek East and Latin West: The Church AD 681–1071. Crestwood, N.Y.: SVS Press, 2007.
Maniyattu, Pauly. East Syriac Theology: An Introduction. Ephrem’s Publications, 2007.
Murray, Robert. Symbols of Church and Kingdom: A Study in Early Syriac Tradition. Rev. ed. T&T Clark, 2006.
Panicker, Geevarghese. An Historical Introduction to the Syriac Liturgy. Kottayam, Kerala: SEERI,1989.
Ruzer, Serge, and Aryeh Kofsky. Syriac Idiosyncrasies: Theology and Hermeneutics in Early Syriac Literature. Brill, 2010.
Samuel, V. C. The Council of Chalcedon Re-Examined: A Historical and Theological Survey. Madras: The Christian Literature Society, 1977.
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 2500 | 50.0 | |
| Essay | 2500 | 50.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Naomi Wolfe on 17 Sep, 2026
Unit record last updated: 2026-09-17 23:16:51 +1000