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i-=» U^OI £x ILibris l^ctl) JtTartmtljo librarp The Malphono George Anton Kiraz Collection bo' £^> ^ h©- L^-cnvs loou p-» ou^D ^>3 01 lo ^Q'. I^-CDO L^O. L^)a.o |^» ^ 1^“ °^ ^ loou .V^toob bs. T3*0*'. Anyone who asks tor this volume, to read, collate, or copy from it, and who appropriates it to himself or herself, or cuts anything out of it, should realize that (s)he will have to give answer before God’s awesome tribunal as it (s)he had robbed a sanctuary. 1 -et such a person be held anathema and receive no forgiveness until the book is returned. So be it. Amen! And anyone who removes these anathemas, digitally or otherwise, shall himself receive them in double. East Syriac Theology An Introduction Edited by Pauly Maniyattu Ephrem’s s=j Publications Satna 2007 East Syriac Theology:An Introduction Edited by Pauly Maniyattu Published by: Ephrem’s Publications St. Ephrem’s Theological College P.B. No.26, Satna 485 001 M.P., India. First Published: 2007 All rights reserved. Printed at: St. Thomas Press, Palai Price: Rs. 200.00 (Outside India US $ 20.00) ISBN: 81-88065-04-8 Contents Foreword 1 Bishop Mar Mathew Vaniakizhakkel Introduction 3 Pauly Maniyattu 1. Relevance of Eastern Theology Today 12 Bishop Isidore Fernandez 2. Historical Setting of East Syriac Theology 16 Bishop Abraham Mattam 3. Early Syriac Theology: Some Basic Features 30 Archbishop Joseph Powathil 4. The Patristic Foundation of the East Syriac Theology 54 Joseph Kuzhippil 5. Biblical Theology of Aphrahat and Ephrem 69 George Kaniarakath CMI 6. Theology of St. Ephrem: The Classic of Syriac Faith 96 Expressions: Thomas Amkuzhikattil 7. Ecclesiology in the East Syriac Tradition 131 James Palackal 8. Christology in the East Syriac Tradition 154 John Thoppil 9. Syriac Portraits of Christian Salvation 179 Thomas Kollamparampil CMI 10. East Syriac Pneumatology 226 Thomas Neendoor 11. Theology of ’Raze: The Mysteries of the Church 248 in the East Syriac Tradition: Jose Kochuparampil 12. East Syriac Theology of Eucharist 278 Pauly Maniyattu 13. Mariology in the Syriac Traditions 320 James Puthuparampil OIC 14. Catholic Moral Theology from the Eastern 345 and East Syriac Perspectives: Dominic Vechoor Masih Mandala: The Illustration on the Cover 374 Foreword Catholic Church has recognized the diversity of theology in the East and West. It is made clear in the Vatican II decree on ecumenism: “In the investigation of the revealed truth, East and West have used different methods and approaches in understanding and proclaiming divine things” (UR 17). Church has realized that such a diversity in methods and approaches is of great significance for the preservation and promotion of the common heritage of the Church. Therefore, Church tells all the faithful to “realize that it is of supreme importance to understand, venerate and foster the exceedingly rich liturgical and spiritual heritage of the Eastern Churches in order faithfully to preserve the fullness of Christian tradition and to bring about reconciliation between Eastern and Western Christians” (UR 15). The liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary heritage of the Oriental Churches is viewed by the Church as the heritage of the whole Church of Christ (OE 5). Preservation and promotion of the ecclesiastical heritage is a grave obligation on the part of the Eastern Churches. Vatican Council II insists on this obligation of the Eastern faithful. “All these, then, must be observed with greatest fidelity by the Orientals themselves. They are to aim always at a more perfect knowledge and a more exact use of them, and if they have fallen short because of contingencies of time and persons, they shall endeavour to return to their ancestral traditions” (OE 6). However, such a concern for the preservation and promotion of Eastern heritage cannot be the concern only of Eastern Churches. The faithful of the Western Church as well, should be aware of this obligation. Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter, Orientate Lumen (1995) asked all Catholics to be familiar with the Eastern tradition, so as to be nourished by it and to encourage the process of unity in the best way possible for each” (OL 1). It is in this context that the endeavours of St. Ephrem’s Theological College, Satna, to promote East Syriac theology, become much relevant. The present volume is the result of a serious attempt from the part of St. Ephrem’s Theological College for the promotion of Syriac theology. The articles in this book are based on the scholarly papers presented at the National Symposium of Syriac theology conducted by St. Ephrem’s Theological 2 Foreword College. The scholars who have contributed to this book are not piesenting the East Syriac theology just from a historical perspective. The theology of the Churches of the East Syriac tradition is analysed, especially in view of the present generation of believers. 1 he expositions ot the Syriac theologians are presented in the context of today’s Church, with a critical reflection on their theological conclusions. This book on the East Syriac theology is edited by Fr. Pauly Mamyattu, former Dean of Studies of St. Ephrem’s Theological College and the first editor of Ephrem's Theological Journal. He has done a good job in presenting the scholarly expositions ot different people with a specific goal: the presentation of an integral and coherent theological vision of the East Syriac tradition, relevant to the ecclesial life today. The article on the important characteristics of the Syriac theology serves as a good introduction to the study of East Syriac theology. There are detailed studies on the views of great Synac theologians like Aphrahat and Ephrem. Specific studies on the Christology, Sotenology, Pneumatology, Ecclesiology, Manology, Sacramental Theology, Theology of Eucharist, and Moral Theology help us to delve deep into the riches of the East Syriac theology. Today, when great Eastern theologians like St. Ephrem, are becoming more and more influential in the Church as a whole, it would be a remarkable service to introduce the important features of the Syriac theology to all those who are not yet familiar with the riches of the Syriac tradition. I hope and pray that this book may invite great number of Christian faithful to understand, appreciate and promote the venerable theological heritage of the East Syriac tradition. Bishop Mar Mathew Vaniakizhakkel Satna, May 5, 2007 Introduction Theological patrimony is one of the important elements of the identity of a Church sui iuris (CCEO can.28). An individual Church is required to have its own theological heritage. However, there are individual Churches sharing one and the same liturgical and theological traditions. The Assyrian Church of the East, the Chaldean Church and the Syro-Malabar Church share the same East Syriac liturgical and theological traditions, though with some considerable differences. Thus the East Syriac theology is the theology of these three Churches. The assertion of the identity of these Churches necessarily results in the recognition of the East Syriac theology. East Syriac theology was developed by numerous great theologians, starting from the time of the Fathers. There is a vast amount of literature dealing with this theology. East Syriac theology was so beautifully exposed in the early centuries of Christian era that the theological writings of authors like St. Ephrem enjoyed a universal appeal. But when we talk about the glorious situation of the East Syriac theology in the past, the real question is about the relevance of such theological works today in the main-stream theologizing of the Catholic Church. It seems that only a little impact is made in our times by this theological tradition on the general theological views of the Church. While extolling the greatness of Syriac theology we face the following questions: Does this theological tradition play some role in the contemporary ecclesiology, sacramental theology, and moral theology? Is the Syriac theology just an appendix to the theology of the Church? Is the official teaching of the Church sufficiently inspired by the great theological tradition of the Church of the East? Why was East Syriac theology not properly recognized in the recent centuries? The predominance of the Western Catholic theology or Latin theology accounted for the negligence of the theological traditions of the Eastern Churches. The insistence on a uniform liturgical and consequent uniform theological understanding in the West paved the way for the disappearance of various liturgical and theological traditions in the West. Thus a uniform liturgical tradition prepared the ground for a uniform theology in the West. Though the Churches in the East always appreciated the diverse liturgical and theological traditions, the steady development and dissemination of the theological views of 4 Introduction the West had an overwhelming effect on these Churches. This was all the more true in the case of the Oriental Churches in communion with Rome. The decline of many Eastern Churches due to political, social and ecclesiastical reasons may have caused the deterioration of their respective theological traditions. Thus East Syriac theology which had enjoyed a remarkable position in the theological milieu ot the Christian Church, was practically ignored. For those who were familiar with the Western style of theologizing the lack of a systematic approach in the Eastern theologies was a sign ot imperfection. The Eastern theologies were considered weak and imperfect and therefore, were gradually discarded, and the theology of the Latin Church came to be recognized as the official theology of the Church. The overwhelming influence of the Western culture has almost brainwashed some of the theologians of the Eastern Churches, and consequently the Western theological thinking has become an imperative for them. They were so much influenced by the Western theological thinking that the very notion of theology came to be understood as theology of the Latin Church. For the Eastern Churches the lack of proper awareness of their theological heritage was perhaps the most important reason for the switchover to Latin theology. The Eastern Churches miserably failed in presenting their theologies in a manner appealing to the scholarly world. As a result they were forced to impart to their members a theological formation in accordance with the Western understanding. The courses conducted at the theological institutes and seminaries were basically “Latin” in method and content. However, the classical Western method of theologizing seems to have suffered many set backs while addressing the grave issues of modem man. Hence there are many theologians even in the Latin Church who look for a radically different approach in interpreting the Christian faith in today’s world. Since East Syriac theology has a different approach, its theologizing method could be proposed as an alternative to the Western method. The central goal of this book is to highlight the potentiality of the East Syriac tradition to contribute to a paradigm shift in the theologizing of Church today. The promotion of East Syriac theology today has the definite purpose of proposing alternative means for the Church to address the problems of modem man. For example, the stress on the transformation of man in the East Syriac eucharistic theology is