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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
