This new edition conveniently provides the text of all three versions of the Syriac Gospels in one place for the first time. Drawn from the best sources, they are carefully aligned so that their inter-relationship can immediately be seen and studied.

In one volume, this classic in liturgical studies brings together the main types of Eucharistic liturgy of the various Eastern Christian Churches. For more than a century it has been a reference for students and scholars in comparative liturgy.

Ephrem, the most celebrated writer of the Syriac Church, presents a wide range of theological themes and images that are characteristic of fourth-century Syrian Christianity. A significant theme that no one has yet studied in Ephrem is the concept of sickness and healing. This book presents the significance of healing theology and the ways in which the healing of man - spiritually, mentally, and corporally - is highly valued by Ephrem. The main part of the book deals with the causes of spiritual sickness and the process of healing, and the way in which Ephrem places them in the divine history of salvation.

This study applies form criticism to the stories of the earliest rabbinic midrashim. The results shed light on the literary personalities of the individual midrash collections and the relationships of transmission in the tradition. These stories are of particular interest from an inter-religious and comparative literary point of view because New Testament studies have often referred to certain narratives in the gospels as "midrashic. " The author sets forth, in positive terms, an understanding of what functions historical anecdotes serve in the tannaitic midrashim, along with a catalogue of the rhetorical conventions used to fulfill those functions.

The present work takes up the neglected quest for a theory of ritual and methodology of analysis that recognizes and traces the contours of ritual dynamic structure. The resulting fresh approach provides a controlled framework for interpreting rituals belonging to various cultures and for identifying bases of comparison between them. The first part of ritual dynamic structure builds a theory and definition of ritual and a corresponding methodology for analyzing specific rituals in terms of their activities and the meanings attached to those activities. The second part illustrates this methodology and its usefulness for comparative studies by applying it to ceremonies of cult purification in the ancient Near East.

This is an expert description of the Syrian Orthodox Church and all the more important for being practically the only book of its kind, even now. Parry is among the best writers in the genre of ecclesiastical tourism.

The akītu festival is one of the oldest recorded religious festivals in the world, celebrated for several millennia throughout ancient Mesopotamia. Yet, the akītu was more than just a religious ceremony; it acted as a political device to ensure the supremacy of the king, the national god, and his capital city. Using tools of social anthropology and ritual analysis, this book presents a detailed reconstruction of the festival events and its attendant rituals to demonstrate how the festival became a propagandistic tool wielded by the monarchy and ruling classes. The akītu festival demonstrates the effectiveness of religion as a political tool.

Grant gives an account of his interactions with the "Nestorians", arguing that they “are indeed the representatives and lineal descendants of the Ten Tribes.” His vivid descriptions of their lives and traditions are a valuable resource on the "Nestorian" Christians in the early 1800s.

This study provides background on wisdom forms, the key Qumran sectarian texts, and wisdom studies related to the Dead Sea Scrolls. 4QInstruction includes poetic discourses, hymnic material, and short wisdom sayings and admonitions. A major focus is placed on the admonitions, which are discussed in terms of their structure, wisdom forms, and setting. The admonitions are expressed in biblical wisdom forms, showing a familiarity with and acceptance of traditional Hebrew wisdom, including a focus on traditional themes. Yet, when read from the sectarian perspective, 4QInstruction reinforces the guidelines and theology of the key Dead Sea Scroll documents.

Provides a new and much needed appraisal of Ireland's engagement with the phenomenon of modernity. The path we have traveled from being a rural-based, religious, traditional, insular country, to a secular, highly prosperous economic hi-tech centre has brought in its wake both problems and advantages. 'Engaging Modernity' evaluates how in the realms of politics, culture and literature, Ireland has undergone a major paradigm shift. This book is composed of a selection of papers from a conference held under the auspices of EFACIS (European Federation of Centres and Associations of Irish Studies) in Aarhus (Denmark) in 2001 and organized by Michael B""ss. It brought together academics and commentators from many European countries and the book bears witness to a diversity of opinions on Ireland's recent evolution.

The death of a baby - either near the time of birth or earlier in the pregnancy - and the impact upon the family members requires special insights and care. In the past this unique loss has often gone unacknowledged with parents being encouraged to forget their baby and try again. This book addresses the importance of marking the experience of pregnancy, however short it may have been. Bruce Pierce explores the nature of grief and the significance of ritual as part of the grieving process, and offers liturgical resources from the Christian traditions, from other faith traditions and from various support groups. Baptism, Limbo and Original Sin are also considered, and the author acknowledges the struggle between theological correctness and pastoral necessity. As care for the bereaved is now provided by a multidisciplinary team, the important roles played by each profession in a comprehensive response is examined. Miscarriage and Stillbirth , the changing response also provides insights into past and present practice and explore the evolution between the two. Miscarriage and Stillbirth , the changing response is a comprehensive, valuable and informative resource for healthcare providers, those in pastoral ministry and bereaved families.

More Liturgies for Post-Primary Schools

What are the values that we choose to prioritise and live by? What price are we prepared to pay for ethics? Is it enough to rely on the law as the minimum standard of acceptable behaviour? Ultimately, can one person make a difference? These and other far-reaching questions are addressed in Values and Ethics, the fifth collection of papers from the Ceifin conference which is held annually in Ennis, Co. Clare. Contributors include sociologist Dr. Tony Fahey, Bishop Willie Walsh and Dr. Lorna Gold from the University of York. There is a belief in Ireland that we have not adjusted to our new-found prosperity. In a society that measures almost everything in monetary terms, values and ethics are increasingly sidelined. We now face the challenge of taking our social growth as seriously as we take our economic growth. This book gives hope that real change can begin with committed individuals who believe passionately that shared values can become a social reality. ABOUT THE EDITORS Fr. Harry Bohan, Chairman of the Ceifin Centre, qualified as Sociologist in the University of Wales and is currently Director of Pastoral Planning in Diocese of Killaloe and Parish Priest in Sixmilebridge, Co Clare. Believing in family and community as the two vital systems in fostering human relationships he founded the Rural Resource Organisation. This organisation was responsible for encouraging communities across Ireland to participate in determining their own future and resulted in the building of 2,500 houses in 120 villages, in 13 counties. In 1998 he founded the Ceifin Centre for Values-Led Change to carry on the conversation on the direction Ireland is taking. The purpose of Ceifin is to reflect, debate and direct values-led change in Irish society. He was appointed to the Task Force on Active Citizenship by an Taoiseach in 2006. Recognised as one of the leading social commentators in Ireland today Fr Bohan has written extensively on the subjects of christianity, spirituality and economic development, the importance of the local responding to the global and on understanding change. His books published include Roots in a changing Society and Community and the Soul of Ireland and he is editor and contributor to all 10 previous books of published papers from Ceifin Conferences. He has broadcast widely on national radio and television. Fr Harry is also well known for his involvement in sport and Clare Hurling in particular. Gerard Kennedy is the co-editor of this book.

Unlike its predecessors, this book does not aim at being either an apology or an indictment of the Prophet of Islam. The author endeavors to do justice to Mohammad's intellectual ability and to regard him with the respectful attitude which his greatness deserves.

The standard critical edition of the Syriac Peshitta Gospels that satisfies requirements of scholarly research by its sound philological principles.

The variety of Arabic versions of the New Testament is bewildering. In this work, Gibson provides one particular text of the Acts of the Apostles, as well as those of the Minor Catholic Epistles, based on an eighth or ninth century manuscript, preserved at the Convent of St. Catharine in Sinai. The volume also includes a treatise on the Triune nature of God, with an English translation.