Oriental Orthodox Patristic Thought from Severus to Jacob Bar Hebraeus

The Syriac, Armenian, and Coptic traditions of Oriental Orthodoxy witnessed diverse challenges that contributed to theological developments responsible for the shape of these Oriental Orthodox Churches today. The writings of Philoxenus of Mabbug and Severus of Antioch in response to the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon shaped the Miaphysite Christology of Oriental Orthodoxy. This course will explore the marks of Miaphysite Christology as inherited and interpreted by the figures above. Additionally, this course will explore Orthodox spirituality through the writings of Philoxenus and Jacob of Serug from the Syriac Church, and Gregory of Narek from the Armenian Church. The dawn of Islam marked a new development in Oriental Orthodox theology as various theologians were compelled to author polemical and apologetic treatises articulating the logic of Trinitarian and Christological theology in ways comprehensible to their foreign conquerors who do not share their convictions about these subjects. As such, this course explores elements of dogmatic theology, apologetics, spirituality, and asceticism through Oriental Orthodox patristic thought in the Medieval era.