Ephrem the syrian helped spread christianity into inner syria after his baptism around ad 320. Venerable ephraim the syrian commemorated on january 28. Sebastian brock gives an outstanding introduction to the thoughtworld of ephrem the syrian. His parents raised their son in piety, but from his childhood he was known. Ephraim the syrian he is venerated by christians throughout the world, and especially among orthodox christians, as a saint. A 4thcentury saint known as the harp of the holy spirit supposedly had an awful voice, but worshiped god in song anyway. An outpost of the roman empire, nisibis and its christian citizens were to be formed by the reign of constantine and by the doctrines of the council of nicea. But rather a spirit of chastity, humblemindedness, patience, and love bestow upon me thy servant. In 363 the christian emperor was forced to cede nisibis to the persians. He took upon himself the special task of opposing the many false doctrines rampant at his time, always remaining a true and forceful defender of the catholic church. Ninteen hymns of the nativity by saint ephraem the syrian. In his hymns on virginity, ephrem does more than write about not having sex.
These were works of practical theology for the edification of the church in troubled times. A case study of ariuss thalia and the development of trinitarian orthodoxy. Ephraim or alternately ephrem the syrian is recognized as a saint in both the roman catholic and eastern orthodox churches. Dormition of saint ephraim the syrian cretan, 15th c. Syriac itself is a semitic language, specifically an eastern aramaic dialect. He was a prolific author, composing over four hundred hymns, several metrical homilies, and at least two scriptural commentaries. He was baptized at 18 or 28 by bishop james of nisibis. Jan 14, 2017 athanasius, basil, augustine and ambrose, the figure of st. While some late sources claim that his father was a heathen priest who worshiped an idol called abnil, his own writings affirm that he was raised in a christian family. This volume presents for the first time in the fathers of the church series the work of an early christian writer who did not write in either greek or latin. Ephrems commentary on the diatessaron does not treat the whole text, and it spends more time on certain passages than others. Ephrems popularity has resulted in several misattributions of works from various authors and time periods. His works are hailed by christians throughout the world and many denominations venerate him as a saint.
He is best remembered today as a composer of hymns, over four hundred of which are still in existence. Jun 10, 2009 he is known in the syrian church as the harp of the holy spirit. Athanasius, basil, augustine and ambrose, the figure of st. Budge from the syriac text of the british museum mss add. Ephrems poetry, a light greater i believe than that found in the seventeenth century poet john miltons paradise lost because of st. He has been declared a doctor of the church in roman catholicism. Ephraim the syrian o lord and master of my life, a spirit of idleness, despondency, ambition, and idle talking give me not. Saint ephrems story poet, teacher, orator, and defender of the faith, ephrem is the only syrian recognized as a doctor of the church.
Our righteous father ephrem the syrian was a prolific syriac language hymn writer and theologian of the 4th century. Brocks introduction is doubly good, for st ephrems mindset is not always easy to crack. This page was created to help orthodox christians find english translations of the writings of st. In this fine christian poetry, the author expresses his awareness of the sacramental character of the created world, and of the potential of everything in it to act as a witness and pointer to the. Ephrem also ephraem or ephraim is famous for his theological tracts and homilies, but above all for the hymns and prayers he composed for. Oct 12, 2014 ephrems commentary on the diatessaron does not treat the whole text, and it spends more time on certain passages than others. Ephrems theology, we see the holy theotokos and virginity in a new way in hymns on virginity, included in mcveys collection ephrem the syrian. Ephraim the syrian, arranged in the manner of the psalms of david, together with the life of st. Ephrem the syrian was a syriac deacon and a prolific syriaclanguage hymnographer and theologian of the 4th century from the region of syria. Ephrem the syrian is distinguished as the representative of an age of flourishing christian literature. Publication date 1847 topics sermons, greek translations into english publisher. Ephrem the syrian has 45 books on goodreads with 1404 ratings.
Ephrem the syrian, sancti ephraem syri hymni et sermones. Ephrems hymns on paradise, translator sebastian brock. Gods selfrevelation as seen in the hymns on paradise a. A spiritual psalter, or reflections on god ephraim the. He spent most of his life there, but moved to edessa when the. Ephrem is the foremost author and composer of christian patristic literature in the syriac language. Ephrem the syrian weaves a profound theological synthesis around the biblical narrative in genesis 2 and 3. At the risk of people crying harnack thesis, brock teaches you how to view reality as a semite. In this fine christian poetry, the author expresses his awareness of the sacramental character of the created world, and of the potential of everything in it to act as a witness and pointer to the creator. Poet, teacher, orator, and defender of the faith, ephrem is the only syrian recognized as a doctor of the church. He frequently left his cave to go into the city to preach. A brief guide to the main editions and translations.
Ephrem the syrian was born in nisibis nusaybin, turkey around 306 ce, and died in edessa sanliurfa, turkey in 373. Ephrem the syrian by ephraem, syrus, saint, 303373. Ephrem of syria, deacon, teacher, poet, orator, and defender of the faith. Ephrem was baptized a christian, and became famous as a teacher. He spent most of his life there, but moved to edessa when the romans lost the city to persia in 363 a. Ephrem the syrian hymns on paradise introduction and. Mor ephrem the syrian, the great poet saint of the syriac church, was born in c. Ephrem the syrian the story of adam and eve in genesis 2 and 3. Ephrem the syrians most popular book is hymns on paradise. His feast day in the orthodox church is january 28. Ephrem distributed food and money to the poor and organized a sort of ambulance service for the sick. Ephrem wrote a wide variety of hymns, poems, and sermons in verse, as well as prose exegesis. He also discusses seemingly tangential things like anointing oil, interpretation of scripture, the natural world, baptism, the eucharist, and the church.
Ephrem is the foremost author and composer of christian patristic lit erature in the syriac language. Granted that some have been lost, ephrems productivity is not in doubt. He grew to be one of the primary figures of importance in the syrian church. David vanbrugge an analysis of the ancient church fathers on instrumental music. Sebastian brock on the syriac tradition second, i hope that verdicts readers will want to pick up a volume that prof. Ephrem was ordained a deacon and pretended to be mad to avoid consecration as a bishop. He is venerated by christians throughout the world, but especially among syriac christians, as a saint. Ephrem, deacon ephraim of syria ephraim of syria external influence of ephraim of syria. Vl63, na we have thousands of titles and often several copies of. Venerable ephraim the syrian orthodox church in america. Some of ephrems interpretations of the parables focus exclusively on the literal, nonallegorical meaning e. Ephraim wrote a wide variety of hymns, poems, and sermons in verse, as well as prose biblical exegesis. Divinity flew down to draw humanity up, for the son had made beautiful the deformities of the servant and so he has become a god, just as he desired.
Ephrem is also variously known as ephraim hebrew and greek, ephraem. Ephrem the syrian was a syriac and a prolific syriaclanguage hymnographer and theologian of the 4th century. There, in the context of a large and sophisticated jewish population. His works are hailed by christians throughout the world, and many denominations venerate him as a saint. Selected works translated out of the original syriac pdf over four hundred hymns composed by ephrem still exist. Jonathan hehn, congregational song as theological debate in late antiquity. Mary, mirror of divine beauty in saint ephrem the syrian.
The sermons of ephrem the syrian book of the old believers of siberia religion is orthodox christianity and. The rhythms of saint ephrem the syrian on the nativity rev. For many centuries, orthodox christians had access only to the greek writings. See all books authored by ephrem the syrian, including hymns on paradise, and spiritual psalter or reflections on god from the works of our holy father st.
This publication, which includes selected prayers that st. These writings were translated into slavonic early on and generally exercised an enormous impact on. Second, i hope that verdicts readers will want to pick up a volume that prof. For many years posttribulationists and amillenialists have claimed that the pretribulational viewpoint is a recent teaching circa 1800s in the almost 2000 year history of the church.
Yea, o lord and king, grant me to see my failings and not condemn my brother. Syriac itself is a semitic language, specifically an eastern aramaic dialect of the late aramaic period c. Ephrem the syrian, we see the sacraments, or the mysteries in greek and syriac, as a reflection of the light of the resurrection, an experience of the divine beauty which brings us delight. Of his writings, we still have copies of his commentaries on the old and new testament, numerous sermons and some 72 hymns. Ephrems commentary on genesis, commentary on exodus, homily on our lord, and letter to publius. Ephrem the syrian has composed the history of the patriarchs and kings from the creation to the crucifixion of christ, the book of the cave of treasure, translated by w. He is said to have accompanied james, bishop of nisbis to the council of nicaea in 325. Sep 10, 2012 thank you for this, it was a good writeup.
Vl63, na we have thousands of titles and often several copies of each title may be available. Ephrem the syrian 306373 the greatest poet of the patristic age and, perhaps, the only theologianpoet to rank beside dante. Ephrem the syrian in this beautiful prayer, read by the church each year on june 9, the feast of st. Saint ephraim the syrian, a teacher of repentance, was born at the beginning of the fourth century in the city of nisibis mesopotamia into the family of impoverished toilers of the soil. Morris notes the word rhythms here used in the syriac is frequently employed by the rabbins not without great countenance from the use of the root in holy writ to express a mystical commentary on the text of scripture. Grace, however, made beautiful his deformities and god came to become a man. Ephrem the syrian on virginity house of st michael the. When jovianus ceded nisibis to the persians in 363, ephrem and many other christians moved to edessa.
Nov 29, 2015 ephrem wrote a wide variety of hymns, poems, and sermons in verse, as well as prose exegesis. Just as we see paradise and adam and eve in new light through st. It offers new english translations of selected prose works by st. Ephrem or eprhaim the syrian left us hundreds of hymns and poems on the faith that inflamed and inspired the whole church, but few facts about his own inspiring life. Brock discusses some aspects of syriac theology and spends some time talking about ephrem and st isaac the syrian. Books by ephrem the syrian author of hymns on paradise. An additional shade of meaning in the idea of marriage dealing with symbols and virginity with reality could be the association of marriage with law in early syriac asceticism, where marriage represents the divine through an abstract, social form, like the law, and virginity in the concrete reality of christ.
According to tradition, this prayer was written in syria in the fourth century by the ascetic mar afrem or, as we have grown accustomed to calling him, ephraim the syrian. Most historians infer from the lines quoted above that ephrem was born into a christian family although not baptized until an adult the trial or furnace, which was common. Ephrems life and works, its scope is not academic in nature, and it does not generally enter into questions of authorial authenticity. Ephrem the syrian books list of books by author ephrem the. While the site makes ample use of the scholarship pertaining to st. Ephrems influence on successive generations of syriac christendom cannot be overstated. Ephraim was filled with the grace of god and, moved by it, he. Ephraim the syrian offered up to god, is called a psalter because the psalter is a book of praises of god. Ephraim the syrian every day of great lent, with the exception of saturdays and sundays, the prayer o lord and master of my life is read. I ephrem am dying and writing my testament, to be a witness for the pupils who come after me. Ephrem the syrian books list of books by author ephrem.
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