Image for banner reproduced by permission from the President and Fellows of Queens' College, Cambridge. [Psalm 23 in Syriac. Psalmi Davidis, edited by Thomas van Erpe (Leiden 1625)]

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Ideas for Syriac class topics. If you teach these, I will take your class.

  • The differences between, importance, and uses of Classical Syriac, Christian Palestinian Aramaic, and Old Galilean. Who used them, where, and what kinds of things were written in each? Out of these languages, what writings were important to the continuity / discussion of Xian theology? Important as early Xian witnesses? To the defense of the Scriptures?
  • Syriac theological terms whose uses/meanings have changed over the centuries requiring adjustments in scripture translations. Cases (from scripture or poetry translations) where Syriac words were changed in order to *retain* original theological meanings.
  • Vocabulary study: Greek *theological* loan words in Syriac. Why were existing Syriac terms insufficient? Examples of archaic Syriac phrases that were replaced with Greek. Did this happen in scripture translations?
  • How Syriac poetic embellishments on the life of Biblical figures (from Jacob Serug, Ephraim, etc) were used to support/defend Scripture and theological/Christological concepts.