Aphrahat the Persian Sage and the Temple of God A Study of Early Syriac Theological Anthropology

Description

Table of Contents....................................................................................................v Preface.....................................................................................................................vii Acknowledgments..................................................................................................ix Abbreviations ..........................................................................................................xi Transliteration System .................................................................................xii Introduction .............................................................................................................1 Biography.........................................................................................................2 Definition of Key Terms.............................................................................17 Structure of this study..................................................................................27 1 Aphrahat and Temple..................................................................................29 Scriptural Quotations...................................................................................29 Adam and Paradise.......................................................................................35 Christology ....................................................................................................43 Ecclesiology...................................................................................................59 Baptism ..........................................................................................................64 Eucharist ........................................................................................................68 2 The Ascetics ..................................................................................................73 The singles (Ihidayē) ......................................................................................73 The Covenanters (bnay qyāmā) ....................................................................82 Holy Women.................................................................................................90 The virgins (btulē)..........................................................................................95 Marriage and Virginity .................................................................................99 The Holy ones (qaddishē)............................................................................103 3 Being a Temple ...........................................................................................107 Inner Person................................................................................................107 Heart and Prayer.........................................................................................110 Rest of God.................................................................................................117 Grieving the Spirit ......................................................................................122 4 The Sage “May” See God .........................................................................139 Theme #1 – The Sage ...............................................................................144 Theme #2 – The Temple..........................................................................150 Theme #3 – To See God..........................................................................165 Theme #4 – Ascent and Descent............................................................189 Conclusion............................................................................................................195 Bibliography .........................................................................................................203 Primary Sources ..........................................................................................203 Secondary Sources......................................................................................208 5 Index.............................................................................................................229