English translations of Syriac, Armenian, Georgian, Arabic, Coptic, and Ethiopic Christian texts from late antiquity to the early modern period

In order to make the writings of Eastern Christianity more widely accessible this volume offers a collection of significant texts from various Eastern Christian traditions, many of which are appearing in English for the first time. The internationally renowned scholars behind these translations begin each section with an informative historical introduction, so that anyone interested in learning more about these understudied groups can more easily traverse their diverse linguistic, cultural, and literary traditions. A boon to scholars, students, and general readers, this ample resource expands the scope of Christian history so that communities beyond Western Christendom can no longer be ignored.

Contributors

Jesse S. Arlen, Aaron M. Butts, Jeff W. Childers, Mary K. Farag, Philip Michael Forness, John C. Lamoreaux, Jeanne-Nicole Mellon Saint-Laurent, Erin Galgay Walsh, J. Edward Walters, and Jeffrey Wickes.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part One: Syriac

          1. The Doctrina Addai

          2. Ephrem the Syrian, Hymns against Heresies 3 and 53

          3. Martyrdom of Mīles, Abursam, and Sinay

          4. Jacob of Serugh, The Fourth Homily on Cain and Abel

          5. Narsai, On the Canaanite Woman

          6. Simeon of Beth Arsham, Letter on the Ḥimyarite Martyrs

          7. The Syriac Life of Mary of Egypt

          8. Timothy I, Letter 47

          9. Theodore bar Koni, Scholion, Mēmrā 10

Part Two: Armenian

          1. Koriwn, The Life of Mashtotsʿ

          2. Eznik of Koghb, Refutation of the Sects (or, On God)

          3. The Teaching of Saint Grigor

          4. Anania of Narek, On This Transitory World

          5. Grigor of Narek, Book of Lamentation, Discourse 1, Discourse 88

          6. Nersēs Shnorhali, Hymn for the Sunrise Hour, Instructional Preface to a Prayer of Nersēs, Prayer of Nersēs

Part Three: Georgian

          1. Martyrdom of St. Shushanik

          2. John Sabanisże, Martyrdom of Habo, the Perfumer from Baghdad

          3. George the Athonite, The Lives of John the Iberian, Euthymios the Athonite, and George the Minor, The Life of George the Athonite

          4. Mark the Deacon, The Life of Porphyry of Gaza

Part Four: Arabic

          1. Homilies on the Gospel Readings for Holy Week

          2. Theodore Abū Qurrah, That God Is Not Weak

          3. The Disputation of Abraham of Tiberias

          4. Ḥunayn Ibn Isḥāq, How to Discern the True Religion

          5. Miracles of Saint George

          6. Commentary on the Pentateuch

Part Five: Coptic

          1. Life of Pachomius

          2. Shenoute of Atripe, I Have Been Reading the Holy Gospels

          3. Pseudo-Dioscorus of Alexandria, Encomium on Macarius of Tkōou

          4. The Anaphora of Saint Thomas the Apostle

          5. Christophoria, Letter to the Comes Mena

          6. John of Paralos, Homily on the Archangel Michael and the Blasphemous Books of the Heretics

          7. Pseudo-Cyril of Alexandria, Encomium Interpreting Part of the Apocalypse of John the Apostle of Christ Jesus

Part Six: Ethiopic

          1. Select Inscriptions of ˁEzana

          2. Homily on Frumentius

          3. Synaxarion on Yared

          4. Glory of the Kings (Kǝbrä Nägäśt)

          5. Miracles of Mary

          6. Zär’a Yaʿəqob, Book of the Trinity

          7. Prayer Amulet: MS Duke Ethiopic 15