North American Syriac Symposium IV, 9-13 July 2003
Eugene
Aydin
Princeton Theological Seminary
Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute
George A. Kiraz
James E. Walters
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Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute
2003
Vol. 6, No. 2
For this publication, a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
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copyright.
https://hugoye.bethmardutho.org/article/hv6n2craydin
Eugene AYDIN
North American Syriac Symposium IV, 9-13 July 2003
https://hugoye.bethmardutho.org/pdf/vol6/HV6N2CRAydin.pdf
Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies
Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute, 2003
vol 6
issue 2
Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies is an electronic journal dedicated to the study
of the Syriac tradition, published semi-annually (in January and July) by Beth
Mardutho: The Syriac Institute. Published since 1998, Hugoye seeks to offer the
best scholarship available in the field of Syriac studies.
Syriac Studies
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[1] The
Fourth North American Syriac Symposium on Syriac Studies was
held at Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey
from July 9 through 12, 2003. It was co-sponsored by Princeton
Theological Seminary, Princeton University, The Institute for
Advanced Study, and Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute. Its
theme was "Syriac Christianity: Culture at the Crossroads". The
Symposium also included the Fourth International Forum on
Syriac Computing.
[2] More
than hundred scholars, researchers and interested individuals
attended the Symposium. The participants came from the USA,
Canada, Europe, Australia and the Middle East, and included
some of the prominent scholars in the field of Syriac Studies.
In addition to experienced and distinguished experts in the
field, there were a number of graduate, postgraduate students
and researchers, some of whom were making their first public
presentations of their research.
[3] A total
of 46 papers were presented at the Symposium including those of
the International Forum on Syriac Computing. The topics of
these papers were diverse. The proceedings will be published
either in Hugoye Journal or in a separate volume in book
form.
[4] The
Symposium was opened with a program of sacred music from the
Christian Middle East and India held at Miller Chapel of the
Seminary on Wednesday evening and performed by two church
choirs and individuals from the following Syriac traditions:
the Syrian Orthodox Church, the Assyrian Church of the East,
the Orthodox Church in India and Syro-Malabar Church. This was
a remarkable musical feast which provided the audience with a
foretaste of both Eastern and Western Syriac musical
traditions. The music program and a number of the key-note
lectures were streamed alive on the internet for the public to
hear and enjoy. These have been recorded and will be archived
on the Beth Mardutho
website.
[5] In
addition to many papers read at the symposium there were four
remarkable plenary lectures presented by the following scholars
in their field. The first opening plenary address was given by
Professor John Healey on the "The Edessan Milieu and the Birth
of Syriac". The second keynote address was delivered by Dr.
Robert Hoyland on "Language and Identity: Arabic vs. Syriac".
The third was presented by Professor Herman Teule on the Syrian
Renaissance (1026-1318)". The fourth and the concluding one was
delivered by Professor Amir Harrak on "Commemorating Church
History during the Ottoman Period: Syriac Monumental
Inscriptions from the Assyrian Heartland in Mesopotamia".
[6] The
proceedings concluded with a banquet at Prospect House of
Princeton University which was also attended by friends and
supporters of Beth Mardutho. At the banquet, Professor Sidney
Griffith was presented with a Festschrift in honor of
his many contributions to Syriac and Christian Arabic studies
as well as to Muslim-Christian Dialogue. On this occasion, Dr.
Shawqi Talia delivered a felicitation and recited a poem in
Suret (Swadaya), or the East Syriac vernacular,
along with an English translation, in honor of Fr. Sidney
Griffith and his many scholarly achievements. Also, Dr. George
Kiraz, informed the audience about Beth Mardutho: The Syriac
Institute, highlighting its work and mission in the field of
Syriac Studies. He also gave an account of their important
projects and welcomed the help and support of scholars and
public alike in accomplishing the important mission undertaken
by Beth Mardutho for bringing Syriac Studies to the third
millennium.
[7] Another
noteworthy feature of the symposium was the excellent
exhibition of Syriac manuscripts and liturgical furnishings
displayed at Speer and Luce library of Princeton Seminary. The
Speer library exhibits included three displays: The first,
under the title "Scattered Pearls" included Syriac manuscripts
and liturgical furnishings from the Syrian Orthodox tradition
on loan from the Syrian Orthodox Archdiocese of the Eastern
United States, thanks to the generosity of Archbishop Mor Cyril
Aphrem Karim. The second entitled "From Manuscript to Printed
Book" covered a number of manuscripts, rare early printed
books, and printing paraphernalia, on loan from the personal
collection of Dr. George Kiraz. The third bearing the title
"Physicians and teachers: American Presbyterian Mission in
Urmia, Iran" contained a display of books and photographs
illustrative of the history of the American Protestant Mission
at Urmia, Persia (Iran). The Luce library exhibit however, with
its dramatic title: "'Saved from the Pillage and Devastation of
the War': Manuscripts from the Mission Library in Urmia, Iran"
had on display a collection of Syriac manuscripts, which
address Biblical, liturgical, devotional, theological,
philosophical and scientific subjects. Most of these
manuscripts that once belonged to the Mission Library of Urmia
in Iran came to Princeton Seminary via the Board of Missions in
New York in 1931. The exhibition will remain open until the
first week of October.
[8] The
Fourth North American Syriac Symposium was indeed a success. It
was both enjoyable and a memorable conference for all, thanks
to its convener Professor Kathleen McVey and all those who
contributed to it in different ways. This was the first Syriac
Symposium to feature live internet streaming of the plenary
sessions, thanks to the outstanding efforts of the media
personnel at the Princeton Theological Seminary. The next North
American Syriac Symposium will be held at the University of
Toronto in Canada in the year 2007, followed by Duke University
in North Carolina, USA in 2011.