Christianity in Iraq Seminar School of Oriental and African Studies, London April 3, 2004
Erica C.D.
Hunter
Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute
George A. Kiraz
James E. Walters
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Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute
2004
Vol. 7, No. 2
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https://hugoye.bethmardutho.org/article/hv7n2crhunter
Erica C.D. Hunter
Christianity in Iraq Seminar School of Oriental and African Studies, London April 3, 2004
https://hugoye.bethmardutho.org/pdf/vol7/HV7N2CRHunter.pdf
Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies
Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute,
vol 7
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
Iraq
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[1] The
Brunei Lecture Theatre at the School of Oriental and African
Studies (SOAS) in London was the venue for the Christianity
in Iraq Seminar Day that was held on Saturday
3rd April, 2004. The principal aim was to
promote the rich Christian heritage of Iraq, by investigating
not only the history and archaeology of the various Churches,
but also the modern situation of the communities. The day
was held under the aegis of the Dept. for the Study of
Religions, SOAS where Dr. Erica C.D. Hunter is Visiting
Lecturer and Research Associate in Eastern Christianity.
[2] Sir
Terence Walker, British Ambassador to Baghdad between
1981-1990, opened the morning session that explored historical
and archaeological aspects. Prof. John Healey (University
of Manchester), The early history of the Church of the
East, and its mission in the Gulf discussed the
activities of the Church of the East and its various
settlements along the Gulf. Southern Iraq was the focus of the
talk by Dr. Erica C.D. Hunter (University of Cambridge and
SOAS), The Christian communities of Hira and southern
Iraq which drew attention to the monasteries of Hira and
the overall presence of the Church of the East in the
regions around Kerbala and Najaf. Moving north, Prof.
Amir Harrak (University of Toronto), The Christian
archaeology of Tekrit, showed slides of Syriac
inscriptions that came to light during the excavations in the
1990's which were conducted by the Dept. of Antiquities
at Tekrit. Dr. Heleen Murre Van Den Berg (University of Leiden)
Formulating Christian identities in the Ottoman
period highlighted the development of Syriac
consciousness and nationalism that emerged in the late
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
[3] The
afternoon session, under the chair of Dr. Erica C.D. Hunter,
focused on modern Iraq, with clergy of the Syriac
Churches profiling the current situations of their communities
after a brief introduction by Dr. Suha Rassam. The Rev.
Khoshaba Georges represented the Assyrian Church, The Rev.
Habib Al-Nawfali represented the Chaldaean Church, The Rev.
Toma Daood represented the Syrian Orthodox Church and The Rev.
Safa' Habash representing the Syrian Catholic Church. All
clergy imparted much valuable information about their
communities which showed that, despite the great difficulties
of the last year, a great reservoir of hope and also the
longstanding working relations with the Muslim
communities. This point also emerged during questions from
the audience to the clergy. In fact, the major perceived threat
was from Born Again Christian evangelists whose
activities undermine the communities and their relations
with Muslims. The day closed with a talk on The Christian
Neo-Aramaic Dialects of Iraq by Prof. Geoffrey Khan, FBA
(University of Cambridge) whose project to map the Neo-Syriac
dialects has now received major funding.
[4] The
Seminar Day concluded with a speech by Sir Harald Walker, the
last representative of the British government in Baghdad before
the 1990 Gulf War. The interest generated by the Seminar Day,
which was attended by more than one hundred people, including
representatives of the Foreign Office and media persons, was
most gratifying. Donations by The British School of
Archaeology in Iraq and The Anglican and Eastern
Churches Association helped to defray costs and made this
day possible. Such was the success that another Seminar
Day, focusing on the international dynamics of Christianity in
Iraq is being planned for May 2005.