Daily Archives: February 22, 2017

10.10.2016 – Sebastian P. Brock, The Syriac Fathers and Writers of Yesterday and Today, translation from English by Archdeacon Ioniţă Apostolache and by Professor Hermina Maria Apostolache, 2016

‘The last book published by the Publishing House Mitropolia Olteniei is signed by the British researcher Sebastian Brock. The work, with the title ‘The Syriac Fathers and Writers of Yesterday and Today’ was translated into Romanian by Archdeacon Ioniţă Apostolache and by Professor Hermina Maria Apostolache, bringing for the first time into the attention of readers in Romania ‘a brief synthesis of the Syriac literature’ of the great author from Oxford.

‘The Syriac Fathers and Writers of Yesterday and Today’ represents a beautiful gift which the Faculty of Theology from Craiova brought for Professor Sebastian Brock, in the context of his visit in our city, between 7th and 10th October 2016. Professor Sebastian received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Craiova even of the day of Saints Sergius and Vah on 7th October. This moment was a suitable one, having in mind the well-known reputation of the English professor. In this way, with the blessing of His Eminence Irineu, Archbishop of Craiova and Metropolitan of Oltenia, a young professor of the Faculty of Theology of Craiova, together with his wife, started a daring project, and now brought to a good end. The translation is quite faithful to the original shape. The first edition of the English text was published by professor Sebastian Brock at the ‘Saint Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute’ (SEERI), from India, Hottayam, in 1997: A Brief Outline of Syriac Literature. To be fair, the Romanian title is an adaption generated by the translators with the full consent of the author. The book has around 300 pages, supplemented with a rich introductory study signed by His Eminence Irineu, entitled ‘Syriac theology – a synthesis between dogma, symbol and mystery’.

Not ultimately, we give thanks to Father PhD Jacob Thekeparampil, the director of SEERI, ‘for the permission to translate this work from English, after the first edition published by the Institute which he coordinates’ and to Father PhD Professor Constantin Băjău, from the Faculty of Theology from Craiova, for correcting the translation. The launch of the book took place on 10th October 2016 in the presence of Professor Sebastian Brock, in the Auditorium ‘Nestor Vornicescu’ of the Centre for Visualisation and Restauration of the Faculty of Theology from Craiova.

Also at that time took place the conference ‘The Importance of the Syriac Theology and Tradition in the Current Context’, presented by the English Professor. At the end, the great researcher was able to answer to the questions and also to give an autograph those who bought the book.’ Fr. PhD Professor Adrian Boldişor.

 

Source: The Newspaper The Light,

The Edition of Oltenia