TRS – Paul Robinson

At this week’s Theological Research Seminar, Paul Robinson will be presenting, “The Syriac Reception of Nicene Orthodoxy: Translating Jacob of Serugh’s Homily, ‘On the Council of Nicaea’”

Read the abstract and his bio below.

All are welcome to attend in Camelford Hall (room 226) at McMaster Divinity College at 1:00pm or via livestream at the link below:

Join the Livestream
Password: z00m (Note that the password has zeros rather than “o”)

Abstract

This Syriac poet-preacher Jacob of Serugh (451–521) wrote over 700 poem-homilies (memrē), of which roughly half survive, and many of which remain untranslated. In this paper I highlight insights and questions from my own working translation of Jacob’s memra On the Council of Nicaea, with the aim of providing greater insight into the Syriac reception of Nicene Orthodoxy. I consider Jacob’s interpretation of Nicaea in light of two earlier figures, Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373) and Theodore of Mopsuestia (350–428 AD), both of whom were

familiar to Jacob and influential in the Syriac-speaking churches.

Bio

Paul Robinson is an Anglican priest and a doctoral student in historical and systematic theology at McMaster Divinity College. Paul is particularly interested in the poet-theologians of the early Syriac tradition, especially Saint Ephrem the Syrian and Saint Jacob of Serugh. He and his wife Kristin live in Hamilton with their three young children.

About TRS

The MDC Theological Research Seminar (TRS) is a bimonthly gathering for all MDC students and faculty. TRS meets from 1:00 PM to 1:50 PM on alternating Mondays, and includes about thirty minutes for the paper presentation and twenty minutes for discussion.

All advanced degree students are invited to present a paper and share your research with your colleagues. TRS is an excellent opportunity to “test drive” a paper you will be presenting at an upcoming conference and receive helpful feedback on your current research projects. Thinking about submitting an article to a journal and want some interaction first? TRS will provide it. Just published an article or an essay and want to share it us? TRS is an excellent opportunity to broadcast it.

This year the organizing committee consists of Dr. James Dvorak, Dr. Phil Zylla, and Dr. Gord Heath. To submit a paper, contact a member of the organizing committee.