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Exploring Early Christianity Conference
Friday, January 24, 2025
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
McMaster Divinity College
The Centre for Patristics and Early Christianity is pleased to announce its second annual student conference, to be held on the campus of McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The theme of this one-day conference is “Exploring Early Christianity” and is open to all students. The event offers emerging scholars an opportunity to nurture community among like-minded individuals, present research in a friendly, collaborative environment, explore further opportunities for study, and network with experts and possible mentors in your area of research. The Centre is pleased to offer a limited number of travel bursaries to qualified students who are interested in exploring research programs at McMaster Divinity College.
Registration Is Now Open!
Registration Fee: $25.00
To attend, click the button below to register. Lunch is not included, but there are many restaurants available on campus and in the nearby Westdale Village. Registration fee is non-refundable after January 17, 2025. If you need to cancel your registration prior to this date, please contact us to arrange a refund.
Featured Speaker
Dr. Jonathan Loopstra
As a university professor, Dr. Loopstra writes and speaks about Church History, Biblical Languages, Islam, and Middle Eastern History for both academic and lay audiences. He has helped his students to understand topics ranging from ancient Sumer (3000 BC), to the Reformation (AD 1517), to the Gulf War (AD 2003).
Much of Dr. Loopstra’s research focuses on the Bible and its reception across the centuries. In particular, he has published books and articles about the discipline of reading and preaching the Scriptures in the multicultural and multilinguistic world of the late-Antique and Medieval Middle East.
Featured Speaker
Dr. Haitham Issak
Dr. John Haitham Issak graduated with his Ph.D. from McMaster Divinity College. His doctoral thesis entailed a study of Athanasius’ pneumatology in the letters to Serapion. His ongoing research projects are focused on Syriac and the Syriac church fathers, Ephrem, Aphrahaat and Jacob of Serugh. Most recently, he has translated several letters of Timothy I of Baghdad from Syriac into English. Dr. Issak has taught Patristics, the Syriac language, and Greek in the Syriac Orthodox Church seminaries in Nineveh (Mosul), Iraq, and Damascus. He has also served as a director in the Syriac Orthodox seminary in Mosul. He has presented papers at numerous conferences related to Syriac studies, especially on Ephrem. He regularly participates in the Pappas Patristic Institute Program at the Holy Greek Orthodox School of Theology. Dr. Issak has published several articles, and his first book on Athanasius’ pneumatology is titled The Spirit of Truth: Johannine Pneumatology in the Letters of Athanasius to Serapion
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | Registration & Refreshments |
| 8:30 AM | Syriac Treasures
Featuring Dr. Haitham Issak & Dr. Jonathan Loopstra |
| 9:35 AM | Parallel Session A: Pilgrimage & Distant Lands
Parallel Session B: St. Augustine & Christian Orthodoxy<d/a> |
| 11:40 AM | Lunch Break |
| 12:45 PM | Q&A with Dr. Lewis Ayres |
| 1:15 PM | Parallel Session C: The Second Century |
| 3:15 PM | Coffee Break |
| 3:30 PM | Parallel Session E: Irenaeus of Lyons
Parallel Session F: Key Developments in Early Christian Theology |
| 5:30 PM | Announcement of the Winning Paper & Concluding Remarks |
Getting to McMaster Divinity College
We are located on the campus of McMaster University, just off the ON-403 highway. The McMaster Divinity College building is the second building on the left when entering via the Sterling Street entrance to campus. As parking options are limited and to reduce your carbon footprint, we recommend carpooling or making use of public transit where possible. Both GO buses and HSR transit drop off on campus often. If you do wish to park on campus, more information is below.
McMaster Divinity College
1280 Main St W
Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1
Parking
There are multiple parking options on campus, varying in availability and cost. You can find more information at parking.mcmaster.ca, including:
Please note, parking in the McMaster Divinity College lot (A) is prohibited. If you require accessible parking, please contact divevent@mcmaster.ca.
Our call for papers is now closed and responses have been sent. We would like to thank each person who submitted a proposal for their interest. We hope to see you at the conference.
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Schedule
Time Session 8:00 AM Registration & Refreshments 8:30 AM Syriac Treasures Featuring Dr. Haitham Issak & Dr. Jonathan Loopstra
9:35 AM Parallel Session A: Pilgrimage & Distant Lands Parallel Session B: St. Augustine & Christian Orthodoxy<d/a>
11:40 AM Lunch Break 12:45 PM Q&A with Dr. Lewis Ayres 1:15 PM Parallel Session C: The Second Century 3:15 PM Coffee Break 3:30 PM Parallel Session E: Irenaeus of Lyons Parallel Session F: Key Developments in Early Christian Theology
5:30 PM Announcement of the Winning Paper & Concluding Remarks -
Directions & Parking
Getting to McMaster Divinity College
We are located on the campus of McMaster University, just off the ON-403 highway. The McMaster Divinity College building is the second building on the left when entering via the Sterling Street entrance to campus. As parking options are limited and to reduce your carbon footprint, we recommend carpooling or making use of public transit where possible. Both GO buses and HSR transit drop off on campus often. If you do wish to park on campus, more information is below.
McMaster Divinity College
1280 Main St W
Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1Parking
There are multiple parking options on campus, varying in availability and cost. You can find more information at parking.mcmaster.ca, including:
Please note, parking in the McMaster Divinity College lot (A) is prohibited. If you require accessible parking, please contact divevent@mcmaster.ca.
-
Call for Papers
Our call for papers is now closed and responses have been sent. We would like to thank each person who submitted a proposal for their interest. We hope to see you at the conference.
Centre for Patristics and Early Christianity Faculty
James R. Payton Jr.
Professor of Patristics and Historical Theology
Don W. Springer
Lecturer in Theology and Patristics
Stanley E. Porter
President and Dean, Professor of New Testament, Roy A. Hope Chair in Christian Worldview, Editor-in-Chief of MDC Press
Haitham Issak
Lecturer in Patristics and Syriac
Gordon L. Heath
Professor of Christian History, Centenary Chair in World Christianity, Director of Canadian Baptist Archives
Wendy J. Porter
Professor of Music and Worship
Registration
