You have no items in your shopping cart.
Close
Search
Filters

John of Tella’s Profession of Faith

The Legacy of a Sixth-Century Syrian Orthodox Bishop


Translation and Introduction by Volker Menze & Kutlu Akalın
John became bishop of Tella in 519, but left for exile only two years later when Justin I enforced the Council of Chalcedon which Syrian Orthodox Christians refused to accept. John became one of Justinian’s most dangerous ecclesiastical opponents by ordaining thousands of deacons and priests who formed the first generation of the Syrian Orthodox hierarchy. In the present text John lays out his faith in a way which gives an inside view of how a non-Chalcedonian bishop of the sixth century located himself and his co-religionists within the Christian tradition and how he understood the foundation of the Church.
Publisher: Gorgias Press LLC
Availability: In stock
SKU (ISBN): 978-1-59333-843-5
  • *
Publication Status: In Print
Publication Date: May 1,2009
Interior Color: Black
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Page Count: 129
Languages: English
ISBN: 978-1-59333-843-5
$43.00
Your price: $30.10
Ship to
*
*
Shipping Method
Name
Estimated Delivery
Price
No shipping options

John bar Qursos, bishop of Tella was one of the leading Syrian Orthodox bishops of the sixth century. He became bishop of Tella d-Mawzlat (today: Viranşehir, a city in south-eastern Turkey) in the Roman province of Osrhoene in 519, but left for exile only two years later when the emperor Justin I (518-527), the uncle of Justinian I (527-565), enforced the Council of Chalcedon which the Syrian Orthodox Christians refused to accept as an ecumenical council. John established himself as one of Justinian’s most dangerous ecclesiastical opponents by ordaining thousands of deacons and priests who formed the first generation of the Syrian Orthodox ecclesiastical hierarchy, against the ruling Chalcedonian church of the empire. John also took great care in instructing his clergy properly according to church law, and Canons, Questions and Answers etc. written by him for priests and deacons have survived. The present text is a letter by John, probably written at the end of his life in 536/7, in which he lays out his faith. The text gives an inside view of how a Syrian Orthodox bishop of the sixth century located himself and his fellow non-Chalcedonian Christians within the Christian tradition and how he understood the foundation of the Church - a perception which stood in contrast to both the papal view as well as the eastern Chalcedonian understanding of the Christian past.

John bar Qursos, bishop of Tella was one of the leading Syrian Orthodox bishops of the sixth century. He became bishop of Tella d-Mawzlat (today: Viranşehir, a city in south-eastern Turkey) in the Roman province of Osrhoene in 519, but left for exile only two years later when the emperor Justin I (518-527), the uncle of Justinian I (527-565), enforced the Council of Chalcedon which the Syrian Orthodox Christians refused to accept as an ecumenical council. John established himself as one of Justinian’s most dangerous ecclesiastical opponents by ordaining thousands of deacons and priests who formed the first generation of the Syrian Orthodox ecclesiastical hierarchy, against the ruling Chalcedonian church of the empire. John also took great care in instructing his clergy properly according to church law, and Canons, Questions and Answers etc. written by him for priests and deacons have survived. The present text is a letter by John, probably written at the end of his life in 536/7, in which he lays out his faith. The text gives an inside view of how a Syrian Orthodox bishop of the sixth century located himself and his fellow non-Chalcedonian Christians within the Christian tradition and how he understood the foundation of the Church - a perception which stood in contrast to both the papal view as well as the eastern Chalcedonian understanding of the Christian past.

Write your own review
  • Only registered users can write reviews
*
*
Bad
Excellent
*
*
*
*
Contributor

VolkerMenze

KutluAkalin

Customers who bought this item also bought
ImageFromGFF

Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

This edition of Mar Jacob of Sarug's (d. 521) homily on Zacchaeus the tax-collector makes the point that Christ’s path goes by those most in need of repentance. Zacchaeus recognizes his shortcomings and is healed by Christ, who then makes Zacchaeus a mirror or sign for all humanity to see. The volume constitutes a fascicle of The Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug, which, when complete, will contain the original Syriac text of Jacob's surviving sermons, fully vocalized, alongside an annotated English translation.
$33.00 $23.10
ImageFromGFF

The Correspondence of Severus and Sergius

Severus of Antioch was the Patriarch of Antioch and a moderate Miaphysite. Sergius the Grammarian is a lesser-known figure, but the content of his letters demonstrates that he was a more extreme Miaphysite. The early 6th century correspondence between the two consists of a set of three letters apiece and an apology by Sergius. Made available in Syriac along with Torrance’s translation, these letters are an important part of the working out of concerns associated with the Council of Chalecedon.
$59.00 $41.30
ImageFromGFF

Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on the Holy Sunday of the Pentecost

This edition of Mar Jacob of Sarug's (d. 521) homily on Pentecost draws a comparison between the Upper Room where the disciples receive the Holy Spirt and the Tower of Babel. The division of the tongues at Babel was a sign that the Good News would be spoken in all tongues. The One who divided the tongues at Babel gave the tongues of fire as well. The volume constitutes a fascicle of The Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug, which, when complete, will contain the original Syriac text of Jacob's surviving sermons, fully vocalized, alongside an annotated English translation.
$31.00 $21.70
Picture of Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on Jephthah’s Daughter

Jacob of Sarug’s Homily on Jephthah’s Daughter

This edition of Mar Jacob of Sarug's (d. 521) homily on Jephthah’s daughter invisages this single, virginal female as a prefiguration of Christ. Jacob also discusses the history of blood sacrifice and on the qualities that render Jephthah’s action priestly. The volume constitutes a fascicle of The Metrical Homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug, which, when complete, will contain the original Syriac text of Jacob's surviving sermons, fully vocalized, alongside an annotated English translation.
$34.00 $23.80