The Church in the Salvific Plan of God and the Motherhood of the Church in the Writings of Mar Jacob of Sarug

Name: The Church in the Salvific Plan of God and the Motherhood of the Church in the Writings of Mar Jacob of Sarug
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Author: Titus Cheravallil John
ISBN: 978-3-631-85379-5

John, Titus Cheravallil

The Church in the Salvific Plan of God and the Motherhood of the Church in the Writings of Mar Jacob of Sarug

A Study on the Ecclesiology of Mar Jacob of Sarug

by Titus Cheravallil John (Author)

Theology & Philosophy

Summary

This book deals with the ecclesiological themes in the writings of Mar Jacob of Sarug, a West Syrian Church father, who lived in the sixth century. Mar Jacob of Sarug (ca. 451-521) stands next to Ephrem the Syrian as a poet theologian of the West Syrian Church. His writings, especially the metrical homilies, illustrate his imaginative reflections on Bible passages, demonstrating his theological perceptions. This book deals with the ecclesiological themes in Mar Jacob’s writings. The primary sources of this work are the festal homilies of Mar Jacob and his two metrical homilies on the Church, which the author himself has translated.
Mar Jacob narrates his ecclesiological perceptions along with his explanations regarding the salvific acts of Christ. He looks at Christ as the one in whom the symbols find their actualization. The power and the efficacy of the Son is working through the Old Testament types. In the salvific acts, during the earthly journey of the Son, the types of the Old Testament are fully manifested. The Son's journey on the road of humility is symbolically depicted as the betrothal of the Son, the heavenly bridegroom, to His bride, the Church. Mar Jacob perceives the Church's presence in all the progressive moments of revelation, which are fully exhibited in Christ. His fundamental concepts regarding the Church are based on the fact that the Church is an essential part of the revelation of God's salvific plan, which is realized through the Son. He uses the imagery of the Church's motherhood to explain that the Church cannot be rightly considered apart from the divine economy of God, which is divulged through Christ and his work. The Church derives her authority to act from her origin as a work of the divine economy of salvation and exists on earth as a reality that reveals God's saving acts.

Excerpt

Cover
Title
Copyright
About the author
About the book
This eBook can be cited
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Syriac Transliteration Table
A. Consonants
B. Vowels
Abbreviations
General Introduction
1. Why Ecclesiology
2. Method of the Study
3. Hypothesis of the Study
4. The Structure of the Study
5. The Relevance of the Study
Chapter I Mar Jacob of Sarug and his Theological Thoughts
Introduction
1. Life and Early Activities
1.1. Early Period of his Life
1.2. The Initial Literary Activities
1.3. His Ministry as Chorepiscopo and Episcopo
2. The Literary Works of Mar Jacob
2.1. The Metrical Homilies (Mēmrē)
2.1.1. The Date of Composing of the Metrical Homilies
2.1.2. The Audience of his Metrical Homilies
2.1.3. The Characteristics of the Metrical Homilies
2.1.3.1. Mēmrē as Divine Revelation
2.1.3.2. The Enigmatic Content of the Mēmrē
2.2. Madrōšē
2.3. Sugitō
2.4. Bowutō
2.5. The Other Poetic Forms of Mar Jacob
2.6. The Prose Homilies of Mar Jacob
2.7. Letters
3. The Profane and the Religious Background of Mar Jacob
4. The Theological Ambiance of Mar Jacob
5. The Christological Position of Mar Jacob
6. The Orthodoxy of Mar Jacob
7. Mar Jacob as an Exegete
8. Historical Background of Mar Jacob’s Exegetical Tradition
9. The Exegesis of Mar Jacob
9.1. The Scriptural Text of Mar Jacob
9.2. The Meaning of Exegesis
9.3. The Necessity of Exegesis
9.4. The Different Levels of Meaning
9.4.1. The Literal and Spiritual Meaning
9.4.2. Typological Meaning
9.4.2.1. The Meaning of ‘Type’
9.4.2.2. Type and Prophecy
9.4.2.3. The Pedagogical Function of the Type
10. The Theological Thought of Mar Jacob
10.1. Symbols of the Scriptures and the Nature
10.2. The Nature of Mar Jacob’s Theological Thinking
10.3. The Theologizing Method of Mar Jacob
Conclusion
Chapter II The Notion of the Church in the Writings of Mar Jacob of Sarug
Introduction
I. The Concepts of the Church
1. The Church as the House of God ܒܶܝܬ ܐܱܠܳܗܳܐ) / Bēyt Ālōhō(
1.1. The House of God in the Bible
1.2. The Church: The House of Clouds ܒܶܝܬ ܥܪ̈ܦܶܠܶܐ) / Bēyt ‘Arpēlē)32
1.3. The Church: The House of Profits ܒܶܝܬ ܝܽܘܬܪ̈ܳܳܢܶܐ) / Bēyt Yutrōnē(
1.4. The Church: The Treasury ܒܶܝܬ ܓܰܙܳܐ) / Bēyt Gāzō(
2. The Church: A Community ܟܢܽܘܫܬܳܐ) / Knuštō(
2.1. The Community around the Mystery
2.2. The Community of the Son
2.3. The Daughter of the Nation and the Nations100
2.3.1. The Election of the People of Israel
2.3.2. The Rejection of God’s Plan by the People of Israel
2.3.3. The Election of Gentiles in Place of Israel
2.3.3.1. The Types of the Election of Gentiles
2.4. The Community Prefigured on the Mountain
3. The Church as Mystery ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ) / Rōzō(
3.1. The Church as Mistress of Mysteries ܡܳܪܰܬ ܐ̱ܪ̈ܳܳܙܶܐ) / Mōrāt Rōzē(
3.2. Rachel: The Mystery of the Church ܐ̱ܪܳܙܳܐ ܕܥܺܕ̱ܬܳܐ) / Rōzō d ‘Itō(
3.3. The Mystery of the Church in Tamar
II. The Symbols that Reveal the Church
1. The Church as Bride
1.1. The Bride in the Bible
1.2. The Betrothal of the Heavenly Bridegroom and the Earthly Bride
1.2.1. Betrothal at Mount Sinai
1.2.2. Betrothal at Jordan
1.2.3. Betrothal at Tabor
1.2.4. Betrothal at Golgotha233
1.3. The Wedding Feast ܡܶܫܬܽܘܬܳܐ) / Mēštutō(
1.4. The Bridal Chamber ܓܰܢܽܘܢܳܐ) / Gānunō(
1.5. The Bride of Blood (ܟܰܠܬܳܐ ܕܕܡܳܐ) and the Bride of Light (ܟܰܠܬܳܐ ܕܢܽܘܗܪܳܐ)
1.6. The Theological Significance of the Symbol of Bride
2. The Church as Tabernacle ܫܟܺܝܢܬܳܐ)/Škintō/ܟܽܘܒܬܳܐ/Kubtō(
2.1. The Biblical Foundation of the Symbol of Tabernacle
2.2. The Symbol of Tabernacle and the Church
2.3. The Theological Significance of the Symbol of Tabernacle
3. The Church as Ladder ܣܶܒܠܬܳܐ)/Sēbaltō(
3.1. The Symbol of Ladder and the Church
3.2. Theological Significance of the Symbol of Ladder
4. The Church as a Harbour ܠܡܺܝܢܳܐ) / Lminō(
4.1. The Symbol of Harbour and the Church
4.2. The Theological Significance of the Symbol of Harbour
Conclusion
Chapter III The Church in the Divine Economy of Salvation
Introduction
1. The Role of the Church in the Divine Economy of Salvation
1.1. The Creation of the World and Adam
1.1.1. The Creation of the World
1.1.2. The Creation of Adam
1.1.3. The Fall of Adam and Expulsion from the Paradise
1.2. The Search of God for the Fallen Adam
1.3. The Prefiguration of the Church
1.4. The Nativity of the Son
1.5. The Incarnation and the Church
1.6. The Church on the Road of Salvation
1.6.1. The Church at Jordan
1.6.1.1. The Types of the Church at Jordan
1.6.1.2. The Baptism of John the Baptist and the Baptism of Christ
1.6.1.3. The Womb of Jordan
1.6.1.4. The Bride of the Nation and Nations at Jordan
1.6.2. The Church at Golgotha
1.6.2.1. The Flow of Water and Blood Beget the Church
1.6.2.2. The Types of the Church on Golgotha
1.6.2.2.1. The Patriarch Jacob and the Mystery of the Church
1.6.2.2.2. Golgotha: The House of Holy Things
1.6.2.2.3. The Church with an Altar on Golgotha
2. The Church and the Paradise
2.1. The Church and the Paradise in the writings of Mar Jacob
2.1.1. The Tree of Life
2.1.2. The Tree of Life and the Cross
2.1.3. The Church as the Garden of Eden on Earth
2.1.4. The Heavenly and the Earthly Church
2.1.4.1. The Vision of Moses and his Construction of the Church
2.1.4.2. Ezekiel’s Vision of the Heavenly and the Earthly Church
3. The Church and the Kingdom
3.1. The Thief and his Entry into the Kingdom
3.2. The Kingdom and the Heavenly Marriage Banquet
Conclusion
Chapter IV The Motherhood of the Church
Introduction
1. The Concept of the Motherhood of the Church
1.1. The Image of the Motherhood of the Church in Scripture
1.2. The Motherhood of the Church in the Patristic Literatures
1.3. The Motherhood of the Church in the Early Syrian Literatures
1.4. The Motherhood of the Church in the Writings of Mar Ephrem
1.5. The Motherhood of the Church in the Liturgical Texts
1.6. Mar Jacob’s Understanding of the Motherhood of the Church
2. The Motherhood of the Church and her Birth on Golgotha
3. The Church as the Mother of Life
3.1. The Church and the Image of the Life-Giving Fishnet
4. Baptism and the New Life
4.1. The Types of Baptism
4.2. Baptism Provides ‘Sonship’
4.3. The Imageries of Life and the New Birth
4.3.1. The Womb (ܥܽܘܒܳܐ/‘Ubō)
4.3.1.1. The Womb of Baptism
4.3.1.2. The Baptismal Water as the Womb
4.3.2. The Furnace (ܟܽܘܪܳܐ/Kurō)
4.3.3. The Robe of Glory
4.3.4. The New Well ܒܺܝܪܳܐ ܚܰܕܬܳܐ)/Birō Ḥādtō)
4.4. Baptism: A Representation of Death and Resurrection of Christ
5. The Life through Nourishment
5.1. The Eucharist Provides Life
5.1.1. The Types of the Eucharist
5.1.2. The Eucharist as Fruit of Life ܦܺܝܪܳܐ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ)/Pirō d Ḥāyē)
5.1.3. The Eucharist as Tree of Life ܐܺܠܳܢ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ)/Ilōn Ḥāyē)
5.1.4. The Eucharist as Medicine of Life ܣܰܡ ܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ)/Sām Ḥāyē)
5.1.5. The Eucharist as Table of Life ܦܳܬܽܘܪܳܐ ܕܚܰܝ̈ܶܐ)/Pōturō d Ḥāyē)
5.1.6. The Eucharist as a Spiritual Fountain of Living Waters
6. The Life through Teaching
7. The Theological Significance of the Motherhood of the Church
Conclusion
Chapter V Mary and the Motherhood of the Church
Introduction
1. Mary and the Church in the Syrian Literature
2. Mary and the Church in the Writings of Mar Jacob
2.1. The Imageries of Mary and the Church
2.1.1. The Imagery of Building
2.1.2. The Imagery of Second Heaven
2.1.3. The Imagery of the Chariot
3. The Motherhood of the Church and Mary
3.1. Eve: Mary and the Church
3.1.1. Church: The New Eve
3.1.2. Mary and the Church: The Mother of Life
3.2. The Virginity of Mary and the Church
3.2.1. The Imagery of the Virgin Motherhood of Mary and the Church
3.2.2. Baptism is a Virgin Mother
Conclusion
General Conclusion
1. Mar Jacob and his Method of Theologizing
2. The Ecclesiological Perceptions in the Writings of Mar Jacob
3. The Motherhood of the Church
4. The Ecclesiological Model of Mar Jacob
5. The Relevance of the Ecclesial Model of Mar Jacob
Appendix I The Descent of the Most High on Sinai, and the Mystery of the Church
The Love of God for Israel
The Meaning of the Ascent of Moses to the Top of the Mountain
Moses Prepares the Bride According to the Covenant
Moses Resembles Christ
The Election of the Bride and the Instructions of Moses
The Descent of God and the Response of Heavenly and Earthly Beings
The Descent of God on the Mount Sinai
The Events on the Mount Sinai and the Birth of the Church
The Attitude of Moses, the Nation and the Corrupter
The Wedding at Mount Sinai
The Bridegroom’s Arrival on the Mountain
Moses’ Ascend to the Most Holy One
The Relation of the Event on Mount Sinai and the Son of God
Appendix II On the Consecration of the Church and Prophet Moses
Moses Manifests the Church
Moses’ Vision of the Church
The Mystery of the Church
Moses the Veil of Mysteries
Index of Bible Quotations
Old Testament
Index of Syriac Texts and Translations
Mar Jacob of Sarug

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Acknowledgments

This book is the doctoral dissertation defended at the Faculty of Theology of Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Sankt Georgen in Frankfurt am Main. It deals with the ecclesiological themes in the writings of Mar Jacob of Sarug, a West Syrian Church father, who lived in the fifth and sixth century.

As I come to the completion of the journey of my doctoral project, I wish to express my gratitude to all those who helped me for their indispensable support. My sincere thanks first of all goes to my moderator, Prof. Dr. Dr. Theresia Hainthaler, for accepting me as a doctoral student and patiently accompanying me throughout this work with useful inputs, suggestions and corrections. She was deeply involved in the development of this study right from the very beginning. Her friendly encouragements, unfailing support, constant availability, and constructive comments made the burden of this study lighter to a great extent. I remain indebted to her. I also express my gratitude to Prof. Dr. Karl Pinggéra, the second reader of the thesis, who is the professor of Church History at the Philipps University Marburg. As I complete my doctoral thesis, I gratefully remember all the professors of Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Sankt Georgen, whose lectures have contributed largely to complete this study in a comprehensive manner. I also remember with gratitude Frau Petra Muth, and the staff of the library for their constant support to complete this work.

I remember with gratitude the superiors of my religious congregation, Order of the Imitation of Christ, who inspired, encouraged, and supported me to pursue this study. In a special way, I remember Rev. Fr. Jerome Peedikaparambil OIC, who sent me to Germany to pursue my studies in the field of patristics. I also very much thankful to Rev. Fr. Jose Mariadas OIC, my former superior general, and Rev. Fr. Jose Kuruvila Peedikayil OIC, my present superior general for their caring support. I am very much beholden to Rev. Fr. Geevarghese Kuttiyil OIC, my former provincial superior, and Rev. Fr. Mathew Thiruvalil OIC, my present provincial superior, for their unfailing support, keen interest, and encouragement. I graciously acknowledge the constant encouragement that I have received from His Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, the Catholicos and the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. I am indeed thankful to Bishop Thomas Mar Antonios OIC, the Bishop of the Eparchy of ←15 | 16→Saint Ephrem of Khadki, Pune for his loving care and brotherly accompanying and encouragement.

I am very much indebted to ‘Aid to the Church in Need’ for providing me the financial assistance for the major part of this study. I am thankful to the Catholic parish St. Franziskus, Bassersdorf, Zürich, and the parish members for their enduring support and financial assistance for my studies. I thankfully remember the community of Menzingen Schwestern vom Heiligen Geist, Zug, for their loving care and constant support. My special thanks go to the Syro-Malankara community, Frankfurt for their support and encouragement.

At this juncture, I express my gratitude to all the scholars, who extended me their valuable support at different stages in the formation of this work. Particularly, I thank Dr. Sebastian Brock, Dr. Robert Kitchen, Dr. Mary Hansbury, Rev. Ramban Dr. Roger Akhrass, Rev. Fr. Dr. Armando Elkhoury, Fr. Samuel Nedelsky of Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, Rev. Fr. Dr. Thomas Kollamparampil, and Simon Birol for rendering me their scholarly works, which are not available in the libraries. I owe my special gratitude to Rev. Fr. Dr. Jacob Thekeparampil, the director of SEERI, who coaxed me into the world of Syriac patrology through his constant encouragement. I am grateful to Imad Syryany, the co-editor of the ‘160 unpublished homilies of Jacob of Serugh,’ for correcting my translations of the homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug. I am fully aware that it would not have been possible to accomplish this study without the help of Dr. Philip Michael Forness of Goethe Universität, Frankfurt am Main, whose constant availability to help me in finding the sources and the edited works of Mar Jacob of Sarug. I am very much indebted to him at the completion of my study.

I express my sincere thanks to all my companions, with whom I lived and studied in Kolleg Sankt Georgen, for their love and encouragement. I acknowledge my profound gratitude to Rev. Frs. Santhosh Koickal and Tom Mulanjananny VC for their caring accompaniment and moral support. I sincerely thank Frau Dr. Renate Maier, who helped me to improve my German language and for being with me always as an inspiration for my study in Germany. I graciously remember Rev. Sr. Thamim SIC for her prayer and support during the journey of my studies. I thank all my friends in Germany and in Switzerland, who helped me during these years, especially Vinoo Mukkadan, Baiju John, Roy Vayalathu, Boby John, Sindhu Varghese, Sophy Roy, Smitha Rose Thomas, and Deepthi Cherian, for their love, care, and encouragement.

Last but not least, I graciously remember my departed beloved father, who taught me Syriac language and inspired me to plunge into the ocean of the ←16 | 17→patristic studies. I cherish to recall thankfully the prayerful accompaniment and support of my beloved mother and my sisters and my younger brother.

‘The mighty one has done great things for me’ (Lk 1:49). The guiding hand and the protective care of God Almighty has brought me so far. As I complete my strenuous journey of long years of study, I praise my Lord, who provided me His care and guided me under His wings.

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Syriac Transliteration Table

A. Consonants

Transliteration	Consonants
‘	ܐ
b	ܒ
c	ܓ
d	ܕ
h	ܗ
w	ܘ
z	ܙ
ḥ	ܚ
ṭ	ܛ
y	ܝ
k	ܟ
l	ܠ
m	ܡ
n	ܢ
s	ܣ
‘	ܥ
p	ܦ
ṣ	ܨ
q	ܩ
r	ܪ
š	ܫ
t	ܬ

←19 | 20→

B. Vowels

Transliteration	Vowels
a	◌ܰ
ō	◌ܳ
ē	◌ܶ
i	◌ܺ
u	◌ܽ

←22 | 23→

General Introduction

Mar Jacob of Sarug (+521), a sixth century West Syrian poet, influenced the theological development of the Churches of Syrian tradition, especially of the West Syrian tradition. As a prominent teacher and orator of his time, ‘he addresses mainly the socio-religious and theological issues of his period by the thrust of his acquired tradition with its Hellenistic influences.’¹ Though he was more engaged with addressing the theological issues of his time, in the voluminous corpus of his writings, especially in his verse homilies (mēmrē) and in his prose homilies (turgōmē), he explains the scriptural incidents and themes of Christian faith with its typological and symbolic meaning. Therefore, like the most important personalities of early Syriac tradition, Aphrahat and Ephrem, he also expressed his thoughts through typology and imagery either traditional (i.e. in terms of New Testament themes) or freely invented. Hence a study on the symbolic and typological thought patterns of Mar Jacob is necessary to expound his theological pattern, which is quite vital for theological reflection.

1. Why Ecclesiology

The systematic treatise on Church is called ecclesiology. Though a kind of such treatise on the Church appeared late in the history of Christian thought,² the articulation of the Church and its relation to Christ is found in the Gospels as well as in the letters of St Paul. In the Gospel of Mat 28:16–20; Mat 16:18; Jn 21:15–18 and in Gal 1:6–9, we see that the Church has been commissioned to proclaim the revelations of God’s Salvation. St Paul also explains in Eph 1:22–23 that the Church is Christ’s body. The early interpretations of the biblical texts, particularly the interpretations of the ‘Songs of Songs,’ narrated the relationship between the Church and Christ as a relationship between a bride and a groom. According to authors like Paul Tanner, the traces of the allegorical interpretation of the ‘Songs of Songs,’ are found in the early Jewish Midrash.³ The early Christian commentators of the Bible applied a similar allegorical method in their interpretation of the Song, viewing the bridegroom as Jesus Christ and the bride ←23 | 24→as His church.⁴ Mark W. Elliott also points out, ‘some verses in the Song focus on the figure of the Groom. These inspired most early Christian writers to speak of the Word as that Groom, the agent or person in Christ who continues to play the initiating role towards souls, drawing them into following him.’⁵ In spite of such references of relationship between the Church and Christ, only in the end of the Middle ages we see the attempts of formulating a systematic treatise on the Church. It began in the West and reached its culmination at the Second Vatican Council. In this development of ecclesiological thought, scholars often distinguish three phases which are essentially related:⁶ (1) The fathers and the theologians up to the Middle Ages; (2) the formation of the treatise of the Church; (3) contemporary theological progress. My study in this context can only deal with the first phase in the development of the ecclesiological thought.

It is obvious that the Church is a leading theme in the writings of Mar Jacob of Sarug. Though he does not give any definition of the Church, it is an important factor in his writings because the concept of the Church is visible from the beginning of the manifestation of divine mercy. According to Mar Jacob, the concept of the Church is traceable when God’s divine love is manifested and established through the creation. Through the creation, God wanted to constitute a community, which is in perfect union with God. This intention of God, however, was shattered through the sin of human beings. When the relationship between God and man ruptured, He came out to the humanity in order to restore the relationship between God and man. The concept of the Church, in Mar Jacob’s terms, is visible when God’s love is manifested to bring humanity again back to the perfect union with God. Therefore, in the writings of Mar Jacob we find that he portrays the Church, when he explains the divine-human relationship, which is initiated ‘by the divine mercy that reveals itself in the incarnation, redemption, and salvation.’⁷

In the case of Mar Jacob, a good number of studies on his Christology and Orthodoxy of his teachings brought out his views regarding his Christology. Since western scholars took notice of him, they have studied and published on his writings. However, the notions of the Church as explicated in his terms have been left virtually unexamined. Tanios Bou Mansour published a two-volume book that ←24 | 25→dealt extensively with Mar Jacob’s theology. He systematized Mar Jacob’s theological comprehension of creation, anthropology, ecclesiology, and sacraments schematized his insights into Christology, trinity, and eschatology ⁸ and, lastly, he provided Jacob’s exegetical and theological methods.⁹ The one chapter that Bou Mansour dedicated on the subject of the Church in the first volume is the most extensive study currently available on the topic. Apart from Bou Mansour’s treatment of the subject at hand, the researchers can also avail themselves to few scholarly publications like Susan Ashbrook Harvey’s paper on biblical women as images of Church in Mar Jacob of Sarug.¹⁰ Nevertheless, she expounds only one aspect of his rich ecclesiological imageries. Other scholars have written on the Syriac Fathers’ views on the Church and her nature, albeit in the wider realm of the Syriac world. They amassed Syriac works belonging to different authors to extract and summarize a global Syriac worldview on the notions of the Church. As valid as this method may be, it does not allow for a deep access to an individual Syriac author’s thought. Both Hieronymus Engberding¹¹ and François Graffin¹² explored the theme of the Church as Bride in Syriac liturgies and writings. While the former concentrated his efforts on that which could be found in the liturgy of the Church of the East, the latter had recourse to the Chaldean and Syriac breviaries and the homilies of Mar Jacob of Sarug. Graffin, like Harvey, dealt with one ecclesiological theme found in Mar Jacob’s mēmrē, that is, the Church as Bride. Robert Murray employed the same approach as Engberding and Graffin in his book ‘Symbols of Church and Kingdom’ – a reference book for those interested in Syriac symbols and types.¹³ Mar Jacob of Sarug, however, does not fall within the time span of the Syriac literature that Murray surveyed. He did not, therefore, avail himself to Mar Jacob’s writings. Wilhelm de Vries also disregarded largely Mar Jacob’s works, albeit for reasons other than Murray’s.¹⁴ ←25 | 26→His research interest lied in the time span that witnessed the divisions of the Church, mainly, after the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) and, specifically, in Syriac authors who rejected it. It was Sebastian Brock, who shed light on the various ecclesiological themes in the writings of Mar Jacob. He dealt with the theme of the Church with reference to its origin on the cross and its relation to the sacraments baptism and the Eucharist.¹⁵ A Maronite priest, Armando Elkhoury, undertook a study on the ecclesiology of Mar Jacob recently and in this study he brought forward different types and the symbols of the Church in the writings of Mar Jacob.¹⁶ However, no study is done so far on the ecclesiology of Mar Jacob, which elaborately discusses the doctrine of the Church in the writings of Mar Jacob. Therefore, I thought a serious study of the ecclesiological concepts of Mar Jacob of Sarug, who is one of the early sixth century West Syrian Church Fathers, would bring forth the doctrine of the Church in the patristic period of the early sixth century West Syrian tradition.

After the second Vatican council, the development in the field of ecclesiology was rapid. Approaching the Church by means of models has been a significant trend in ecclesiology, especially since the publication of Avery Dulles’ book ‘Models of the Church’ in 1974. Dulles mentions in one of his books, ‘after Vatican II it became evident that a method was needed in which theologians of different schools could be treated with respect and understanding and in which all parties might hope to learn from one another.’¹⁷ Dulles approached the theological topic of the Church with his method of models because of the conviction that the Church is a mystery. Mysteries are realities, which comprise a hidden meaning within it and this meaning is beyond our comprehension. Therefore, if we wish to delineate the meaning of the mysteries, we must draw analogies afforded by our experience of the world. These analogies provide models. By attending to the analogies and utilizing them as models, we can grow in our understanding of the Church.¹⁸ As far as the patristic views of the early Syrian Church fathers are concerned, they relied very much on the sense of mystery in order to reach theological conclusions. Therefore, they use symbolic theology to explain theological doctrines. For the doctrines on the Church, we can also come across in the writings of Mar Jacob of Sarug a symbolico-theological method to ←26 | 27→approach the reality of the Church, since he also considered that the Church is a mystery. This similarity in approaching the reality of the Church between the early Syrian Church Fathers, like Mar Jacob of Sarug, and contemporary theologians like Dulles evoked in me an interest of doing a research in the ecclesiological concepts of the sixth century West Syrian Church Father Mar Jacob of Sarug.

2. Method of the Study

The aim of the study is to meet Mar Jacob’s theological teachings within the horizon of his writings for understanding his theological views about the Church, which is manifested to us through his own theological terminologies and orientations. In order to ascertain Mar Jacob’s theological orientations and concepts I have done an extensive reading of his own writings. The English translations of the festal homilies¹⁹ of Mar Jacob stand as the basis of this work. Apart from the festal homilies of Jacob, I referred mostly to the two useful homilies on the Church, which I have translated. Besides these translations, I have also made use of different other translations, and referred also to many of his homilies, of which no translations are available.

The theological reflections of Mar Jacob are mostly based on the Bible and are Semitic in nature. He follows a discursive and exhortative mode of exposition, which depends much on biblical typologies and the symbolic allusions they hold. Taking note of this method of Mar Jacob, the present study generally follows a thematic synthesis in order to set out the various aspects of the Church, which show us how the Church becomes instrumental in the fulfillment of the salvific plans of God.

3. Hypothesis of the Study

The objective of this research is to find the ecclesiological perceptions of Mar Jacob as they are described in his writings. In the writings of Mar Jacob, we come across the notion of the Church in relation to God’s divine economy of salvation. The present study tries to explore the concept of the Church with regard to its role in the divine economy of salvation. Therefore, the hypotheses of the study are as follows: (a) the Church is a reality that manifests the mystery of the divine mercy of God, through which God intervenes into the history of humankind. The types of the Old Testament signify the meaning of this divine intervention, which reaches its fulfillment in Christ. (b) The starting point of this ←27 | 28→divine-human relation begins with the creation. God created humanity; therefore, he nursed and cared his creation though they were torn apart from the communion of God. When humanity has gone astray from the will of God, he tries to bring them back to the perfect union that existed in the paradise. In order to achieve this goal, God revealed himself in many ways to humanity and the incarnation brought out the fullness of God’s manifestation. The purpose of the descent of God to humanity and the aim of the miraculous birth of Christ is made obvious in the journey of the incarnated Christ and it is fully manifested at Golgotha, where the Church is fully manifested. Therefore, according to Mar Jacob, the Church is a reality, which is traceable at every point of God’s intervention to bring humanity back to the primordial union and in Christ’s journey to bring humanity back into union with God. (c) The motherhood of the Church, as a functional title, shows us how the Church exercises the works of salvation on earth. This imagery is the celebration of life itself, in its fullness. The Church as a caring mother bears spiritual children and brings forth life to her children. The Church as mother extends life to her children, which enables them to become the children of God and hence the Church unites them to God. (d) Within the Church, mother Mary stands as model and microcosm of the Church because of her role in the divine plan of salvation. She is not identical with the Church, but she represents the model for the individuals, who collectively form the Church by being gathered around the mystery of Christ and, at the same time, she is the exemplar of what that Church should be.

Details

Pages: 444
Year: 2022
ISBN (PDF): 9783631853788
ISBN (ePUB): 9783631853795
ISBN (Hardcover): 9783631853047
DOI: 10.3726/b18359
Language: English
Publication date: 2022 (May)
Published: Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Warszawa, Wien, 2022. 444 pp.

Biographical notes

Titus Cheravallil John (Author)

Titus Cheravallil John OIC was born at Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India. He is a member of the Order of the Imitation of Christ (Bethany Ashram), a religious congregation in the Syro Malankara Catholic Church. He has secured his doctoral degree in Church History from the Philpsophisch-Theologische Hochschule Sankt Georgen, Frankfurt am Main. He teaches Patristic Theology Syriac Literature and Oriental Theology at Bethany Veda Vijnana Peeth (BVP), Pune, Maharashtra, India.

The Church in the Salvific Plan of God and the Motherhood of the Church in the Writings of Mar Jacob of Sarug

Summary

Excerpt

Table Of Contents

Acknowledgments

Syriac Transliteration Table

A. Consonants

B. Vowels

General Introduction

1. Why Ecclesiology

2. Method of the Study

3. Hypothesis of the Study

Details

Biographical notes

Key Subject Areas

Transliteration	Consonants
‘	ܐ
b	ܒ
c	ܓ
d	ܕ
h	ܗ
w	ܘ
z	ܙ
ḥ	ܚ
ṭ	ܛ
y	ܝ
k	ܟ
l	ܠ
m	ܡ
n	ܢ
s	ܣ
‘	ܥ
p	ܦ
ṣ	ܨ
q	ܩ
r	ܪ
š	ܫ
t	ܬ

Transliteration	Consonants
‘	ܐ
b	ܒ
c	ܓ
d	ܕ
h	ܗ
w	ܘ
z	ܙ
ḥ	ܚ
ṭ	ܛ
y	ܝ
k	ܟ
l	ܠ
m	ܡ
n	ܢ
s	ܣ
‘	ܥ
p	ܦ
ṣ	ܨ
q	ܩ
r	ܪ
š	ܫ
t	ܬ

Transliteration	Consonants
‘	ܐ
b	ܒ
c	ܓ
d	ܕ
h	ܗ
w	ܘ
z	ܙ
ḥ	ܚ
ṭ	ܛ
y	ܝ
k	ܟ
l	ܠ
m	ܡ
n	ܢ
s	ܣ
‘	ܥ
p	ܦ
ṣ	ܨ
q	ܩ
r	ܪ
š	ܫ
t	ܬ