Were issues like economic and political oppression, holy wars, resistance literature, hate-speech, xenophobia and other 21st-century realities already present among the civilizations of the ancient Near East? Prophetic literature and specifically the Book of Nahum in the Old Testament provide a unique perspective on these issues. Through Nahum’s moving poetry and disturbing imagery, oppression is verbalised, deep emotion is uncovered and we are given a glimpse of liberation and new hope in times of darkness. This book will sensitize the reader to a better understanding of the identity and dynamics of oppressed groups, both ancient and modern.

Originally delivered as one of the St. Margaret’s Lectures for 1904, the contents of this booklet are focused on aspects of the Syriac-speaking Church. Extracted from Burkitt’s book Early Eastern Christianity, the third lecture concerns the theology of Eastern Christianity. Burkitt provides a brief survey of the work of Aphraates, Philoxenus of Mabbug, Ephraim the Syrian, and Rabbula.

Originally delivered as one of the St. Margaret’s Lectures for 1904, the contents of this booklet are focused on aspects of the Syriac-speaking Church. Extracted from Burkitt’s book Early Eastern Christianity, the fourth lecture concerns the development of marriage and the role of sacraments in the early Syriac Church. Burkitt finds that marriage was not early regarded as a sacrament and the married faithful were not permitted the sacraments of baptism or communion in the early tradition represented by Aphraates.

Originally delivered as one of the St. Margaret’s Lectures for 1904, the contents of this booklet are focused on aspects of the Syriac-speaking Church. Extracted from Burkitt’s book Early Eastern Christianity, the second lecture proposes a theory of how the Syriac Bible was compiled. Burkitt considers the role of the Peshitta, the Diatessaron, and the four Gospels and how their history at Edessa suggests that the Syriac Bible appeared.

Originally delivered as one of the St. Margaret’s Lectures for 1904, the contents of this booklet are focused on aspects of the Syriac-speaking Church. Extracted from Burkitt’s book Early Eastern Christianity, the first lecture concerns the early bishops of Edessa. Starting from the basic difference between Eastern and Western Christian outlooks, Burkitt briefly sketches the early history of documented Edessa. Christianity appeared in the city between its sacking by the Romans and its incorporation into the Roman Empire around the start of the third century A.D.

As the title of this work broadly indicates, it is the translation into English of St. Cyril of Alexandria’s commentary on the Gospel of Luke. This manuscript document had recently been acquired by Oxford University in Syriac. Payne Smith published an edition, but quickly realized that the work would largely go ignored if it were not translated into English. Cyril’s own interpretation of one of the Gospels focuses a crucial eye on a major source for understanding early Christianity.

As the title of this work broadly indicates, it is the translation into English of St. Cyril of Alexandria’s commentary on the Gospel of Luke. This manuscript document had recently been acquired by Oxford University in Syriac. Payne Smith published an edition, but quickly realized that the work would largely go ignored if it were not translated into English. Cyril’s own interpretation of one of the Gospels focuses a crucial eye on a major source for understanding early Christianity.

Common Heritage, Divided Communion examines the various religious and secular events related to the Council of Chalcedon (451) and the so-called “Monophysite” schism. It includes a detailed overview and analysis of contemporary Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox ecumenical efforts to re-establish ecclesial communion.

This ground-breaking study offers a reassessment of Moses' book of the law from a narrative theory perspective. Concerned for the long-term viability of his people, Moses legislates a public reading of his document which is deposited next to the ark of the covenant as a national testament. Through the mechanics of narrative mediation, the narrator reveals to the reader of Deuteronomy the contents of Moses' enshrined publication. Deuteronomy's simulcast of Moses' book invites external readers to compare and evaluate their readings with story-world readers who access the same text within the Bible's Primary Narrative.

This article contributes to the knowledge of Jacob of Edessa’s (d. 708) Old Testament revision by editing twenty texts (a total of 80 verses) from the Book of Isaiah and comparing them with the Greek recensions of the Septuagint, with the Peshitta, and the Syrohexapla. Two special features are introduced to set out Jacob’s revision technique in some detail: 1. comparison with an earlier undeveloped stage of Jacob’s revision extant in Ms Add 17,134 of the British Library; and 2. the distinction (by different colours and fonts) of the ‘traditions’ involved in the definite stage of his revision. Both features point to the emphasis given to the Peshitta in translating the substantial Greek text of the Old Testament.

A panorama of Russian Christian spirituality, richly illustrated with passages from formative works.

Originally published in two small volumes of Semitic ephemera written in German, this collection of observations of Paul de Lagarde still contains his cogent insights into the world of Semitic linguistics. Critical remarks on the book of Isaiah introduce his characteristic detail on a number of verses in the prophetic book. The second selection concerns the clarification of Akkadian (Chaldean) words occurring in the Hebrew Bible. In the second major section of the work, de Lagarde presents the leaves of the Septuagint of Codex Sarravianus found in Paris. This annotated Greek material comes from the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers.

Can I Play Too? is a story about a dog who wants to be boss and who is intolerant of others. It raises issues of exclusion and inclusion. The gentle message that is reinforced is that playing together is fun!

The publication of ancient Syriac documents was a passion for Budge. In this two-volume set, volume 1 in Syriac and volume 2 in English, Budge offers the two documents entitled “The History of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and “The History of the Likeness of Christ which the Jews of Tiberias Made to Mock at.” These two manuscripts represent the genre of New Testament apocrypha and originate in perhaps the late fourth century.

The publication of ancient Syriac documents was a passion for Budge. In this two-volume set, volume 1 in Syriac and volume 2 in English, Budge offers the two documents entitled “The History of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and “The History of the Likeness of Christ which the Jews of Tiberias Made to Mock at.” These two manuscripts represent the genre of New Testament apocrypha and originate in perhaps the late fourth century.

Important links exist between physical, emotional and mental health and spirituality. A mature and effective spiritual life has major benefits in all these areas, including longevity, resistance to disease and greater happiness. In Wellness: Life, Health and Spirituality, Richard Woods demonstrates how spirituality is good for you and good for the world! Its pages explore a number of areas in which a vibrant and healthy spirituality enables people to live longer, healthier lives, contribute to society and avoid many of the discontents of our hectic technology-drive, commercialised, artificial and often lethal way of living in todays world.