Syriac Baptismal Tradition

TEXTS

• Acts of Thomas and Acts of John

  • A. F. J. Klijn, “Baptism in the Acts of Thomas”, in Studies on Syrian Baptismal Rites, J. Vellian, Ed. Kottayam: C.M.S. Press, 1973, pp. 57-62.
  • A. F. J. Klijn, “An Ancient Syriac Baptismal Liturgy in the Syriac Acts of John”, Novum Testamentum, vol. 6, no. 2-3, pp. 216-228, 1963.

• Church of the East

  • The liturgy of the Holy Apostles Adai and Mari. Together with two additional liturgies to be said on certain feasts and other days: and the order of Baptism. The order of the consecration of the Oblation and of Baptism. Complete and entire. Urmia: Mission of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 1893. Pp. 63–82.

• Syrian Orthodox

  • (i) Anonymous: ed. + English translation, S. P. Brock, “The Anonymous Syriac Baptismal Ordo in ADD. 14518”, Parole de l'Orient, vol. 8, pp. 311-346, 1977.
  • (ii) Attributed to Timothy of Alexandria: ed. + English translation in S. P. Brock, “A New Syriac Baptismal Ordo Attributed to Timothy of Alexandria”, Le Muséon, vol. 83, pp. 367-431, 1970.
  • (iii) Attributed to Severus of Antioch (in current use): Syriac + English, Archdeacon Murad Saliba Barsom and Metropolitan Mar Athanasius Yeshue Samuel, The sacrament of holy baptism according to the ancient rite of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch. Hackensack: A.Y. Samuel, 1974.. 
    • S. P. Brock, “Studies in the Early History of the Syrian Orthodox Baptismal Liturgy”, Journal of Theological Studies, vol. 23, pp. 16-64, 1972.

• Maronite

  • French translation in A. Mouhanna, Les rites de l'initiation dans l'Eglise maronite. Rome: Pontifical Institute of Oriental Studies, 1978.

• Melkite (in original Antiochene rite)

  • Latin translation in J. S. Assemani, Codex liturgicus ecclesiae universae in XV libros distributus in quo continentur libri rituales, missales, pontificales, officia, dypticha, etc., ecclesiarum Occidentis, et Orientia, vol. 3, 10 vol. Rome: Komarek, 1758.
  • Archaic short service: ed. + English translation in S. P. Brock, “A Short Melkite Baptismal Ordo”, Parole de l'Orient, vol. 3, pp. 119-130, 1972.

COMMENTARIES

ANONYMOUS (early 5th cent.?)

• S. P. Brock, “Some Early Syriac Baptismal Commentaries”, Orientalia Christiana Periodica, vol. 46, pp. 20-61, 1980.

THEODORE of Mopsuestia (d. 428)

• Translation in A. Mingana, Ed., Commentary of Theodore of Mopsuestia on the Nicene Creed. Cambridge: W. Heffer & Sons, 1932. and A. Mingana, Ed., Commentary of Theodore of Mopsuestia on the Lord's prayer and on the sacraments of baptism and the eucharist. Cambridge: W. Heffer and Sons, 1933.

NARSAI (5th cent.)

• Translation in R. H. Connolly, The Liturgical Homilies of Narsai: Translated into English with an Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1909.

GEORGE of the ARABS (d.724)

• Ed. + English translation in R. H. Connolly and Codrington, H. W., Two Commentaries on the Jacobite Liturgy. London: Text and Translation Society by Williams and Norgate, 1913.. Pp. 11–15.

MOSES bar KEPHA (d.903)

• English translation in J. Vellian, Ed., Studies on Syrian Baptismal Rites. Kottayam: C.M.S. Press, 1973.. Pp. 1–15.

STUDIES

• E. Beck, “Le bapteme chez saint Ephrem”, L'Orient Syrien, vol. 1, pp. 111-137, 1956.
• S. P. Brock, The Holy Spirit in the Syrian Baptismal Tradition. [Bronx]: [John XXIII Centre, Fordham University], 1979.
• S. P. Brock, “The Transition to a Post-Baptismal Anointing in the Antiochene Rite”, in The Sacrifice of Praise: Studies in Honour of A.H. Couratin, B. D. Spinks, Ed. Rome: C.L.V. Edizioni liturgiche, 1981, pp. 215-225.
• S. P. Brock, “Baptismal Themes in the Writings of Jacob of Serugh”, in Symposium syriacum, vol. 2, 7 vol., Rome: Pontificium Institutum Orientalium Studiorum, 1978, pp. 325-347.
• S. P. Brock, “Some Important Baptismal Themes in the Syriac Tradition”, The Harp, vol. 4, no. 1-3 , pp. 189-214, 1991.
• J. Chalassery, The Holy Spirit and Christian Initiation in the East Syrian Tradition. Rome: Mar Thoma Yogam, 1995.
• E. J. Duncan, Baptism in the demonstrations of Aphraates the Persian sage. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1941.
• C. - M. Edsman, Le bapteme de feu. Leipzig: Uppsala, 1940.
• T. M. Finn, Early Christian Baptism and the Catechumenate: West and East Syria, vol. 2, 2 vol. Collegeville : Liturgical Press, 1992.
• J. Mateos, “Theologie du bapteme dans le formulaire de Severe d'Antioche”, in Symposium Syriacum 1972: célébré dans les jours 26-31 octobre 1972 à l'Institut pontifical oriental de Rome; rapports et communications, vol. 1, 7 vol., Rome: Pontifical Institute of Oriental Studies, 1974, pp. 135-161.
• G. Saber, La théologie baptismale de Saint Ephrem: essai de théologie historique. Kaslik: Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik, 1974.
• B. Varghese, Les onctions baptismales dans la tradition syrienne. Louvain: Peeters, 1989.
• G. Winkler, “The History of the Syriac Pre-Baptismal Anointing in the Light of the Earliest Armenian Sources”, in Symposium Syriacum, vol. 2, 7 vol., Rome: Pontifical Institute of Oriental Studies, 1978, pp. 317-324.
• G. Winkler, “The Original Meaning of the Pre-Baptismal Anointing and its Implications”, Worship, vol. 52, pp. 24-45, 1978.