HoD: Dr. Geo Pallikunnel, CMI

Email: pallikunnelcmi@hotmail.com

Vision: The Church was born in the East and its roots are also there, though it spread to the West immediately. Hence, the Church has to breathe with her both lungs, East and West, with a healthy and balanced synthesis of eastern and western perspectives. The study of Eastern Christian Traditions and Theology is a deeper search into the roots of the Church. This licentiate programme is envisaged to go deep into the biblical, theological, liturgical, spiritual and patristic heritages of the Eastern Christian Traditions, especially the Syriac Tradition, which is flourishing in India and is getting global attention. The unique faith-vision and life-style of the Thomas Christians of India is an enrichment to this living and dynamic tradition.

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Objectives

• Systematic and scientific reflection on the vision of the Eastern Christian Biblical Interpretation, Theology, Liturgy, Spirituality, History, and allied subjects.
• Special emphasis on the Syriac legacy and Tradition.
• Deeper enquiry and study of the unique Christian life-style and faith-vision of the Thomas Christians of India.
• Understanding the Semitic Judeo-Christian roots and the resumption of the biblical, symbolic, typological, poetic and pastoral approaches of the Syriac Tradition into Christian witnessing.
• Highlighting the unique contribution and vision of the Eastern Fathers and imbibing their spirit.

Principal Courses

• Introduction to Eastern Christian Churches
• Bible in the Syriac Tradition
• Eastern Church Fathers and Their Theology
• Eastern Patristic Exegesis
• Eastern Christian Monasticism
• Eastern Christian Pneumatology
• The Mystery of Christ in the Eastern Christian Tradition
• Mary in the Eastern Christian Tradition
• Mystery of the Church in the Eastern Christian Tradition
• Mystery of Theosis
• East/West Syriac Anaphoras
• Liturgical Year in the East/West Syriac Tradition
• Greek Fathers and the Development of Apophatic Theology
• History of Thomas Christians in India
• Synod of Diamper and its Variant Readings
• Eastern Christian Missiology
• Ethos and Ethics: An Eastern Perspective
• Eastern Canon Law and Its Sources
• Icons: Theology in Colours
• Symbolic Theology of Ephrem

Optional Courses

• Syriac Fathers (Aphrahat/Ephem/Narsai/Jacob of Serug/ Isaac of Niniveh)
• Greek Fathers (Origen /Irenaeus/ Capadocian Fathers / Maximus the Confessor)
• Ecumenical Councils
• Magisterial Documents on Eastern Churches
• Christology: Alexandrian vs. Antiochene
• Luminaries of Thomas Christians
• History of the School of Nisibis and its Theology
• Spiritual Traditions in the Christian Orient
• Liturgy and Bible
• Liturgical Spirituality
• Liturgical Art and Architecture
• Mysteries of Initiation in the East Syriac Tradition
• Ecumenical Situation in India Today
• Religious Pluralism and Thomas Christians
• Luminaries of Thomas Christians
• Placid J. Podipara’s Contribution to the Thomas Christians of India
• Pastoral Care of the Migrant Thomas Christians
• Inculturation and the Thomas Christian Tradition

PROGRAMME 2019-2020
LICENTIATE IN EASTERN THEOLOGY FIRST SEMESTER
Biblical Greek	Sebastian Mullooparambil
Latin	Sebastian Payyappilly
Methodology	Geo Pallikunnel
Eastern Theology	Thomas Kollamparampil
Introduction to Eastern Churches	Geo Pallikunnel
Revisiting the Synod of Diamper - Variant Readings	Francis Thonippara
Mystery of Theosis	Geo Pallikunnel
LICENTIATE IN EASTERN THEOLOGY SECOND SEMESTER
History of Theology	Shaji George Kochuthara
Christology: Alexandrian vs. Antiochene	Sebastian Athappilly
Holy Spirit in the Early Syriac Tradition	Geo Pallikunnel
Ephrem’s Hymns on Paradise	Thomas Kollamparampil
School of Nisibis and its Theology	Siby Kavattu

 

Languages

• Syriac (Level I, II & III) – Dr Thomas Kollamparampil CMI / Dr Geo Pallikunnel CMI
• Greek (Level I + II) - Dr Sebastian Mullooparampil CMI
• Latin (Level I ) – Dr Sebastian Payyappilly CMI /Dr Benny Tharakunel
• Hebrew (Level I) – Dr Joy Philip Kakkanatt CMI (Optional)
• Modern Languages: French / German / Italian (Level I) –     Dr Joy Philip Kakkanatt CMI, Dr Shaji George Kochuthara CMI

Other Requirements

• Tutorials / Textual Studies from ones own field of specialization: 1 (per year)
• Research Paper (I year)
• Dissertation (II Year)
• Introduction to Eastern Theology (for beginners other than from DVK)