Overview
This course is intended for youth in the Syrian Orthodox Church in Sweden. The overall purpose of the course is to offer Syrian Orthodox youth an opportunity to both deepen their theoretical and practical knowledge of their Church’s teaching and life, and to develop their ability to reflect on, explain and talk about what they have learned. This course consists of four modules:
Module 1, Sources of the Syrian Orthodox Church, which deals with the ways in which tradition has been expressed through history, that is, through the scriptures, the Church Fathers, liturgy and Church law;
Module 2, Church History and Faith, which addresses the Syrian Orthodox Church’s history and faith in relation to developments in the early Church, with a special focus on Antioch.
Module 3, Patristics, which focuses on significant Church Fathers of the Syrian Orthodox tradition in five particular eras, namely, the apostolic, pre-Chalcedonian, post-Chalcedonian, post-Islamic and the present;
Module 4, Liturgy, which addresses important aspects of the liturgical life of the Syrian Orthodox Church, that is, the mystery of baptism, chrismation and the Eucharist, as well as the daily prayers (Šhimo) and the prayers of the Church year (Fanqitho och M’ad’dono).
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will have:
- the ability to describe and reflect, individually and together with other participants, on the early church and the emergence of the Syrian tradition and the context in which it emerged
- understood and reflected on the Fathers’ theological contribution to the Syrian tradition and their relevance for today
- demonstrated basic knowledge and understanding of the liturgical life of the Syrian Orthodox Church
- developed an ability to reflect on the challenges and opportunities of the Syrian Orthodox Church in Sweden now and in the future, based upon the experiences of the participants
- recognized the most important sources of the Syrian tradition and describe their relevance for today
Requirements
Students are expected to participate in all course activities, both by being present and playing an active role in scheduled course sessions, and by completing assignments to be done outside of scheduled lessons. If participants miss lessons, they may be required to do extra assignments in order to fulfill the participation requirements of the course. 80% attendance and participation (including completion of assignments) are required for the course to be considered to have been completed.
Additional Information
Disposition of 50 % course on distance
Details of lessons, participation in discussions and contact with the teacher and other participants take place primarily through the teaching platform Canvas.
You will have two evening lessons each week.
The first evening will be related to the specific subject that you have chosen – you will participate in the class and participate in discussion with your teacher and other participants in the course.
On the second evening, you will participate in an open lecture where you and all the participants within the Syrian Orthodox seminary participate and discuss important subjects within the Syrian Orthodox Church and society today. In this lesson you will have a significant influence on which subjects and discussions will take place. You will also, together with your fellow participants, present and actively defend your perspectives and solutions to questions that are raised. Within folkbildning teaching takes place not only between teacher and student, but also between student and teacher and between student and student. We learn from each other and together as a group. You will be encouraged to do the various assignments that you will be given together with other participants in the course. You will also have access to material, your teacher and other participants through the Canvas platform outside of the scheduled lessons. Your active participation is vital for the course!
If a course has a low number of participants you will be offered a place in another course within the seminary.
