Overview
This course is aimed at the youth in the Syrian Orthodox Church in Sweden. The overall purpose of the course is to offer the 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 (Šḥimo) and the prayers of the Church year (Fanqitho och Mʿadʿdono)
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course participants should be able 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.
- Understand and reflect on the Fathers’ theological contribution to the Syrian tradition and their relevance for today
- Demonstrate basic knowledge and understanding of the liturgical life of the Syrian Orthodox Church.
- Based upon the experience of the participants, be able to reflect on the challenges and opportunities of the Syrian Orthodox Church in Sweden now and in the future.
- Identify the most important sources of the Syrian tradition and describe their relevance for today.
Further course information
Details of lessons, participation in discussions and contact with teacher and other participants take place mainly through the teaching platform Canvas.
You will have two evening lessons during the week.
The first evening will be related to the specific subject that you have chosen – you will participate in the class and discuss 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 discusses 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 is 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 Canvas 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 on another course within the seminary
