Inside the Core

Inside the Core this week, we are excited to hold our first TEAMS Scholars’ Forum event of the year (as our first was co-sponsoring Bill Connell, Ph.D., in October). On Tuesday, November 14 at 4 p.m., Core Fellow Jason Scully, Ph.D., is discussing his book Isaac of Nineveh’s Ascetical Eschatology (Oxford University Press 2017). Prof. Scully, who holds a Ph.D. from Marquette University has also published several articles on East-Syriac mysticism. It promises to be an interesting and rich discussion of this text.

Scully, who teaches all Core I, Core II, and Core III, has been an important part of the Core for many years. His Core III classes include Christian-Muslim Dialogue and Global Christianity, both cross-listed with Catholic Studies. He has presented recently on "The Greek Sources of East-Syriac Mysticism: A Journey through Texts and Thought", "Babai’s Commentary on Evagrius’s Gnostic Chapters as an early Witness to the Transmission of Gregory of Nazianzus’s Writings into Syriac"," at the University of Leuven, Irish College, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. (June 26, 2023). His recent research activity includes work on "Asceticism or Contemplation: Shifting Conceptions of the Holy Spirit in East Syriac Christianity" (On-Going, May 2020 - Present) and editing the footnotes for "A Revisionist Suggestion Regarding the Background for the Idea of the Expansion of the Soul in Gregory the Great’s Life of Benedict" (January 2019 – Present, completed). This book chapter (written by Alexander Golitzin) will be included in an edited volume on the methodology of Historical Theology.

Besides being an accomplished scholar in his field, Jason Scully is a wonderful teacher, bringing his scholarship into his classes. He says, "My book, Isaac of Nineveh's Ascetical Eschatology (Oxford University Press), examines the spirituality of Isaac of Nineveh, a Syriac speaking monk who was born in Qatar in the seventh century and lived in Southeast Iraq, and provides an investigation into his Syriac cultural heritage. My research on Isaac uncovers a different lens through which to view Christian history so that it can become truly catholic (i.e. universal) and capable of engaging the faith of non-Western Christians. This non-Western Christian heritage especially informs my CORE 3 courses at Seton Hall: Global Christianity and Christianity and Islam in Dialogue."

His presentation will allow us to hear in more depth about this interesting and important are of study in the Catholic intellectual tradition and inter-religious dialogue.

Here is the link for that forum.

Categories: Faith and Service