Saturday 30 April 2011

Hannah Hunt, ‘Clothed in the body’: the garment of flesh and the garment of glory in Syrian religious anthroplogy.

Drawing mostly in the writings of St Ephrem this paper explores the image of being clothed in the body from three perspectives – the concept of Adam being originally ‘clothed’ in a garment of flesh or light (according to the translation from the Targum); the repristination of this fleshly robe through baptism, and the links between the original ‘garment’ and the eschatological wedding garment. It will argue that use of this image within the early Syrian tradition contributes an affirming sense of human integrity and that the unity of divine and human natures in Christ, who himself was ‘clothed in the body,’ is mirrored in the anthropological unity of the body, soul and mind of the ‘first Adam.’

Bibliography for Clothed in the Body’ abstract for International Patristic Conference, 2011.

Beggiani, C.S. Introduction to Eastern Christian Spirituality: The Syriac Tradition Scranton, 1991)
Brock, S. The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life (Michigan, 1987)
Brock, S. Saint Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns on Paradise (New York, 1999)
Brock, S. Isaac of Nineveh: The Second Part (Louvain, 1995)
Brock, S. The Harp of the Spirit: Eighteen Poems of St Ephrem (Studies Supplementary to Sobornost no. 4, 1983)
Brock, S.John the Solitary on Prayer, JTS 30 (1979) 84-101
Brock, S. P. The Bride of Light: Hymns on Mary from the Syrian Churches (Kerala, 1994)
Budge, W. (tr) Discourses of Philoxenus vol 2 (1894)
Harvey, S.A.‘Embodiment in Time and Eternity: A Syrian Perspective’, St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly, vol. 43, no. 2 (1999)
Harvey, S.A. Scenting Salvation: Ancient Christians and the Olfactory Imagination (California, 2006)
Harvey, S. A. ‘Why the Perfume mattered: the Sinful Woman in Syriac Exegetical Tradition’, 69-89 of ed. Blower, P.M. In Domino Eloquio;In Lordly Eloquence; Essays on Patristic Exegesis in honor of Robert Louis Wilken (Grand Rapids, 2002)
Hunt, H. Joy-Bearing Grief: Tears of Contrition in the Early Syrian and Byzantine Fathers (Leiden, 2004)
Hunt, H. ‘Sexuality and penitence in Syriac Commentaries on Luke’s Sinful Woman’, Studia Patristica vols 44-49 (forthcoming 2010)
Hunt, H. ‘Tears of the Sinful Woman; A Theology of Redemption’, Hugoye, Vol 1, no. 2, July 1009, (online journal)
Johnston, A. E. Ephrem’s Homilies on Our Lord, Admonition and Repentance and The Sinful Woman Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers series  13, (Massachusetts, 1995)
Louth, A. The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition from Plato to Denys (Oxford, 1981)
McCarthy, C. Ephrem: Commentary on the Diatessaron, Journal of Semitic Studies Supplement 2 (1993)
McVey, K. E. (tr) Ephrem the Syrian: Hymns (New York, 1989)
Miller, D. The Ascetical Homilies of St Isaac the Syrian (Boston, 1991)
Mingana, A. Early Christian Mystics Woodbrooke Studies 7 (1934)
Murray, R. Symbols of Church and Kingdom: A study in Early Syriac Tradition  (London, 2006)
Sauget, J.M. ‘Une homilie syriaque sur la pécheresse attribuée à un évêque Jean’, Parole de l’Orient VI and Vii (1975-6)

CURRICULUM VITAE - HANNAH HUNT

Dr Hannah Hunt
Leeds UK

FORMAL EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Sutton High School GPDST, British School of Brussels, Carshalton Technical College
1974-5:10 ‘O’ levels: English Literature, English Language, Mathematics, Latin, French, Geography, History, Art, Biology, Music.
1975-7: 4 ‘A’ levels: English, French, History, Art
Oxford and Cambridge Use of English

1977-80: University of London, Royal Holloway College
BA in English Literature and Language

1990-1: University of Leeds
Successfully completed the first year of the BA in Theology, including Biblical Hebrew and New Testament Greek.

1991-3: University of Leeds
MA in Theology

1994-1999: University of Leeds
PhD in Theology: Thesis title: Spiritual tears and penthos (compunction) in the Early Christian Fathers.



ACADEMIC WORK

1995-2001       Parish based work, including contributions to Ripon and Leeds Diocese Lay Readership training in various guises; delivery of courses from St John’s College, Nottingham and the Certificate in Christian Studies at Ripon and York St John College. In September 2000, I conducted a series of workshops on Gendered Redemption for the Continuing Ministerial Education course.

1994 – 2004    UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, Postgraduate Tutor within the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, focussing on Early Church History and New Testament studies (including teaching of New Testament Greek).

                        During this period I also taught undergraduates of the Centre for Medieval Studies, (now Institute of Medieval Studies) (Religion and Culture in the Western Middle Ages) and co-taught MA students (Origins of Monasticism and Images and Iconography.) I am on the Board of Directors for the Institute, In 2004/5 I was appointed as advising tutor for a PhD candidate, working on Origen and Abelard.

From 1995-2003, Bible Study for Japanese English Language Students.
                       
                        Personal tutor for an ‘A’ level Religious Studies candidate,                                                  covering Church History, Ethics and Philosophy.
                       
I have assisted overseas MA students with linguistic proof-reading of their work, enhancing their use of English grammar and style.

2000-2002       COLLEGE OF THE RESURRECTION, MIRFIELD, Lecturer offering
a) one to one study support, including language support for foreign students
b) group study support sessions
c) contribution to Mission in Context
d) MA Patristic Readings, Research Methods and presentation of work in progress.
                        f) Introduction to Patristics: lectures and seminars for level 1-2 students.

2001 – 2004    THE OPEN THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE
Distance learning tutor on Church History and New Testament courses, plus dissertation supervision.

2004                UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE CONTINUING EDUCATION
Supervision of Diploma student in Orthodox Christian Studies

2001 – present OPEN UNIVERSITY
Associate Lecturer on A103 (interdisciplinary course), (2001-2007) A210 (Introduction to Literature) (2006 -) and AA316 (The Nineteenth Century Novel) (2007-8) 
                       
2002 – present LEEDS TRINITY AND ALL SAINTS
Various fixed term contracts as Senior and Associate Senior Lecturer in Theology (permanent .5 from 2005)
In addition, at various times as need arose: part time writing tutor, hourly paid teaching and marking support for English Department, TEFL work for International Students, administration of workplace attachments for other departments.
                       
ACADEMIC RELATED WORK
                       
1998-2000       Part time secretary to the Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Leeds
2001                Subject Review Officer for Department of Theology
2001-2006       Editorial work/proofreading for ARAM, a journal of Syro-Mesopotamian studies (University of Oxford)
2004 -              Arts Faculty Manager, Open University Yorkshire Region (.2 contract)
                       
VOLUNTARY WORK

Among other activities I have staffed a phone helpline, helped run a community newspaper, worked in a Fair Trade shop (both in a personnel function and on the shop floor), acted as clerk to a governing body of a school while in special measures, choir librarian, secretary to Leeds Youth Opera, various positions on Parochial Church councils (including liturgy and worship), conducted Lent Groups and prayer days, lay chaplain in a hospital and for the housebound (Eucharistic administration), taught English to Asian women in their homes, assisted primary school children with reading skills, worked in a residential home for adults with learning difficulties.  I am also a volunteer gardener at the local Sue Ryder hospice.


PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EXTERNAL ACTIVITY

1988 Westminster Pastoral Foundation Certificate in Counselling Skills
2002: City and Guilds Certificate in Basic Teaching of ESOL (English for Speakers of      Other Languages)
2006: Associate Lecturer Development and Accreditation Pathway (ALDAP) (Open University)
2006/7: Practitioner/Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

At Leeds Trinity and All Saints
July 2004: Blackboard e-learning solution
July 2005: Happy Earth Day: Sustainability and Global Education
October 2005: contribution on Book of Revelation for National Poetry Day
January 2006: Reaching Out With Outreach –Widening Participation Workshop with Villiers Park
March 2006: Moodle: ICT to support learning and teaching in H.E.
March 2006: Conducted Passiontide Meditation
April 2006: Workshop on Discovering Your Myers Briggs Type
June 2006: Skills for Handling Stress

External
June 2006: NAICE, Manchester: Tell us your story-Widening Participation in adult learning through story telling (report of this circulated within Humanities)
March 2007: Oxford Brookes: Teaching Practical Theology in Higher Education (report circulated to Theology Department)
March 2007: University of Northampton: External Examining: Preparation and Practice
July 2007: York St John/Lampeter: The Origins of the Cult of the Virgin Mary
July 2008: Open University: Diversity in the Workplace Certificate
I acted as PhD examiner in January 2009 (London, Royal Holloway College), for Eugenia Russell’s dissertation: Encomia to St Demetrius in Late Byzantine Thessalonica
April/May 2009: Erasmus exchange to Vytuatas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania.
June 2009: What is Masterly? The Fourth Joint Leeds and LMU workshop
June 2009: invited to read a manuscript for Oxford University Press

 
LECTURES, PUBLIC TALKS AND CONFERENCE PAPERS

Lectures for the Rise of Classical Christianity module at the University of Leeds: 1997 Justinian and the Council of Constantinople; 1998 The Fifth Century Christological Crises
                        For The Church in the Byzantine Empire Module: April 1999: Byzantine                             Monasticism.

For local parishes: Talks on Prayer and Desert Spirituality, The Jesus Prayer, The Christians of South India.
Retreat Addresses based on St Gregory of Nyssa’s Homilies on the Beatitudes.
Holy Week Addresses on The Orthodox Liturgy.
                        Advent lecture on Waiting for God (Christ Church, Harrogate)

                        For Research Groups in Leeds:
                        1995: Compunction and Spiritual Tears in Isaac the Syrian
                        1996: Gregory Palamas and Hesychasm

1995: Oxford University Research Group: Anthropology and Tears in Isaac the Syrian.
2004: Byzantine Church History Research Seminar: (inaugural meeting) St
Symeon the New Theologian: the cultural context of Byzantine Homilies.

                        For the Spring Symposium in Byzantine Studies:
                        1994: Penthos in Antiochus Monachus
1999: Penitence and Spiritual Grief in Gregory of Narek’s Book of Lamentation.

                        For the International Patristic Conference, Oxford:
                        1995: The Soul’s Sorrow in Syrian Patristic Thought
                        1999: Spiritual Grief in Symeon the New Theologian
2007: (in absentia) Sexuality and Penitence in Syriac Commentaries on Luke’s Sinful Woman

For a Conference on The Influence of St Ephraim, London, 1997:
The Tears of the sinful Woman: a theology of Redemption                

For the Fourth World Syriac Conference, Kerala, 1998: Praying the Body:Religious Anthropology of St. Isaac the Syrian, with reference to St John of Apamea and a lecture-recital on Western Hymnody

For the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield May, 1999: The Kingdom from the NT to Byzantium.
           
For the International Medieval Congress, Leeds,
1999: The Manly Soul in the Female Breast: St Macrina and her Brothers
2004: St Symeon the New Theologian: the cultural context of Byzantine Homilies
2006: Wiping the feet of Jesus with her hair: sexuality and penitence in the story of Luke’s Sinful Woman as seen by Ephrem and other Syriac writers.
2009: Christian or Pagan? Origen’s synthesis of Platonic and Christian models of Divine Love.

For the inaugural conference of the Orthodox Theological Research Forum, 2003: Love as ‘Philanthropia’: Origen’s response to Platonic concepts of divine love in the ‘Commentary on the Song of Songs’.
                       
2006 (June): University of Durham : Influences and Images conference Asceticism and Human Integrity: John Klimakos’ message from the desert of Mount Sinai
                       
2007 (June):   Royal Holloway College, London: Late Byzantine Spirituality The Reforming Abbot and his Tears: Penthos in Late Byzantium.

The William Temple Association, York, January 2008 Revelation: The Divine Vision explained from the Orthodox Perspective

The William Temple Association, York, February 2008 Revelation: Oppression or Liberation: A Feminist Perspective?

2008 (April) On Light: Aspects and Approaches, Oxford Medieval Graduate Conference: Divine Light and spiritual intoxication: Symeon the New Theologian’s image of penitence as a mystical winepress

2009 (May) Evangelisation in Today’s World (Vytautus Magnus University of Kaunas, Lithuani): Sarx and Soma; some ascetical considerations of the kerygma of St Paul.


 
PUBLICATIONS and RESEARCH

In 2009, I was awarded the Bishop Moorman Scholarship to research for a week at St Deiniol’s Library.  I have also been awarded research leave within Leeds Trinity and All Saints in semester one, 2009/10.

Monographs and chapters
2004: Joybearing Grief: Tears of Contrition in the writings of the Early Syrian and Byzantine Fathers (Brill, Leiden).
2004: The Westminster Handbook to Origen (ed. J McGuckin) Articles on Repentance, Love and Sacraments (Westminster John Knox Press)
2007: The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity (ed. Ken Parry) chapter on Byzantine Christianity (Blackwells, Oxford)

Papers
‘The Soul’s Sorrow in Syrian Patristic Thought’, in Studia Patristica vol. XXX111, Peeters, Leuven, 1997, pp. 530-533
‘The tears of the Sinful Woman: A theology of Redemption’, in Hugoye (on-line journal) March 1998
 ‘Praying the Body: Isaac of Nineveh and John of Apamea’ in The Harp, India, April 1999
‘The Concept of Penitent Weeping in the Psalms of David’, St Ephrem Theological Journal, Spring 1999
Penthos and Repentance in Symeon the New Theologian’, Studia Patristica vol XXXV, Peeters, Leuven, 2001, pp.114-120

Reviews and reports
‘Report of the St Ephraim Conference, 17/18 December 1997’, in British Association for the Study of Religions Bulletin, March 1998
Review of ‘St Symeon the New Theologian: The Ethical Discourses, vol. 3’ in Sobornost, 20.2, 1998
Review of ‘Man and the Environment: A Study of St Symeon the New Theologian’, in Sobornost 24.1 (2002)
Review of ‘Abba Isaiah of Scetis’ (trans J Chryssavgis and R Penkett), in Orthodox News, Vol. 17, no.1, Autumn 2003.
Review of ‘In the Heart of the Desert: the spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers’, (John Chryssavgis) in Sobornost 25.2 (2003)
Review of ‘Letters from the Desert: Barsanuphius and John’ (John Chryssavgis (tr)) in Sobornost 26.1 (2004)
Review of ‘God with Us: critical issues in Christian life and thought’ (John Breck) in
Sobornost 26.1 (2004)
Review of Writing and Holiness: The Practice of Authorship in the Early Christian East (Derek Krueger, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004)
Review of The Sex Lives of the Saints: an erotics of Ancient Hagiography (Virginia Burrus, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2004), in Journal of the History of Sexuality, vol 14, nos1/2January/April 2005
Review of Fear of God and the Beginning of Wisdom; The School of Nisibis and Christian Scholastic Culture in Late Antique Mesopotamia (Adam Becker) for The Journal Henoch vol. xxx, 2008/2, pp. 163-165.

Publications in press/under consideration

‘The Reforming Abbot and his Tears: Penthos in late Byzantium’ (pp. 13-20 in Spirituality in Late Byzantium: Essays Presenting New Research by International Scholars ed. Eugenia Russell, Cambridge Scholars, 2009)

‘Asceticism and Human Integrity: John Klimakos’ message from the desert of Mount Sinai’ (Studies Supplementary to Sobornost, July 2008)

‘Sexuality and penitence in Syriac Commentaries on Luke’s Sinful woman’ (accepted for Studia Patristica, vols XLIV-XLIX (44-49), 2010)

‘Divine Light and Spiritual Intoxication: Symeon the New Theologian’s Image of Penitence as a Mystical Winepress’ (accepted for Medium Aevum, May 2009)

Sarx and Soma: some ascetical considerations of the kerygma of St Paul’ (accepted for SOTER, Lithuania, April 2009)

The following monograph is currently being offered to publishers (currently exploring Oxford University Press and Ashgate):

Asceticism and Human Integrity: sarcophylic and sarcophobic tendencies in the late antique era.

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