Rev. Fr. Dr. Jacob Joseph, Ph.D.
Dean, St. John’s Theological SeminaryLecturer in Theology, St. Athanasius Coptic Theological College – University of Divinity Associate Professor, Holy Transfiguration College – Agora University
Rev. Fr. Dr. Jacob Joseph is a priest of the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Dean of St. John’s Theological Seminary. He holds a Doctor of Theology from the University of Divinity, Melbourne, where he received the Chancellor’s Award in 2020 for academic excellence. His doctoral dissertation, “The Christ Who Embraces: An Orthodox Theology of Margins in India,” explores mission and marginality from an Orthodox theological perspective.
Fr. Jacob’s teaching and research focus on Patristic and Contemporary Theology of Mission, Orthodox Theology, Oriental Liturgies, and Church History. He has lectured extensively at St. Athanasius Coptic Theological College (Melbourne), Holy Transfiguration College (USA), and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary (India), as well as serving as Guest Lecturer at Pilgrim Theological College (University of Divinity, Melbourne).
He is the author of The Christ Who Embraces: An Orthodox Theology of Mission (Brill, 2025) and editor of Millennium Vision (2002). His scholarly contributions include numerous articles in international journals such as Springer’s Encyclopedia of Indian Religions, CISRS’s Religion and Society, and Hekamtho: Syrian Orthodox Theological Journal.
Ordained in 1999, Fr. Jacob has also served in parish ministry across India, New Zealand, the United States, and Australia, bringing pastoral experience into the classroom and mentoring future church leaders.
Fr. Jacob is fluent in Malayalam, Hindi, and English. He is married to Baskyomo Deepa Jacob, and they are blessed with two sons, Hansel and Georgy.
Dn. Dr. George Anton Kiraz, Ph.D.
Faculty Member – St. John’s Theological Seminary
Senior Research Associate, Institute for Advanced Study | Princeton
Lecturer in Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University | Founder and Editor-in-Chief at Gorgias Press
Dr. George Anton Kiraz is an eminent Syriac scholar, computational linguist, digital humanist, and ordained Deacon (“Shamshono”) in the Syriac Orthodox Church, widely recognized as one of the foremost authorities in the preservation and study of Syriac language, literature, and heritage. Born in 1965 in Bethlehem to a Syriac Orthodox family with ancestral roots in Elazığ, Anatolia, Dr. Kiraz learned Syriac at an early age at the Monastery of Saint Mark in Jerusalem before emigrating to the United States with his family in 1983.
He earned his B.Sc. in Engineering from California State University, Northridge, in 1990, a Master’s degree in Syriac Studies from the University of Oxford in 1991, a Master’s in Computer Speech and Language Processing from the University of Cambridge in 1992, and completed his Ph.D. at Cambridge in 1996 with a dissertation on “Computational Approach to Semitic Nonlinear Morphology” under the supervision of Dr. Stephen G. Pulman, FBA.
Dr. Kiraz has dedicated his career to bridging the worlds of traditional Syriac scholarship and modern computational methods, pioneering the use of digital tools for the study and preservation of Syriac manuscripts and advancing the field of digital humanities. He has taught Syriac language and culture at institutions such as Princeton University, Princeton Theological Seminary, Rutgers University, and the POLIS Institute in Jerusalem. In addition to his academic appointments, Dr. Kiraz is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Gorgias Press, a publishing house dedicated to Eastern Christianity and Middle Eastern studies, and the founder of Beth Mardutho: The Syriac Institute, which promotes the study and preservation of Syriac heritage worldwide.
His scholarly contributions are prolific, with more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, books, primers, grammars, and edited volumes to his credit, including The Syriac Primer: Reading, Writing, Vocabulary & Grammar, Comparative Edition of the Syriac Gospels, The New Syriac Primer, and The Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage. His research interests include Syriac language and culture, Eastern Christianity and its interaction with Islam, cultural history of Middle Eastern minorities, and computational linguistics. He has been awarded major research grants from the Qatar National Research Fund, Erasmus+ Programme, International Balzan Prize Foundation, and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, supporting projects ranging from lexicographical surveys of Beth Qaṭraye to the development of new digital tools and standards for the study of Syriac manuscripts.
Ordained first as Reader (Qoruyo) in Bethlehem in 1977 and later as Sub-Deacon in Jerusalem in 1983, Dr. Kiraz was ordained as a full Deacon (Ewangeloyo) in Teaneck, New Jersey, in 2012 by His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, then Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim. His lifelong commitment to the Church and scholarship continues to inspire students, clergy, and researchers across the globe.
Dr. Kiraz is married to Christine Kiraz, and together they have three children. He resides in Piscataway, New Jersey, and remains committed to using his scholarship and leadership to ensure that the Syriac heritage is preserved, studied, and passed on to future generations.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Iskandar Bcheiry, Ph.D.
Faculty Member – St. John’s Theological Seminary
Metadata Editor at Atla, (formerly the American Theological Library Association), Chicago, USA.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Iskandar Bcheiry is an accomplished scholar, theologian, and historian whose academic career spans over two decades across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. He holds two doctorates—one in World Christianity and Global Missions with a focus on Christian-Muslim Studies from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (2019), and another in Ecclesiastic Sciences – Church History from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome (2005). He also earned advanced degrees in Theology and Syriac Studies from the University of the Holy Spirit-Kaslik (USEK) in Lebanon and the Patriarchal Seminary of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Damascus, Syria.
Fr. Dr. Bcheiry’s academic specialization lies in Late Antiquity, Medieval History, Syriac Christianity, and Christian-Muslim relations. He has authored and edited numerous books published by Gorgias Press and The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, including An Early Christian Reaction to Islam: Išū‘yhab III and the Arab Muslims, Hagiography, History, and Manuscript Culture: Studies in Syriac Christianity, and The Life and Deeds of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch John son of Say Allah (1491). His extensive publication record includes also more than 30 peer-reviewed articles in leading international journals such as Oriens Christianus, Studia Patristica, Parole de L’Orient, The Syriac Annals of the Romanian Academy, and Hugoye. His current projects include surveying and mapping Syriac settlements and sacred places in Southeast Turkey and writing a book about the history of the Syriac Orthodox Maphrianate.
In addition to his prolific research, Fr. Dr. Bcheiry serves as Metadata Editor for the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) in Chicago, contributing to global scholarship in theology and religion. He has previously held a leading researcher position at the National Archives Center in Abu Dhabi (U.A.E.), cataloged Syriac and Arabic manuscripts at major academic institutions, and facilitated licensing collaborations between publishers of theological journals in Rome and the ATLA.
A passionate educator, Fr. Dr. Bcheiry has taught courses in Syriac, Arabic, and Church History at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Ignatius University (New York), and St. Jacob Syriac Seminary (Germany). His teaching integrates historical rigor with linguistic immersion, inspiring students to appreciate the depth of Syriac heritage and the theological richness of early Christian traditions.
Throughout his distinguished career, he has received numerous grants and fellowships, including awards from the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, the Oriental Institute Museum at the University of Chicago, and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). He has also presented at leading academic conferences, including the Oxford Patristic Conference, North American Patristics Society, and international Syriac studies symposia.
Ordained as a Priest in 2006, he has been serving the Syriac Orthodox Community in Chicago. Fr. Dr. Bcheiry is fluent in Arabic, Syriac, English, and Italian, with additional proficiency in French, Urdu, Hebrew, and Greek. His scholarly contributions continue to strengthen the bridge between Eastern and Western Christian traditions, particularly in the fields of manuscript studies, hagiography, and interfaith scholarship.
He is blessed with his wife Nazo and children Gabriel, Emmanuel, Ninweh, Alexander, and Tibelya.
Dr. Ephrem Aboud Ishac, Ph.D.
Faculty Member, St. John’s Theological Seminary
Senior Postdoctoral Fellow – Austrian Academy of Sciences| Visiting Professor -Central European University | Scholar of Syriac Liturgy and Manuscripts
Dr. Ephrem Aboud Ishac is a distinguished scholar of Syriac liturgy, manuscript studies, and digital humanities. He currently serves as a Senior Postdoctoral Fellow and Principal Investigator of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) project, “Identifying Scattered Puzzles of Syriac Liturgy Manuscripts,” hosted at the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, Austria. He is also a Visiting Professor in the Department of Historical Studies at the Central European University (CEU – Vienna) and an Affiliated Member of the Cluster of Excellence: EurAsian Transformations.
Dr. Ishac’s academic work focuses on Syriac liturgical and canonical texts preserved in manuscripts and fragments, often combining digital humanities methods to decode and preserve ancient sources. He has been actively involved in cataloging and studying Syriac manuscripts in some of the most significant collections in the world, including those of the Matenadaran Institute of Ancient Manuscripts in Armenia and the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate in Syria and Lebanon.
He previously taught Liturgy at the University of Salzburg, Austria and Yale University, USA and Syriac language at the Central European University in Vienna, where he continues to mentor students and researchers in the field of Eastern Christian studies.
Dr. Ishac earned his Ph.D. in Liturgy (summa cum laude) from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) in Lebanon, where his dissertation focused on The Syriac Liturgical Anaphora of Mor Jacob of Edessa. He also holds a Master of Arts in General Theology from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York, with a thesis on Jacob of Edessa’s Hexaemeron in comparison with St. Basil of Caesarea’s Hexaemeron.
His research has been supported by numerous prestigious fellowships and grants from institutions such as Yale University (USA), the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (USA), the Fondazione per le Scienze Religiose Giovanni XXIII (FSCIRE – Bologna, Italy), and the Austrian Research Fund (FWF – Austria). He has also held visiting appointments at Yale University, the University of Graz, and the Central European University.
Dr. Ishac has published widely on Syriac manuscripts, liturgical traditions, and ecumenical dialogue.
He also co-edited Tracing Written Heritage in a Digital Age (Harrassowitz Verlag, 2021), a volume that reflects his deep commitment to digital preservation, interdisciplinary scholarship, and the safeguarding of Syriac heritage across diverse Christian traditions.
Dr. Ishac has delivered lectures and keynote presentations around the world — from Oxford and Rome to Yale and Cairo — on topics such as liturgical theology, manuscript transmission, and the intersection of artificial intelligence and the humanities. His work exemplifies a profound dedication to the Church’s intellectual and liturgical legacy, bridging ancient faith and modern technology.
At St. John’s Theological Seminary, Dr. Ishac contributes to the Seminary’s mission by offering his expertise in Eastern Christian liturgy, Syriac studies, and theological scholarship, inspiring students to deepen their understanding of the Church’s ancient heritage and its relevance today.
Published Articles and Chapters (a few Selected):
1. “Expensive Blessings in the Syriac Liturgical Tradition” On Earth as in Heaven? Liturgy, Materiality, and Economics, edited by Melanie C. Ross, Collegeville: Liturgical Press, Minnesota 2025, pp. 153-179.
2. “The First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea 325 in Syriac Synodal Politics” in Annales
Historiae Conciliorum 53 (2023), pp. 69-86. [published in December 2024]
3. “Manuscript Without Borders: Syriac Migrating Written Heritage” Mfaḥmono Kashiro:
Perspectives on the Syriac Bible in Honor of Andreas Juckel, edited by George Anton Kiraz and Hannah Stork, (Gorgias Eastern Christian Studies 71), Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2024, pp. 35-56.
4. “A ‘Colophon’ or a ‘Chronicle’? A Lengthy Garshuni-Arabic Colophon” Literary Snippets: A Colophon Reader, edited by Sabine Schmidtke and George Anton Kiraz, Gorgias Press 2024, pp. 101-145.
5. “In Colophons and Margins of the Syriac Liturgical Manuscripts” in Literary Snippets: Colophons Across Space and Time, edited by Sabine Schmidtke and George Anton Kiraz, Gorgias Press 2023, pp. 187-199.
6. “Jacob of Edessa’s Liturgical Commentary to George the Stylite of Serugh”, with Gabriel Aydin, The Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Journal (60/2022), pp. 67-89.
7. “Hidden Syriac Manuscripts at Yale”, in E. Ishac et al. Tracing Written Heritage in a Digital Age, Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden 2021, pp. 159-194.
8. “A Journal of Two Cities: «Proche-Orient Chrétien» from Jerusalem to Beirut”, in Cristianesimo nella storia, Cristianesimo nella storia: Studies in History, Theology and Exegesis (1/2020), pp. 295-321.
For a complete CV (regularly updated), see:
https://oeaw.academia.edu/EphremAboudISHAC
Raban Dayroyo Saliba Er, Ph.D.
Faculty Member, St. John’s Theological Seminary
Dayroyo Saliba Er was born on April 9, 1979, in Austria to his devoted parents Mr. Isaiah Er and Mrs. Meryem Er. A distinguished theologian and accomplished scholar in the Syriac Orthodox tradition, Dayroyo Saliba has dedicated his life to advancing the study of Syrian Christianity, liturgy, and the Syriac language. He earned his Doctorate in Theology (Ph.D.) from the University of Vienna in 2019, specializing in Liturgy and Sacramental Studies at the Catholic Theological Faculty. He also holds a Master of Arts in Theology from the University of Cardiff, UK, and a Bachelor’s degree in Theology and International English from the University of Chichester, UK, where he was awarded the Fred Chembers Memorial Prize (BA Hons) for academic excellence.
Dayroyo Saliba’s academic career includes extensive teaching and research at the University of Salzburg, where he lectured in Pastoral Theology, Hagiography and Martyrology, Liturgical Studies, and the Syriac Language. He also served as a Research Project Associate (Post-Doctoral), focusing on a 10th-century Syriac manuscript on the Eucharist authored by Elio of Harran, translating it into English and tracing its patristic and biblical sources.
In addition to his university work, he directed the Beth Suryoye Student House in Vienna, providing formation and residence for Syrian theology students, and led pastoral and catechetical programs serving migrant and refugee families in Vienna.
His scholarly contributions include numerous publications on Syriac liturgy and theology, such as:
Baptism in the Homilies of Theodore of Mopsuestia and Jacob of Serugh (Parole de l’Orient, 2015)
Commemoration of the Departed in the Eucharist (Syriache Studien, 2014)
Preparation of the Eucharistic Gifts (Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Journal, 2018)
Eucharistic Theology in the West Syriac Tradition (Dissertation, University of Vienna, 2020)
Syrisch-orthodoxe Kirche in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart (T & T Companion to Early Church, London 2020)
The Treatise of Eliyo the Harranite to the Edessean Monk Dionysius on the Eucharist (Salzburg 2022)
Flourishing Periods of Syriac Christian Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands (Heritage Preservation Institute, Damascus 2025)
Monasticism in the Syriac Tradition (IDEM Dergisi No. 32, Istanbul 2025)
Dayroyo Saliba is fluent in Syriac, Neo-Aramaic, English, German, Turkish, and Arabic, with working knowledge of Greek and French.
He currently serves the Eastern Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the United States, under the pastoral leadership of His Eminence Archbishop Mor Dionysius John Kawak.
Dr. Sarah Knight, PhD
Faculty Member – St John’s Theological Seminary
Independent Researcher | Lecturer | Church Historian
Dr. Sarah Knight is a distinguished scholar, educator, and independent researcher specializing in Church History and the Syriac Christian tradition. With a career spanning over four decades and multiple continents, she brings to St. John’s Theological Seminary a wealth of experience in higher education, linguistics, and theological studies.
Dr. Knight completed her PhD in the Study of Religions at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London in 2020, where her research focused on the historical and spiritual evolution of the Syrian Orthodox Church in India. She also holds an MPhil in Religions and Philosophies (SOAS, 2017), an MA in Church History (SOAS, 2015), an M.Litt. in Applied Linguistics (Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad, 1985), an MA in English Literature (Sri Venkateshwara University, 1978), and a B.Sc. in Zoology (University of Kerala, 1972).
Her career as an educator includes appointments at Homerton College, University of Cambridge, where she served as Lecturer and Sessional Tutor in English Literature from 1995 to 2013. She also taught at Shinshu University in Japan, Eastbourne College of Arts and Technology, Abbey College, Cambridge, and Jai Hind College, University of Bombay, among others. Her international teaching journey also included positions with the British Council in Sri Lanka and the Edinburgh City Council in Scotland, making her pedagogical contributions both broad and impactful.
Dr. Knight has published several notable works, including:
Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Mor Adai Study Centre, 2011; Gorgias Press, 2022)
A Brief History of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church (Edessa Press, 2022)
Albhuthanauka – the Malayalam translation of A Brief History of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church (Mor Adai Study Centre, 2023)
Her lectures and presentations have illuminated the intersections of theology, linguistics, and history across various international platforms. She has delivered talks at the University of Cambridge, University of East Anglia, Ancient India-Iran Trust, and the Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in North America, among others. Her presentations—ranging from The Syrian Orthodox Church of Kerala: Its History and Doctrine to The Pahlavi Inscription on the Persian Cross of Mylapore—reflect a lifelong commitment to preserving and interpreting the theological and cultural heritage of the Syriac Christian tradition.
Dr. Knight currently continues her work as an independent researcher in Church History, focusing on the heritage of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church, its roots, and its enduring influence across generations.
In addition to her academic and research pursuits, Dr. Knight values her family deeply and attributes much of her inspiration and grounding to them.
She is blessed with her husband Benjamin Roger Knight, their son Abraham, daughter-in-law Fiona and two lovely grandchildren.
Rev. Fr. Dr. Jobymon Skaria, PhD
Faculty Member – St. John’s Theological Seminary
Specialization: Biblical Studies, Postcolonial Theology, and Interreligious Dialogue
Fr. Dr. Jobymon Skaria is a distinguished theologian, researcher, and educator whose work bridges the fields of biblical hermeneutics, South Asian religious traditions, and postcolonial theology. He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Theology from Dublin City University in Ireland, where his research focused on the intersections of liberation theology, intercultural hermeneutics, and the voices of marginalized communities. He also holds a Master of Theology from St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, a Bachelor of Divinity from Serampore University, and a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, India.
Fr. Dr. Skaria has extensive teaching experience across seminary and university contexts, including appointments as Visiting Lecturer at the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary (MSOT), Kerala, and Adjunct Lecturer at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth. His courses have covered themes such as Biblical Hermeneutics, Justice, Peace and Overcoming Violence, and Christianity and World Religions. He has also supervised graduate-level dissertations and has been recognized for his compassionate pastoral guidance and academic mentorship.
A prolific scholar, Dr. Skaria is the author of the monograph Dalit Theology, Boundary Crossings and Liberation in India: A Biblical and Postcolonial Study (Bloomsbury Academic, 2022), along with several peer-reviewed journal articles published in Vetus Testamentum, Biblische Notizen, Hekamtho, and Studies in Cultural Contexts of the Bible. His research contributes to reinterpreting the Hebrew Bible through liberation and decolonial perspectives, centering the lived realities of marginalized communities in both Indian and global contexts.
Currently, Dr. Skaria is developing a Templeton-funded project proposal titled “In Our Algorithmic Image: Dalit Theology, Post-Christian Rituals, and AI’s Theological Reimagining of Genesis 1.” This innovative project explores the theological and ethical implications of artificial intelligence across Indian and Irish religious landscapes. It seeks to engage Dalit theologians and spiritually disaffiliated communities in re-imagining the imago Dei through a digital and intercultural lens.
His areas of expertise include the Pentateuch, postcolonial biblical interpretation, Dalit and liberation theologies, religion in media, and intercultural theology. He has presented at numerous international conferences and academic forums, including Trinity College Dublin, Southeast Technological University (Waterford), and the Irish Biblical Association.
In addition to his scholarly work, Dr. Skaria is committed to inclusive pedagogy and public theology, integrating digital tools and intercultural dialogue to make theological education more accessible and transformative.
Fr. Dr. Skaria lives in Waterford, Ireland, and continues to engage globally in theological teaching, research, and ministry.
He is blessed with his wife Jomi and 4 children: Aaron, Basil, Jewel and Chris.
Complete List of Publications & Research Presentations
Monograph
Skaria, Jobymon. Dalit Theology, Boundary Crossings and Liberation in India: A Biblical and Postcolonial Study. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2022.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Skaria, Jobymon. “An Alternative Reading of Elisha’s Promise to the Shunammite Woman (2 Kgs 4:8–17) from the Margins in Achaemenid Yehud.” Vetus Testamentum (2024): 1–25. DOI: 10.1163/15685330-bja10165
Skaria, Jobymon. “Developing a Pan-Israelite Identity of the Twelve Tribes: An Alternate Reading of the Melchizedek Episode from the Margins of Late Persian/Early Hellenistic Contexts.” Biblische Notizen 201 (2024): 31–54.
Skaria, Jobymon. “Golah Politics Unmasked: An Alternative Reading of the Gibeah Episode (Judges 19:1–30) Amidst the Religio-political Developments in Early Achaemenid Yehud.” Biblische Notizen 197 (2023): 37–58.
Skaria, Jobymon. “Hosting Outsider and Dancing with Diversity: Reading Genesis 14:18–20 through Post-exilic Eyes.” Hekamtho: Syrian Orthodox Theological Journal 5.2 (2020): 22–35.
Skaria, Jobymon. “Reimagining Moab and Ammon: Genesis 19:30–38 through Persian Imperialism.” Hekamtho 3 (2017): 24–43.
Skaria, Jobymon. “Reading the Promises to Abraham in Genesis 12:1–3 through the Post-Exilic Deuteronomic Eyes.” Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection 81 (2017): 663–678.
Book Chapters and Forthcoming Articles
Skaria, Jobymon. “Meeting Between Divinity and Humanity as a Paradigm for Advancing Intercultural Dialogical Hermeneutics in India: An Intertextual Dialogue Between Abraham’s Arbitration (Gen 18:22b–33) and Pottan Theyyam.” In Studies in Cultural Contexts of the Bible. Leiden: Brill (forthcoming).
Skaria, Jobymon. “Reimagining Divine Nature for Recovery After the Babylonian Exile: Trauma, Ambiguity, and Resilience in Genesis 18:22b–33.” Journal of Biblical Literature (under review).
Book Reviews
Skaria, Jobymon. Review of Call and Commitment: A Journey of Faith from Nakba to Palestinian Liberation Theology by Naim Ateek. International Journal of Asian Christianity 7.2 (2024): 316–318.
Skaria, Jobymon. Review of The Russian Orthodox Community in Hong Kong by Loretta E. Kim and Chengyi Zhou. International Journal of Asian Christianity 7.1 (2024): 143–145.
Skaria, Jobymon. Review of Encountering Diversity in Indian Biblical Studies: A Biblical Masala, edited by David J. Chalcraft and Zhodi Angami. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies (forthcoming).
Conference Presentations & Invited Lectures
“St. Thomas Christians’ Encounter with the Caste System in South India.” Invited Lecture, Trinity College Dublin (March 2024).
“Theology in the Public Square: Dalit Theology and Dalits’ Forgotten Voices.” Invited Lecture, Southeast Technological University, Waterford (Nov 2024).
“Meeting Between Divinity and Humanity: An Intertextual Dialogue Between Abraham’s Arbitration and Pottan Theyyam.” International Conference, Accra–Salzburg–Dortmund (July 2023).
“Dignity Revolution: Reclaiming God’s Hermeneutic on Human Dignity.” Freedom of Religion or Belief Roundtable, Churches Together in UK and Ireland (March 2023).
“Developing a Pan-Israelite Identity of the Twelve Tribes.” Emerging Scholars Forum, Irish Biblical Association Annual Conference (Feb 2023).
Visiting Faculty
His Eminence Dr. Mor Severios Roger Akhrass, Ph.D.
Visiting Faculty Member – St. John’s Theological Seminary
Patriarchal Vicar for Syriac Studies
His Eminence Dr. Mor Severios Roger Akhrass, Ph.D., was born on March 7, 1981, in Sarba, Lebanon, to Mr. Riad Akhrass and Mrs. Fadia El-Haddad Akhrass. He is a bishop of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, serving as the Patriarchal Vicar for Syriac Studies and Director of the Department of Syriac Studies at the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate in Atchaneh, Lebanon.
He received his early education at Collège des Frères Maristes – Champville in Beirut and pursued Musicology at the National Conservatory of Music in Lebanon. After obtaining a French-Lebanese Baccalaureate with honors, he joined the St. Aphrem Theological Seminary in Ma‘arrat Saydnaya, Syria, where he completed his theological studies with the highest distinction.
His Eminence went on to earn Bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy and Theology from the Catholic University of Paris, both with distinction, followed by a Master of Arts in Theology from the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), graduating with highest honors. His master’s thesis, “The Apostle Peter and Antioch in the Writings of Severus the Great,” explored the ecclesiological identity of the See of Antioch through the writings of one of the Church’s most profound theologians, St. Severus of Antioch.
He subsequently earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Patristics from the Catholic University of Paris in 2013, graduating Summa Cum Laude (Mention Excellence), the highest academic distinction. His doctoral dissertation, later published as Michel le Grand: Le Livre des Chapitres (Vols. I–II, Paris, 2015), is an extensive historical, literary, and theological study of Michael the Great, one of the most significant patriarchs and historians of the Syriac Orthodox Church.
In 2014, His Eminence was appointed a Visiting Scholar at the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library (HMML) at St. John’s University in Minnesota, USA. During his time there, he contributed to the cataloging, preservation, and digital documentation of ancient Syriac manuscripts, further strengthening global scholarship on Syriac Christianity.
His Eminence has served as Instructor of New Testament, Syriac Grammar, and Ascetical Theology at the St. Aphrem Theological Seminary in Syria and currently teaches Patristics at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) in Lebanon. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Journal, the longest-running scholarly publication of the Syriac Orthodox Church.
He has been a member of the official theological dialogue commission between the Anglican Communion and the Oriental Orthodox Churches since 2014 and has represented the Syriac Orthodox Church in numerous ecumenical and inter-Orthodox dialogues, including the Working Committee for Dialogue between the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches in Greece. His research and ministry consistently reflect a deep commitment to ecclesiology, ecumenism, and the theology of Church unity.
A distinguished theologian and prolific writer, His Eminence has published numerous scholarly works in Arabic, Syriac, French, and English. His books and editions have enriched the field of Syriac studies, including:
160 Unpublished Homilies of Jacob of Serugh (2 vols., Patriarchate of Damascus, 2017)
Philoxenus of Mabbug: Dogmatic and Spiritual Writings (5 vols., 2007–2023)
Michel le Grand: Le Livre des Chapitres (2 vols., Paris, 2015)
The Spiritual Masterpiece of Canonical Prayer (Brussels, 2019)
He has authored more than 60 academic articles and chapters on topics spanning Syriac theology, Patristics, Biblical exegesis, ecclesiology, and liturgy. Many of his recent publications explore ecumenical relationships and the reception of the ecumenical councils from an Oriental Orthodox perspective, such as:
“Reception of the Clergy Ordained by the Heterodox in the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch with Special Reference to the Anglican Holy Orders” (Proche-Orient Chrétien, 2024)
“The Number of Ecumenical Councils: An Oriental Orthodox Point of View” (Proche-Orient Chrétien, 2018)
“Communion, Alliance, and Heritage: The Relations of Antioch with Its Suffragan Churches during the Pontificate of Severus the Great” (Proche-Orient Chrétien, 2014)
His Eminence is also a sought-after speaker and lecturer, having presented at international symposiums and academic gatherings throughout the Middle East, Europe, and North America, including France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Russia, Egypt, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, and the United States. In August 2025, he was invited to participate in the Ecumenical Week in Sweden to present on “Developing an Ecumenical Hermeneutic to Overcome the Division from 451 and Beyond.”
He serves on the scientific boards of Brill’s Patristic Studies in Global Perspective and Eastern Christian Texts series and on the editorial boards of Hugoye: Journal of Syriac Studies and the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Journal.
His Holiness the Patriarch consecrated him as a bishop on June 25, 2021, under the ecclesiastical name Mor Severios.
Fluent in Arabic, Syriac, and French, and proficient in English, Biblical Greek, Hebrew, and Turoyo, His Eminence is widely recognized as a leading authority on Syriac Patristics, Ecclesiology, and Ecumenical Dialogue. His work continues to build bridges between the Syriac Orthodox tradition and the wider Christian world, combining pastoral wisdom with deep theological insight.
Beyond his academic and ecclesiastical responsibilities, His Eminence enjoys playing the oud, chess, and table tennis.
His Eminence is honored to serve as a Visiting Faculty Member of St. John’s Theological Seminary, contributing to its mission of advancing theological education rooted in the Syriac Orthodox tradition and fostering dialogue among Christian traditions.