and Arabic, Jewish, Islamic and Byzantine connections
Oh there's been some very interesting and heated debates among academics on this topic which I've only just discovered! Many posts and sites including: Emile B, Eileen Joy and responders, Old Babel Working group site,(especially see Items #9 and #12) and the new Babel Working group site. Plus Historian on the Edge, and In the Middle. Very interesting.
Posted by Fr. Dr. John N D'Alton at 9:13 PM 0 comments
Today I found "Elpenor"- some more useful Greek classics and language resources, to add to the
amazing Perseus resources at http://www.perseus.tufts.edu
This is essential for researching the Greek background to the agon and other aspects of the virtues.
Posted by Fr. Dr. John N D'Alton at 10:30 PM 0 comments
Some great new books: 1. Spiritual Purification in Islam: The Life and Works of al-Muhasibi 2. The Secrets of Ascetism 3. The Remembrance of God 4. Treatise for the Seekers of Guidance : English Translation of Al Muhasibi's Risala al Mustarshidin (Zaid Shakir)
My thesis is so much easier to write with resources like these :-)
Posted by Fr. Dr. John N D'Alton at 3:06 PM 0 comments
"Resurrection asceticism"- this is the term that I think I've coined and that I'm now using for St Aphrahat's distinctive approach to ascetic motivation. In his "Demonstrations" he sees the main driver for ascetic practice (especially virginity) as the reality of a future resurrection, which he seems to see as already partially realised and being lived out now.
Posted by Fr. Dr. John N D'Alton at 3:47 PM 0 comments
Links that simplify the task of finding stuff are very valuable, and great resource person Roger Pearse provides these:
Patrologia Latina (PL) PDF’s
Patrologia Graeca (PG) PDF’s
Patrologia Orientalis (PO) PDF’s
and also pointed to these other links which also assist with finding contents in the Greek and Latin fathers: latina.patristica.net and graeca.patristica.net
Thanks Roger!
Posted by Fr. Dr. John N D'Alton at 6:26 PM 0 comments
Great news- some key Syriac resources are now online.
Roger Pearse writes that he:
"...discovered what looks like all the issues of the Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenländischen Gesellschaft online, for free, up to 2005, here:
http://menadoc.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/dmg/periodical/structure/2327
It includes indexes, supplements and all. You can’t download whole volumes, but you can download the individual articles you want. The scans are greyscale, and good quality.
This journal is very important for Syriac studies, I know. Probably for Arabic also. And it’s all here. Wow."
Posted by Fr. Dr. John N D'Alton at 7:41 PM 0 comments
I've been noticing how the cognitive metaphor of struggle (jihad) is used in Aussie newspapers, and I've collected many examples of politicians "struggling to explain their policies", "struggling for control of their party" etc. Also of sportspeople "battling", "striving" and "struggling" against fatigue, opponents, the weather etc.
I've also been researching the idea of struggle/jihad in various European language newspapers, and in key literature like Jane Eyre! The notion of jihad is alive and well in the European mind in the West!!
Posted by Fr. Dr. John N D'Alton at 8:27 PM 0 comments
