The Wisdom of the Pearlers: An Anthology of Syriac Christian Mysticism (Volume 216)

by Brian Colless (Translator)

The pearlers we meet in this book were early monks of Syria, Mesopotamia (Iraq), and Persia (Iran). They saw themselves as pearl-divers and pearl-merchants searing—through asceticism and prayer—for the precious pearl of mystical experience. Their quest led them into the wilderness, to a state of silent solitude in remote caves and hermitages. 

Working from Syriac manuscripts in the British Museum, the Vatican Library, the Greek monastery of Saint Catherine in the wilderness of Sinai, and the Coptic monastery of the Syrians (Der es-Suriani) in the Egyptian desert, Brian E. Colless has produced a volume which draws modern readers into the spiritual world of Christian spirituality little know in the West or in the Chalcedonian East. 

Genres: Philosophy

264 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2007

Reviews

[Fadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond the standard exegesis and prayer of the established ecclesiastical hierarchy is a world of monks rejecting the corporeal world. Few, the likes of Ephrem of Edessa and Isaac of Nineveh, served the church, but the majority devoted themselves to mysticism, prayer and the purification of the mind, body and soul. Syriac is a poetic language that is full of symbolism even when interpreting and expounding biblical literature. In this case, we see the pearl (ܡܲܪܓܵܢܝ݂ܬ݂ܵܐ) as a recurring, central theme in works of instruction and mysticism.

This is an essential read to anyone interested in Christian mysticism, or the third tradition, Syriac Christianity.

[Emelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A great and glorious treasure, without equal in the creation, is hidden within you, O man. If you had become aware of it, even by accident, you would have cried out like the prophet: I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my being, until I find a place for this divine treasure hidden in me.” (Simon Taibutheh)

I sin antologi har Brian E. Colless lyft fram en mängd olika lärda inom den syrisk kristna mystiken. Verket innehåller dels kortare biografier över deras liv och verksamhet, men också ett smärre urval av texter från respektive person. Några som har tagit plats i verket är Efraim Syriern, Isak av Nineve, Dionysios Areopagita, Simon Taibutheh (som citatet ovan är hämtat ifrån), Dadisho Qatraya och Gregorius Bar-Hebraeus. I sin helhet ges en otroligt fin liten introduktion till den kristna traditionen från öst.