Symbolic Theology of Early Syriaс Patristics
The article is devoted to the study of theological views of Syriac Christian literature up to the 5th century AD. Early Syriac theology is characterized by the expression of concepts not in logicalphilosophical terms, but by the use of typology and symbolic-figurative language. The article provides a historical overview of the founding and state of the early Syriac Church, lists the main works of literature of the period, briefly examines the problem of establishing the authorship of the “Macarian Corpus”. But the main emphasis in the article is made on the study of the theological doctrine of Jacob Aphrahat’s “Homilies” and St. Ephrem the Syrian’s “Homilies on Paradise”. Also used is the material of the Syrian apocryphal acts of apostles. The article reveals the features of Aphrahat’s and St. Ephrem’s triadology, christology and pneumatology. The early Syriac ecclesiological typology and symbolism are considered. The article presents the understanding by the investigated authors of the christological, ecclesiological and mariological aspects of the Church. In addition, the eschatological emphasis of the literature of the period is underlined. The conclusion is made about the individual-ascetic bias of the early Syriac Christian theology.