Talk
Pearl Divers: The Christian Mystical Tradition of the Arabian Gulf
Wednesday, February 21, 2018, 6:30PM
NYUAD Campus, Conference Center
Past Event
Open to the Public
The Arabian Gulf was home to a vibrant Christian tradition in late antiquity, one that wrote and worshipped in a dialect of Aramaic called Syriac. The Syriac Christian tradition was well known throughout the region for its rich mystical literature. The Christian mystics of the region understood themselves as pearl divers, plunging into the depths of this world in order to find purity of soul, enlightenment of the mind, and spiritual union with God. This talk will introduce the Syriac Christian mystical tradition and make a case for its part in the region’s rich religious heritage.
The Arabian Gulf was home to a vibrant Christian tradition in late antiquity, one that wrote and worshipped in a dialect of Aramaic called Syriac. The Syriac Christian tradition was well known throughout the region for its rich mystical literature. The Christian mystics of the region understood themselves as pearl divers, plunging into the depths of this world in order to find purity of soul, enlightenment of the mind, and spiritual union with God. This talk will introduce the Syriac Christian mystical tradition and make a case for its part in the region’s rich religious heritage.
- Charles Stang, Professor of Early Christian Thought and Director of the Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard University
- NYU Abu Dhabi Institute
In collaboration with