The Syriac Book of Steps 3

The Book Of Steps Is A Collection Of 30 Sermons And Biblical Interpretation By An Anonymous Author Living In The Persian Empire (modern Iraq) During The Late 300's. One Of The Largest Examples Of Early Syriac Literature, The Book Of Steps Describes The Struggle Of A Christian Community Prior To The Advent Of Monasticism To Live A Faithful, Committed Life In The Pursuit Of Perfection. The Author Details The Aspirations And Standards Of The Two Ranks Of Christians In His Community: The Upright Ones—married Lay People Who Work In The World And Perform The Various Acts Of Christian Charity—and The Perfect Ones Who Are Celibate, Do Not Work, But Live A Life Of Prayer, While Wandering Through The Region Teaching And Mediating Conflicts. The Book Of Steps Is A Unique Work Because It Presents A Living Portrait Of An Actual Religious Community, Not An Idealized One, In The Midst Of A Hostile Culture. While The Author Advocates An Ascetical Lifestyle, This Community Does Not Practice The Extreme Physical Asceticism So Often Associated With The Syriac Church During This Period. Unlike Many Works On The Spiritual Life, The Author Gradually Seems To Withdraw His Praise For The Higher Rank, The Perfect, And Begin To Encourage, If Not Favor, The Lower Rank, The Upright.--publisher's Website. Fascicle 1. The Syriac Book Of Steps 1. Mēmrā One -- Mēmrā Two: About Those Who Want To Become Perfect -- Mēmrā Three: The Physical And The Spiritual Ministry -- Mēmrā Four: On The Vegetables For The Sick -- Mēmrā Five: On The Milk Of The Children -- Mēmrā Six: On Those Who Are Made Perfect And Continue To Grow -- Mēmrā Seven: On The Commandments Of The Upright -- Mēmrā Eight: On One Who Gives All He Has To Feed The Poor -- Mēmrā Nine: On Uprightness And The Love Of The Upright And The Prophets -- Mēmrā Ten -- Fascicle 2. The Syriac Book Of Steps 3. Mēmrā Eleven: On The Hearing Of The Scriptures When The Law Is Read Before Us -- Mēmrā Twelve: On The Hidden And Public Ministry Of The Church -- Mēmrā Thirteen: By The Same Author : On The Ways Of The Upright -- Mēmrā Fourteen: On The Upright And The Perfect -- Mēmrā Fifteen: On Adam's Marital Desire -- Mēmrā Sixteen: On How A Person May Surpass The Major Commandments -- Mēmrā Seventeen: On The Sufferrings Of Our Lord Who Became Through Them An Example For Us -- Mēmrā Eighteen: On The Tears Of Prayer -- Mēmrā Nineteen: On The Discernment Of The Way Of Perfection -- Mēmrā Twenty: On The Difficult Steps That Are On The Road Of The City Of Our Lord -- Fascicle 3. The Syriac Book Of Steps 3. Mēmrā Twenty-one: On The Tree Of Adam -- Mēmrā Twenty-two: On The Judgments That Do Not Save Those Who Observe Them -- Mēmrā Twenty-three: On Satan And Pharoah And The Israelites -- Mēmrā Twenty-four: On Repentance -- Mēmrā Twenty-five: On The Voice Of God And Of Satan -- Mēmrā Twenty-six: On The Second Law That The Lord Established From Adam -- Mēmrā Twenty-seven: About The History Of The Thief Who Is Saved -- Mēmrā Twenty-eight: On The Fact That The Human Soul Is Not Identical With The Blood -- Mēmrā Twenty-nine: On The Discipline Of The Body -- Mēmrā Thirty: On The Commandments Of Faith And The Love Of The Solitaries. Translation And Introduction By Robert A. Kitchen. Fascicles 2-<3> Have Translation And Introduction By Robert A. Kitchen And Martien F.g. Parmentier. Syriac And English Translation On Opposite Pages; Introduction And Notes In English.