The reviewer praises an annual, comprised of a series of articles, as valuable for students entering the ministry. The author advocates modesty, hard work and piety amongst other virtues.

The author provides the biography of Cornelius Jansenius and describes his commentary, Augustinus, to explain Jansenius’s position on Grace in relation to Catholic doctrine. He concludes this history convicts the Catholic Church.

A scathing polemic against Roman Catholicism, the author uses logical and textual evidence to contradict Catholic rituals and beliefs.

The article reviews the memoir of Rev. George Burder. The reviewer outlines the reverend’s family, his entrance to the ministry, his shift into missionary work, his preaching, and his hardships. The reviewer judges his style and persona.

This article introduces and translates “A Treatise on the Parables of our Lord” by Rev. Fredrick Gustavus Lisco of Berlin. The treatise defines and traces the history of parables. Using critical sources, he explores New Testament parables.

The article describes and critiques the authenticity of the epistles of Ignatius. The author claims that the illegitimacy of letters that speak of prelacy erodes the basis for Episcopacy and Presbyterianism.

The reviewer examines a biography of Protestant Reformer William Farel. The book describes Farel’s departure from Catholicism and contributions to the efforts of Swiss Reformation, Zuingle in particular. His trails and successes are described.

This paper, reprinted from the Journal Asiatique, provides a handy introduction to the Sogdian alphabet used for Buddhist texts in Central Asia.

A collection of Syriac medical remedies, from a manuscript dated 1888; the origin is uncertain; the inscription mentions Galen.

Owen Lattimore, a historian of Central Asia, presents the first report on Kwei-hua, the ruined city of the Syriac-Ongut Turks.

Rabban Sauma, a Syriac monk, travelled to Europe in 1287 as a diplomatic representative of the Mongols; this is his own account of his travels, the first translation into English.

Commercial sources on journeying to the east after Marco Polo; the gradual closing of trade between Italy and China or India under the hostile or defensive rulers of the lands in between.

Van Rompay discusses Jacob of Sarug’s understanding of sin by interweaving a conversation with 4th-century Ephrem’s influence and Jacob's late 5th-century contemporary thinker, Narsai. Critical to this discussion is their assumption of Adam’s created capacities.

Credited by Dinno as the epitome of Syriac spiritual heritage, Mor Jacob of Serugh interpreted the physical world with the hidden realities of God. A prominent theme in Mor Jacob's mimre is the economy of salvation.

Griffith discusses “On the Singles”, mimre by Mar Jacob of Serugh, for their reflections of Syrian monastic development. Following a biography and detailed literary analysis, Griffith examines the broader context of regional monastic literature for Mar Jacob’s possible influences.

Fourth-century Aphrahat is characterized as misogynist, especially when he compares women to Satan. This may be an unintended result of contemporary Christian literature. The the eschatological context of Aphrahat’s asceticism, salvific role of Mary, victimization in Aphrahat’s work, and positive statements about women negotiate this view.

An extract from Collectanea Christiana Orientalia (2005)

Athas challenges the past assumptions by Book of Daniel scholars, especially with regard to the symbolism in Chapter 9. This exegesis provides a theory for chronological interpretation that includes dates for calculating the seventy weeks mentioned in Daniel's vision.

Three interpretative trends address the vision at the ratification of the Sinai covenant in Exod. 24:10. Traditions relate whether God or a throne was seen, as well as the consequences for this vision for the leaders and history of the Israelites.

This study investigates how the Rabbis handled the Book of Chronicles, highlighting issues including intermarriage. While genealogical lists contain intermarriage in Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah is generally opposed. Ezra did compose some of the lists and intermarriage was acceptable only under certain conditions.

This paper examines the “muscular Christianity” phenomenon in Mel Gibson’s 2004 film The Passion of the Christ and Ernest Hemingway’s 1926 short play, “Today is Friday.”

Deissmann was a scholar well known for his work with the Greek of the New Testament. In this little volume he considers the Hellenization of Semitic monotheism. Primarily concerned with the changes after Alexander’s conquest, the book is a brief exploration of Greek religion in the aftermath of conquest. Semitic monotheism was, according to Deissmann, a new concept for the Greek world. Hellenistic outlooks had long been influenced by classical viewpoints. Into this cultural milieu the Judaic concept of monotheism made immediate inroads. This influence is explored primarily in linguistic form, including considerations of the Septuagint. Both Hellenists and Semitic scholars will find material of interest here. Observations made by Deissmann influenced later thought in this field. Stretching across disciplines, this study will interest cultural historians as well. Share the sense of discovery with this useful booklet.

Kate Elderkin presents an enjoyable overview not only of the nature of children's dolls in Antiquity, but the customs surrounding their use and subsequent dedication when the owner reached adulthood.

The fifth of Carl Blegen's reports on the excavation of Troy for the American Journal of Archeology concentrating on detailed study of artifacts and finds on the citadel.

Edward Hopkins here addresses and debunks the color theory, which assumes that ancient peoples were unable to perceive shades of green and blue because they lack vocabulary parallel to our own words for color.