Gregorios Bulus Behnam

Western sources have long referred to Theodora as an infamous and salacious courtesan who became Justinian’s empress. Syriac sources portray her as a woman of sublime character and decorum, the daughter of a Syriac priest. This historical play outlines her character according to the Syriac tradition. In writing the play, Bishop Gregorius Boulos Behnam portrayed Theodora as a virtuous lady who won the heart of Justinian, who made her his Augusta and co-regent of his empire. Behnam reveals her extraordinary devotion to her faith and piety as she strives to protect the Fathers of the Syriac Church who stood against the declarations of the Council of Chalcedon and were persecuted for it. Now available for the first time in English, this edition translated by Matti Moosa stands counter to the view of Theodora as portrayed by Procopius in his version of the story, as it is popularly known in Western Christendom.

Matti Moosa provides an introduction and a translation of Rev. Bulus Behnam’s 1946 work on the basic principles of the Christian faith based on the Holy Scriptures, showing that the Syrian Church considers the Holy Bible its sole authority for salvation.

Al-Mashriq (1946-1947) and its sequal Lisān al-Mashriq (1948-1951) were the primary Arabic journals in Mosul, Iraq, entirely dedicated to the Eastern Christian tradition. Many of the articles were written by the journals’ founder and editor Boulus Behnam. The scope of the journal covers philosophy, history, religion, poetry, and literary criticism. The news section sheds light on the history of the Christian community in Mosul during the 1940s and early 1950s.