Syriac Tradition in Dialogue
The Studies in the Syriac Tradition is a research-based ecumenical initiative of the Pro Oriente Foundation, dedicated to advancing scholarly dialogue and mutual understanding among the Churches of the Syriac tradition. The Foundation serves as the institutional sponsor, overseeing organization and third-party funding, with support from religious communities and the Austrian Federal Chancellery. The program is led academically by Prof. Dietmar W. Winkler, with coordination provided by the Pro Oriente Forum Syriacum.
The initiative is distinguished by its comprehensive and inclusive approach, bringing together scholars all major Syriac Churches: the Assyrian Church of the East and the Ancient Church of the East; the Oriental Orthodox Churches, including the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch and the Malankara Orthodox Church of India; as well as the Eastern Catholic Churches (Chaldean, Syriac, Maronite, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara) and the Mar Thoma Syriac Church.
The initiative is dedicated to advancing research on the rich cultural, theological, spiritual, and liturgical heritage of Syriac Christianity, while critically engaging with the contemporary challenges faced by these communities. Many Syriac Churches are currently under significant existential pressure in their regions of origin, which makes rigorous scholarly analysis, documentation, and preservation of their traditions increasingly urgent. Accordingly, the thematic focus of the colloquia is closely aligned with current political, social, and cultural developments, both in the Middle East and within global diaspora contexts.
Principal Investigator: Dietmar W. Winkler
