THE DOCTRINA ADDAI AS A PARADIGM OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT IN EDESSA IN THE FIFTH CENTURY

Abstract

Perhaps in the waning years of the fourth century, but more probably in the first decades of the fifth century, as we will argue below, a now anonymous writer working in Edessa, and using the city's archives, as he claims, put together a remarkable narrative which he called The Teaching of Addai the Apostle (malpānùtâ d'Aday shlîhâ). 1 At the end of the work the author says that he used records written by the scribe Labûbna, the son of Senaq, the son of Abshadar, as his source, and that Hannān, the royal archivist, had testified 1 The text was first published and translated into English by George Phillips, The Doctrine of Addai, the Apostle, Now First Edited in a Complete Form in the Original Syriac (London: Trübner & Co., 1876).It is now also available, in Phillips' edition, but with a new English version , in George Howard (trans.),The Teaching of Addai (SBL Texts and Translations, 16, Early Christian Literature Series, 4; Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1981).For further information about the text and its manuscript witnesses, see A. Desreumaux, "La Doctrine d'Addaï; essai de classement des témoins syriaques et grecs," Augustinianum 23 (1983), pp.181-186.See also Alain Desreumaux, Histoire du roi Abgar et de Jésus (Paris: Brepols, 1993).11 Howard, The Teaching of Addai, pp.iii & 7. 12 Howard, The Teaching of Addai, pp.iii-iv; 7-9.13 While this report has been the subject of much scholarly discussion, to pursue it here would be beside the point.See now Han J.W. Drijvers, "The Image of Edessa in the Syriac Tradition," in H.L. Kessler & G. Wolf (eds.),The Holy Face and the Paradox of Representation (Villa Spelman Colloquia, Florence, 1996, vol.6; Bologna: Nuova Alfa, 1998), pp.13-31.14 Howard, The Teaching of Addai, pp.v & 11.See Luke 10:1, where, in many ancient MSS the number 72 appears, while modern Bibles often mention only 70, following other MSS.Throughout the Doctrina Addai, Addai is called shlîhâ, 'the apostle'.The term is not used in its technical sense, refering to the twelve apostles, and Paul, but in the etymological use of 'envoy' or 'messenger.' 15 Howard, The Teaching of Addai, pp.v & 11.

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