Pastor Thomas Pietsch on ‘Worship as the Hermeneutical Key to Cyril of Alexandria’s De adoratione’

Worship as the Hermeneutical Key to Cyril of Alexandria’s De adoratione

Cyril’s mammoth and untranslated work De adoratione has perplexed the few scholars who’ve taken the time to delve into its more than 200,000 words. What’s it all about?

While the text is full of Scriptural exegesis, much of it concerning the Pentateuch, no one has identified an organising principle, and some have simply defaulted to a genre of ‘thematic exegesis’ without identifying a particular theme.

In my PhD research, I’m seeking to argue for the centrality of worship and liturgical concerns in understanding De adoratione. In this seminar I’ll present some of that research, with a focus on the first book of the treatise.

• Presenter: Pastor Thomas Pietsch
• Topic: Worship as the Hermeneutical Key to Cyril of Alexandria’s De adoratione
• When: Monday 7 September
• View the video: Research seminar—7 September 2020

Pastor Thomas Pietsch BA BCom BA(Hons) BTh BMin STM GCTE

Tom commenced work as ALC’s Lecturer in Church History in 2017. He was ordained a pastor of the LCA in 2010 and served in the parish for four years. He received his masters from Concordia Seminary, St Louis, where he wrote on Augustine’s treatment of nature and grace and its reception today.