Andrew J. Hayes, Ph.D. – Professor, Department of Theology
Dr. Hayes recently contributed a chapter to the inaugural volume of a series dedicated to Eastern Catholic Theology. This series, published by Catholic University of America Press, is the first of its kind dedicated to showcasing what Pope Leo XIII called the “wondrously grand and powerful flood of benefits” (Orientalium Dignitas) given to the world by the churches of the East within the Catholic communion.
Dr. Hayes’ contribution highlights the unique approach of St. Ephrem the Syrian, a fourth century father and doctor of the Church, to sacred theology. It shows that Ephrem views wonder as an essential guiding principle for approaching the mysteries of the faith and argues for retrieving and applying that principle to contemporary theological reflection.
“The Wellspring of Wonder: St. Ephrem the Syrian’s Contribution to Eastern Catholic Theology” in Eastern Catholic Theology in Action, ed. Andrew Summerson and Cyril Kennedy, Washington, DC: CUA Press, 2025.
Dr. Hayes also has a recently accepted work for publication: “The Poetics of Graciousness and Justice in Ephrem the Syrian’s Hymns on the Church2-5,” Studia Patristica, Peeters, forthcoming.
This article is the first study in any language to address the theological implications of Ephrem the Syrian’s use of alphabetical acrostics in his collection of Hymns on the Church. Considering Ephrem’s unique use of acrostic form reveals that the primary theme of the poems that open the collection is interior conversion and repentance by which the inherent human tendency toward instability and inconsistency can be transformed into praise under the operation of divine grace.
Finally, Dr. Hayes has recently presented “Human Dignity and Divine Judgment in Ephrem the Syrian’s Hymns on the Church” (Annual Meeting of the North American Patristics Society, May 2025); and “Efficient Vocabulary Discovery in Late Antique Texts at the UNIX Command Line” (Digital Humanities Tutorial Workshop at the Annual Meeting of the North American Patristics Society, May 2025. Github Repository).