Revd Jijimon Joseph, SJ

DPhil Student in Oriental Studies

jijimon.joseph@campion.ox.ac.uk

About

Jijimon is an Indian Jesuit priest. He was born in the city of Alappuzha, in the State of Kerala. He has been involved in offering life empowerment programs to tribal students and personality development courses to school children in various parts of Kerala. He also served as the assistant director of Sneharam Jesuit Social Action Centre in Trivandrum in Kerala, India, where he taught and engaged in social work for a year.

He is currently engaged in a doctoral research program at the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the University of Oxford. His thesis "The Church as Symbolic Participation" focuses on the ecclesiology of Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373), who was one of the most famous patristic authors and a towering figure of Syriac literature. In addition, he works with programs that promote the preservation and revival of the Syriac language, which is on the verge of extinction. Furthermore, he is interested in fostering ecumenical unity among the divided Syriac Churches worldwide, particularly among the St. Thomas Nasrani Syriac Churches in India.

He enjoys reading and studying languages. In addition, he has an interest in traditional art forms, culture and history of Saint Thomas Nasrani Syriac Christians; Eastern and Western Syriac hymnology; classical Carnatic vocal music. He also appreciates amateur theatre and international art films.

Academic Profile

BA English Language & Literature, St. Joseph's College, Devagiri (Calicut University), Kerala, India, (2006 – 2009)
MA Philosophy, Loyola College, Chennai (Madras University), Tamil Nadu, India, 2009 – 2011
MA Syriac Language & Literature, St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute, Kottayam (Mahatma Gandhi University), Kerala, India, 2012 – 2014
Bachelor of Theology (BTh), Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, 2014 - 2017
MSt in Syriac Studies, University of Oxford, UK, 2017 - 2018
Licentiate in Patristic Theology and Tradition of Fathers (= Master of Theology - MTh), Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, 2019 - 2021
DPhil in Oriental Studies, University of Oxford, UK, 2018 – 2019, 2021 - present

Current Roles

Member of the Central Liturgical Committee of the Syro-Malabar Church (CLC), 2019 – present
Member of the Pontifical Commission for the Joint International Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, 2023 - present
Member of the Pontifical Commission for the Joint International Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, 2023 - present

Roles Held

Consultant to His Excellency Mar Joseph Srampickal, Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain, 2018 – 2021
Observer of the Pontifical Commission for the Joint International Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, 2019 - 2023
Observer of the Pontifical Commission for the Joint International Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, 2019 – 2023

Selected Publications

“Revolutionary Movements in Kerala.” Chuvappu, St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri, Calicut, Kerala, India, 2007.

"Kramasamadana palakaro Red volunteerso?" (An article against the violence of the Students' Federation of India, a university student-organized political wing of the Communist Party of India), Mathrubhumi (a Malayalam-language Indian daily newspaper), Kerala, India, 11th March 2008.

"Kalalaya Rashtriyam", (An article on students' political movements in the University Campus), Mathrubhumi (a Malayalam-language Indian daily newspaper), Kerala, India, 5th April 2008.

“Namukku vendathu Maadhyama Saksharatha” (= What We Need is Media Education), Deepika, Kerala, India, 15 July 2021, p. 4.

“Maranakkalikalaakunna Online Geimukal” (= When Online Games become Death Games)”, Deepika, Kerala, India, 24 July 2021, p. 6.

“Father Stan Swamy, SJ – Vishudha Iganatius Loyolayude Aadhyathmika Saadhanayil kurtuttha Theekkanal” (= Father Stan Swamy, SJ – A Fire that Sprouted from the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola), Sathyadeepam, Pusthakam 95, Lakkam, 2, Kerala, India, 11 August 2021, pp.11-12.

“God’s Self-revelation in the Writings of Ephrem the Syrian”, Ephrem’s Theological Journal (ETJ), Vo. 25, No.1 & 2, March/October 2021, Satna: India, pp. 45 – 65.

"Ukrainile rashyanadhiniveshatthinte aagola prathyaagathangal" (= Global impacts of the Russian Invasion in Ukraine), Deepika, Kerala, India, 9th March 2022, p. 6.

"Ukrainile rashyan adhiniveshavum indyayude nayathanthra nilapaadukalum" (= Russian Invasion in Ukraine and the Diplomatic Positions of India), Deepika, Kerala, India, 21st March 2022, p. 4.

"Ukrainile rashyan adhiniveshavum fransis paappayude pravachaka nishpakshathayum" (= Russian Invasion in Ukraine and Pope Francis' Prophetic Neutrality), Deepika, Kerala, India, 28th March 2022, p. 4.

"Thirusabhaa Naveekaranatthinte moonnu paadangal" (= Three Lessons for the Renewal of the Holy Church), Jeevanaadam, Book 18, Volume 19, Kerala, 14 & 21 April 2022 (Combined Issue), p. 2, 15.

Paper Presentations in National/International Seminar/Conference:

"Syriac Christian Cultural Heritage of Kerala: A Socio-political perspective", Paper presented at the annual province meeting of the Society of Jesus, Kerala, India, 4th -7th March 2013.

"What, if anything, is known about the origin of the Odes of Solomon?", 9th World Syriac Conference, SEERI, India, 8th – 14th September 2018.

"Reverend Dr John Vattnky SJ and Mar Thoma Nazrani Tradition", Paper presented at the International Seminar (webinar) on Saint Thomas Christian Traditions, Centre for Ignatian Spirituality, Kanjirapally, Kerala, India, 8th May 2021.

Unpublished Material

Translation of the prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours and the Propriae of the Holy Qurbānāʾ used on the Thursday of baʿuthaʾ from Syriac to English, SEERI, Kerala, India, 2014.

Published Interview

Interview by J.S. Bablu, What campus is reading, The Hindu (an English-language Indian daily newspaper), November 28, 2006. This interview is available here.