De Syrorum Orientalium Erroribus Auctore P. Francisco Ros S. I.

Book Description

This scholarly exploration unveils a fascinating chapter in the complex history of Christian missions and theological encounter. Author S. J. Mecherry presents a detailed examination of a recently discovered sixteenth-century Latin treatise written by Francisco Ros, a Catalonian Jesuit missionary who worked among the Saint Thomas Christians of Malabar in South India during the late 1500s.

The work centers on Ros's initial attempts to understand and critique what he perceived as theological errors within the Eastern Christian communities he encountered. As a Catholic missionary reading Syriac sources through his own theological perspective, Ros represents a pivotal figure in the early modern period when vastly different Christian traditions came into direct contact for the first time in centuries.

Mecherry's analysis illuminates the profound challenges that emerged when distinct theological and liturgical identities collided within the same mission field. The book offers readers insight into how religious accommodation and conflict shaped early missionary work in India, revealing the tensions between preserving local Christian traditions and conforming to Catholic doctrine.

Through careful historiographical critique, this study provides a window into the complexities of cross-cultural religious encounter. For those interested in understanding how different spiritual traditions have navigated theological differences throughout history, this work offers valuable perspective on the delicate balance between religious conviction and cultural sensitivity in missionary contexts.