Iconography and Painting

I have started taking painting lessons from my friends, who are classical art students. Initially, they invited me on their summer painting holidays as a model, but from the start, I joined them in painting landscapes. In return, they offered me constructive criticism, taught me how to compose my paintings, and showed me how to work with light, shadow, and perspective.

I was also taught iconography - first in the Russian style at Walsingham, and later in the Byzantine style in Essex.

Painting is a wonderful distraction for me. During a three-hour painting session, I feel truly free. I only wish I could do it more often.

I have already had a couple of exhibitions: one at Wolfson College in Oxford (an iconography exhibition) and another in Winchester, where I exhibited my Lindisfarne oil paintings. I have also been commissioned to create several icons, and have gifted a few as well. One was presented to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, two to Lindisfarne churches, and one to a parish priest in the Lake District.

Academic and Research Interests

My main research interest lies is in the area of Scriptural studies and Biblical exegesis within the context of three monotheistic religions, i.e. Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I have previously worked with early Jewish-Christian interpretations of Exodus in fourth century Syria and Palestine, and published my first book on the basis of my PhD in 2010. Since then I started researching the Qur'anic presentation of the Exodus stories. I have recently submitted my third monograph to Routledge on the stories of Moses in Jewish, Christian and Muslim sources.

I studied Judaism and Hebrew in Jerusalem in 1999-2000, which was followed by completion of an MA programme at the Centre for Jewish-Christian Relations in Cambridge in 2002. I also studied Syriac language and Syriac Christian tradition of biblical exegesis in Cambridge. At Durham University I completed my Doctorate in Biblical Exegesis in Syria and Palestine n 2007, which was followed by a Post-Doctoral Licentiate in Divinity from the University of Wales, Lampeter (2008-2011). I also studied Arabic and Tafsir Qur'an at Durham University and in Alexandria, Egypt. In 2012-2015 I held a research position at the Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies in Oxford where I worked on my third monograph. For an academic year of 2015-2016 I moved to Dublin City University in Ireland where I worked on creating the Centre for Interreligious Dialogue. From October 2017-Aug 2018 I was working on my fourth monograph at Clare Hall, Cambridge University, holding a position of a Spalding Research Fellow. For the academic year, 2017/18 I was invited to Ruhr-Universität Bochum as an academic research fellow. Since December 2018 I hold a position of an Associate Member of Theology Department at the University of Oxford.

Recent Publications

Edited Books

1. Women and Ordination in the Orthodox Church (edited volume), as an editor, and contributing a chapter What Do We Do With Eve's Curse? - a consideration of the biblical story and patriarchal mentality (Wipf and Stock, 2020)

Books

1. The Life of One Chosen by God: A Study of the OT stories of Moses in Jewish, Christian and Muslim Sources. (Georgias Press)
2. Ephrem, a 'Jewish' Sage: A Comparison of the Exegetical Writings of St Ephrem the Syrian and Jewish Traditions, Studia Traditionis Theologiae (STT 7) (Brepols: Turnhout, 2010)
3. The Poetic Hymns of Saint Ephrem the Syrian: A Study in the Religious Poetry in Fourth-Century Christianity (NY, Lampeter: The Edwin Mellen Press, 2013)
4. Working title: Chosen nation: Inter-textual Analysis of the Concept of the Children of Israel in Jewish Midrash, Syriac Christian Exegesis and in the Qur'an.

Academic Articles

1. Moses' Childhood: The formative years of God's chosen one in the Biblical narrative, the Jewish exegesis, the writings of St Ephrem the Syrian and in the Qur'an, Aram 32 (2020), 149-170
2. Festive Banquet: Ephrem and Philo on Contemplative Life PdO 35 (2010), 507-517
3. On the Divine Images: Theology Behind the Icons and their Veneration in the Early Church Transformation: An International Journal of Holistic Mission Studies April 1, 2012 29: 139-148

Internet Articles

1. What does it take to be Anti-Jewish? A deconstruction of statements held to be Anti-Jewish in Early Christian writers (Bogoslov.ru) 29 Dec 2011, https://bogoslov.ru/article/2333542

Media Publications (Contemporary Middle East)

1. Is this a peace proposal worth having?, Guardian, 09.12.2002