Upcoming gatherings on Early Christianity and Patristics
Upcoming talks by prominent scholars in the field
Summer programs, online courses, and more
Current exhibitions relating to the world of the Fathers
Opportunities to visit holy sites, monasteries, and ancient lands
Conferences
21--23 May 2026
NAPS (North American Patristics Society)
The 2026 Annual Meeting of the North American Patristics Society will take place on May 21–23, 2026 at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago
The deadline to submit proposals is November 19, 2025.
For more details and information, click here.
3--7 August 2026
Symposium Syriacum / Conference of Christian Arabic Studies
The 14th World Congress of Syriac Studies (Symposium Syriacum) and the 12th Conference of Christian Arabic Studies, which will be held for the first time in Southeastern Europe, in Bucharest, Romania, from August 3 to 7, 2026, under the auspices of the Romanian Academy.
The registration and abstract submission period is open from June 1 to December 1, 2025.
For more details and information, click here.
24--29 August 2026
25th International Congress of Byzantine Studies, Vienna
The International Congress of Byzantine Studies is the world’s largest academic event dedicated to the latest research and findings on the Byzantine Empire, its history, and culture. Since the first congress in 1924 in Bucharest, it has been held approximately every five years in different locations, attracting up to 1,500 participants in recent years. In 2026, the 25th Congress will take place in Vienna, where researchers from around the globe will present their work in hundreds of presentations. Cultural events and receptions will offer numerous opportunities for informal exchange. Exhibitions and collaborations with the city of Vienna and individual cultural institutions will also make the academic research accessible to a wider audience.
Inaugural Lecture: Maximilien Durand, Department of Byzantine and Eastern Christian Art, Louvre Museum, Paris
Call for papers deadline: October 31, 2025
For more details and information, click here.
Lectures
13 November 2025, 7:30 - 9:00pm
Boston Patristics Group (Patristica Bostoniensia)
Gregory Nazianzus’ Funeral Oration On St. Basil theGreat (Or. 43.44-52): An Exegesis Of Job 26.5-6?
Theodore Feldman
In-person meeting at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School, with remote Zoom participation. Contact
For more details and information, contact Prof Susan Holman here.
20 November 2025, 4 pm CET
TeTra | Text and Transmission Research Seminar
Armenian manuscript heritage in Romania
Lusine Sargsyan, Matenadaran
For more details and information, click here.
24 November 2025, 4 pm CET
TeTra | Text and Transmission Research Seminar
The Fragmentary Greek Chronicles after Eusebius
Lieve Van Hoof, Universiteit Gent & Peter Van Nuffelen, Universiteit Gent; Discussant: Monica Berti, Universität Leipzig
For more details and information, click here.​
1 December 2025
TeTra | Text and Transmission Research Seminar
Slavery and the European encounter with Islamic material culture
Federica Gigante, University of Oxford
For more details and information, click here.
11 December 2025, 7:30 - 9:00pm
Boston Patristics Group (Patristica Bostoniensia)
Ingo Schaaf (University of Freiburg)
In-person meeting at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School, with remote Zoom participation. Contact
For more details and information, contact Prof Susan Holman here.
6 December 2025, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Providence Patristics Group
Putting the Living Gospel to Liturgy: The ‘Synaxeis Hymns’ of the Manichaean Psalmbook
Jae Hee Han (Brown University)
The Providence Patristics Group is an informal gathering of scholars in the Providence, RI area who meet twice a semester over light refreshments to discuss a pre-distributed
paper by one of our attendees. We have been especially interested in work in progress, and in rough draft form, in order to think through research problems, questions, and
possibilities in an open atmosphere of shared scholarly conversation and exchange. The Department of Religious Studies at Brown University and the Department of Theology at
Providence College have graciously hosted our meetings in alternate sessions since 2006.
For more details and information, contact Prof Susan Harvey here.
22 January 2026, 7:30 - 9:00pm
Boston Patristics Group (Patristica Bostoniensia)
Michael Magree, SJ (Boston College)
In-person meeting at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School, with remote Zoom participation. Contact
For more details and information, contact Prof Susan Holman here.
19 February 2026, 7:30 - 9:00pm
Boston Patristics Group & Providence Patristics Group (Joint Meeting)
The Divine Hand in Jewish and Christian Iconography
Robin Jensen (University of Notre Dame)
In-person meeting at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School, with remote Zoom participation. Contact
For more details and information, contact Prof Susan Holman here.
19 March 2026, 7:30 - 9:00pm
Boston Patristics Group (Patristica Bostoniensia)
Michal Beth Dinkler (Yale Divinity School)
In-person meeting at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School, with remote Zoom participation. Contact
For more details and information, contact Prof Susan Holman here.
16 April 2026, 7:30 - 9:00pm
Boston Patristics Group (Patristica Bostoniensia)
Just How Miaphysite Was Egypt in the Sixth and Seventh Centuries?
Paul Ulishney (Boston College)
In-person meeting at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School, with remote Zoom participation. Contact
For more details and information, contact Prof Susan Holman here.
2 May 2026, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Providence Patristics Group
Spinning New Threads: A Sartorial Theology in the Works of Clement of Alexandria
Arthur Urbano (Providence College)
The Providence Patristics Group is an informal gathering of scholars in the Providence, RI area who meet twice a semester over light refreshments to discuss a pre-distributed
paper by one of our attendees. We have been especially interested in work in progress, and in rough draft form, in order to think through research problems, questions, and
possibilities in an open atmosphere of shared scholarly conversation and exchange. The Department of Religious Studies at Brown University and the Department of Theology at
Providence College have graciously hosted our meetings in alternate sessions since 2006.
For more details and information, contact Prof Susan Harvey here.
Courses and Workshops
Fall 2025
Introduction to Greek Paleography (Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology)
This semester-long graduate course provides essential training in the reading of Greek manuscripts for students in historical theology and adjacent fields of ancient and medieval
scholarship.
For more details and information, click here.
January 6--15, 2025
Christian Arabic - Westminster College
From the early Middle Ages, Christian Arabs have made profound contributions to biblical scholarship, theology, poetry, and history. This winter school invites you to begin reading these remarkable texts for yourself — many of which remain unpublished and underexplored. Designed for those with at least one year of Arabic study (Classical or Modern Standard), this course offers a gateway into a world of forgotten manuscripts and fresh scholarly discovery.
For more details and information, click here.
January 12--15 2025
Koine Greek - Westminster College
This course is tailored for students with a foundational understanding of Koine Greek who wish to deepen their reading and translation skills. Over four days, participants will engage with complex grammatical structures and enrich their vocabulary, leading to a more nuanced comprehension of New Testament texts.​
For more details and information, click here.
January 14--24, 2025
Coptic - Westminster College
Step into the world of early Christian Egypt through our intensive Sahidic Coptic course, part of the Westminster Ancient Languages Winter School. Whether you’re a linguist, historian, or theologian encountering Sahidic Coptic for the first time, this intensive programme offers a rigorous yet accessible foundation in the language of Egypt’s early Christian communities.
For more details and information, click here.
January 14--24, 2025
Syriac - Westminster College
Discover the beauty and depth of the Syriac language with our comprehensive beginner-friendly course in the heart of Cambridge. Designed for individuals with no prior knowledge of Syriac, this intensive programme provides a solid foundation in this ancient Semitic tongue, opening doors to a rich corpus of historical, religious, and literary texts.​