The Doctrine of God in the Syriac treatise “The Cause of the Foundation of the Schools”

The article analyzes the Doctrine of God in the Syriac treatise "The Cause of the Foundation of the Schools", written by Barḥadbšabbā ‛Arbaya, Bishop of Hulwan. The purpose of the article is to examine the factors that influenced the formation of the original teaching on the divine role in the world and the educational process. The works of Aristotle and Porphyry, as well as the theology of Ephrem the Syrian, Theodore of Mopsuestia, and Narsai, had a direct influence on this teaching. On this basis, Barḥadbšabbā builds his teaching about God as the First Cause not only of all that exists, but also of the educational process as such, arguing that God created the first school and strives to teach His creation. Using the philosophical language of Porphyry, Barḥadbšabbā establishes the superior essence of God's being and also links His activity with events in human history. The results of the study indicate not only the impact of the aforementioned authors on Barḥadbšabbā’s work, but also the formation of an original idea, which intends to provide a theological justification for the importance of the pedagogical process in the School of Nisibis.