Description: Acknowledgments I. Comparing Paradises 1.0 Objective 1.1 Paradises and Paradigms 1.2 Systems of Symbols 1.3 Key Symbols 1.4 Dimensional Model 1.5 Symbolic Profiles 1.6 Worldview Comparison 1.7 Symbolic Transformation as Paradigm Shift II. A Historical Profile of Syriac Christianity 2.0 Syriac Christianity 2.1 Ephrem the Syrian and Aphrahat* , ''the Persian Sage" 2.2 Syriac Christianity as a Mesopotamian Response to Late Antiquity 2.3 The Universality of the Church of the East: How Persian was Persian Christianity? III. A Symbolic Profile of Syriac Christianity 3.0 Syriac Symbol Theory Key Scenarios 3.1 Doctrinal: The Way 3.2 Ritual: Robe of Glory 3.3 Ethical: Sons/Daughters of the Covenant 3.4 Experiential: The Wedding Feast 3.5 Mythic: Harrowing of Hell 3.6 Social: Noah's Ark/Mariner Root Metaphors 3.7 Doctrinal: Physician 3.8 Ritual: Medicine of Life 3.9 Ethical: The Mirror 3.10 Experiential: The Pearl 3.11 Mythic: Tree of Life 3.12 Social: Paradise 3.13 The Syriac Paradigm of Purity IV. A Historical Profile of the Baha'i* Faith 4.0 Introduction 4.1 Baha'u'llah* 4.2 The Baha'i* Faith as a Response to Modernity V. A Symbolic Profile of the Baha'i* Faith 5.0 Baha'i* Symbol Theory Key Scenarios 5.1 Doctrinal: The Promised One 5.2 Ritual: The Covenant 5.3 Ethical: Illumination 5.4 Experiential: Lover and the Beloved 5.5 Mythic: The Maid of Heaven 5.6 Social: The Crimson Ark and the Holy Mariner Root Metaphors 5.7 Doctrinal: Physician 5.8 Ritual: Wine/Water of Life 5.9 Ethical: Mirror/Gems 5.10 Experiential: The Journey 5.11 Mythic: Lote-Tree/Sinai 5.12 Social: Paradise 5.13 The Baha'i* Paradigm of Unity VI. Paradise Similarities and Paradigm Differences 6.0 Procedure for Dimensional Analysis 6.1 Doctrinal 6.2 Ritual 6.3 Ethical 6.4 Experiential 6.5 Mythic 6.6 Social VII. Paradise and Paradigm 7.0 Introduction 7.1 Sapiential Theosis* : A New Reading of Ephrem the Syrian's Hymns on Paradise 7.2 Paradise and Society in Baha'i* Texts VIII. Conclusions 8.0 Interpretation of Results 8.1 Evaluation of Research Design 8.2 Counterindications 8.3 Suggestions for Further Study 8.4 Relevance to the Study of Religion Appendixes I Abbreviations II. Syriac Transliteration Scheme III. Arabic/Persian Transliteration Scheme IV. Fragments of a Lost Persian Christian Liturgy Works Cited Index

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