Beck, Edmund (1902–1991)
Syriac scholar and monk of the Benedictine Abbey of Metten (Germany). At Munich University he studied Arabic, Hebrew, Syriac, and Coptic, as well as Greek and Latin, and subsequently he taught oriental languages at the Collegio San Anselmo, in Rome (1939–61, 1967–8). His first work on Ephrem was a monograph on the ‘Hymns on Faith’ (1949); this was to be followed by six further monographs (listed below) and many articles on different aspects of Ephrem’s writings; above all, however, he is primarily known for his editions of Ephrem’s poetical works in the CSCO, produced between 1955 and 1979 (a total of 19 pairs of volumes; see under Ephrem).
Select publications by Beck
- Die Theologie des hl. Ephraem in seinen Hymnen über den Glauben (Studia Anselmiana 21; 1949).
- Ephraems Hymnen über das Paradies (Studia Anselmiana 26; 1951).
- Ephraems Reden über den Glauben (Studia Anselmiana 33; 1953).
- Ephräms Polemik gegen Mani und die Manichäer (CSCO 391; 1978).
- Ephräms des Syrers Psychologie und Erkenntnislehre (CSCO 419; 1980).
- Ephräms Trinitätslehre (CSCO 425; 1981).
- Dorea und Charis, Die Taufe (CSCO 457; 1984).