Bishop Suriel, the Coptic Orthodox Bishop of Melbourne, was appointed Associate Professor at the University of Divinity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on 8 June—the same day he was ordained a priest 24 years ago by Pope Shenouda III. Anba Suriel is the first Coptic bishop to be recognised as an Associate Professor by a university.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Divinity, Professor Peter Sherlock, said this esteemed recognition was given considering Bishop Suriel’s exceptional academic achievements. “The SAC community and the broader congregation of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Melbourne and Affiliated Regions, is very proud of this stellar achievement,” he said.
Anba Suriel is the author of the book ++Habib Girgis: Light in the Darkness++ which was launched last April.
After graduating from Tempe High School in 1980, he joined the University of Sydney in 1981 and completed a Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in Pure Mathematics, with a sub-major in Applied Mathematics and Statistics. In his final year at Sydney University in 1984 he also completed a Diploma of Education at Sydney Institute of Education.
Bishop Suriel holds a PhD from Fordham University. He is the Dean of St Athanasius College in Melbourne, Australia, as well as Senior Lecturer in Religious Education, Pastoral Ministry, and Coptic History at that school. He is also the translator of ++The Life of Repentance and Purity++ by Pope Shenouda III, the first volume of the Coptic Studies Series, which was a joint project with the St Athanasius College Press.
St Athanasius College (SAC) which specialises in Coptic Orthodox theological studies was established in 2000, soon after the seating of Bishop Suriel, with a vision to serve the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Melbourne and Affiliated Regions. On 7 December 2011, SAC was officially accredited as a Recognised Teaching Institution of the University of Divinity (formerly the Melbourne College of Divinity). Partnerships being critical to the success of SAC, the college journeyed closely with St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS).
The University of Divinity, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, promotes scholarship in theology, philosophy and ministry, aiming to address the issues of the contemporary world. Founded in 1910 as the Melbourne College of Divinity, the University has a long history of pursuing and achieving these aims.
Watani International
11 June 2017