Ioan G. Coman
Ioan G. Coman, also John G. Coman was a priest of the Romanian Orthodox Church, professor of theology, classicist, translator, and a leading expert in Patrology in Romania. His works became landmarks in Romanian theology.
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Life
John G. Coman was born on November 27, 1902 in Dâmbroca, County of Buzău. He began his studies in 1915 at the Theological Seminary in Buzău before entering the Theological Faculty of Bucharest in 1922 where he continued his studies in Theology. At the same time he studied languages in the classical Greek and Latin languages section of the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy in Bucharest. He completed his education at the Theological Faculty in 1926 and in Greek and Latin Philology in 1927.
During the years 1927 to 1931 he attended advanced courses (Vertiefungskurse) at the Philology and Protestant Theology Faculties in Strasbourg, where, in 1931, he received a Doctor of Theology degree (Th.D.) and a license in History of Religions. During the same time period he also attended courses at the Faculty of Catholic Theology in Strasbourg and, in 1928, the Protestant Theology Faculties of Montpellier and, from 1930 to 1932, in Paris. He then returned to Romania where he received, in 1934, from the Faculty of Philology and Philosophy in Bucharest, a Doctor of Theology degree in Greek language and literature. In 1938, he also received from the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Bucharest a Doctor of Theology degree.
In addition to his studies, Fr. John held a number of positions during his college days of 1924 to 1927. Fr. John also worked at a number of positions while he pursed his post-graduate studies. From 1934 to 1947, he was prefect of studies at the theological dormitory "Radu Voda" in Bucharest while also serving as scientific secretary at the Romanian Institute of Byzantine from 1934 to 1940. From 1936 to 1942, Fr. John was an assistant for the Faculty of Letters in the Language, Literature, and Greek Philosophy and an associate from 1942. In 1944, he became a professor at the Faculty of Patrology and Theology in Bucharest. He held the same chair in the Theological Institute of Bucharest University from 1948 until his retirement in 1970. From 1954 to 1962, Fr. John was rector of the Theological University of Bucharest.
Prof. Dr. John G. Coman reposed on March 11, 1987 in Bucharest.
Activities
Fr. John participated in numerous missions abroad, contributing to the promotion of contemporary ecumenism. He was a member of synodal delegations that visited other Orthodox Churches. He attended, in Athens, the Second Congress of Orthodox Theology teachers in 1975. He represented the Old Catholic Dialogue Commission of the Romanian Orthodox Church and participated in meetings in Belgrade (1966 ), Chambesy (1970), and Pendeli in Athens (1973).
Fr. John published hundreds of papers on a multitude of subjects including patrology, classical philology and culture, religions, ecumenism, translation, speeches, and reviews both in Romania and abroad. These totaled over 9000 pages, written in Romanian, French, and German.
On April 27, 2009, the Faculty of Theology, Patriarch Justinian, and the Bucharest Stock Exchange launched a "Prof. Dr. John G. Coman," award worth 3,000 lei, that is designed to reward efforts and originality of research on topics in Patrology and History of the Byzantine Empire.
Source
- Ioan G. Coman in Romanian