The appointment as Principal of Nisibis Assyrian Theological College honours me deeply. I am humbled by the trust the Church’s leadership shows me, foremost His Beatitude Archbishop Mar Meelis Zaia, AM, without whose paternal guidance I could not fulfil my tasks.
For, while I bring with me over thirty years of academic experience in a range of settings—especially in lecturing, research, and supervision—leading Nisibis represents a challenge of a different sort. It is not about the administrative side of things, for which I am suitably equipped, at least in part; I have a solid entrepreneurial background and a track-record of institutional reform. It is about being entrusted with developing the College of an apostolic Church that is not my own (I am a Romanian Orthodox protopresbyter) as a provider of tertiary theological education, nationally and internationally. The weight of this responsibility is amplified by my mandate to foster the best possible conditions for the training and formation of a new generation of believers and shepherds of the Assyrian Church of the East—as well as Christians of other traditions who are interested in studying with us—to withstand the challenges of our time and to become the light and the salt of the world, as the Lord teaches.
And so, building on the worthy work of my predecessor, His Grace Bishop Mar Benyamin Elya, I have already set out to recruit new faculty members and to professionalise our body of teachers, together with developing new opportunities for learning and initiating the accreditation of Nisibis for offering more courses of study—within the Australian University College of Divinity, our academic framework. We are on a great path to expand the College and to fulfil its potential. God willing, by the prayers and active support of all of you, Nisibis will flourish, becoming an important contributor to Church and society.
My message would be incomplete without a few words of encouragement for our current and prospective students. At Nisibis Assyrian Theological College, students receive a multifaceted education, which aims at both Christian formation and training.
Through biblical, liturgical and patristic studies, students learn the basics, the foundations without which our faith and way of live are built on shaky grounds. Theological subjects introduce them to the apostolic tradition, where they acquire tools to help them think correctly, to examine, to question, to process and to understand what they learn along the way. Historical studies present students with sound information and wisdom lessons that bring to light the significance of facts, helping them to grasp nuances about the past and to discern the meaning of current happenings. In turn, spirituality and pastoral studies assist our students in reassessing their own Christian journey and in grounding their lives in the ethos and the values of the apostolic tradition, to walk safely on the path of personal maturation in Christ, truthfully and compassionately—and to guide others, in this age of confusion, hatred, uncertainty and violence. Last but not least, through the study of the humanities, from learning Syriac to debating ethics to acquiring critical skills, students are equipped for a range of tasks, academic and practical alike.
This is what studying at Nisibis is about—not only a matter of grasping deep ideas, but of improving lives and contributing to Church and society, for a better world.
I will conclude my words by pointing you to the motto of the College, inspired by Saint Ephrem of Nisibis: “God, grant knowledge!” Together with my predecessor, who referred to this motto in his message, I say Amen! For us to become gentle candlelights of truth and compassion, guided by knowledge and wisdom, let us all say Amen! For us to live up to what we merely begin to know and understand, let us say it again, Amen!
Protopresbyter Professor Doru Costache, Principal
February 2026
