Arthur Vööbus was born in Matjama village, Tartu County, Livonia, Russian Empire as the son of a teacher. In 1928, he completed his schooling at the Hugo Treffner Gymnasium in Tartu, then in 1932 his studies at the Theological Faculty of the University of Tartu. That same year he was ordained a priest. From 1933 to 1940 he was a pastor in the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tartu. Arthur Vööbus graduated as master of theology in 1934 with a thesis on "The true Christian, true Christian life and the true Christian church by Soren Kirkegaard." In parallel, Arthur Vööbus worked in libraries and manuscript collections in Rome, Paris, London, Berlin and Leipzig on theological texts in Syriac. His language skills were acquired at the university under Uku Masing.
In 1936 he married Ilse Luksep, a daughter of a wealthy merchant family, which, along with his job in a large parish, provided the material basis for his research. Towards the end of the 1930s, Vööbus worked on the publication of Syriac texts. In 1940, he fled the Soviet occupation of Estonia to Germany. His dissident attitude led to observation by the Gestapo. After the occupation of Estonia by German troops Vööbus returned to Estonia. His doctoral thesis in 1943 at the University of Tartu was concerned with monasticism in Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia before the 10th Century.
In 1944, Vööbus and his family fled a second time before the Soviet reoccupation of Estonia. He spent part of the war interned in concentration camps.[3][4][5] From 1944 to 1948 he worked as a pastor in refugee camps, and from 1946 to 1948 he was a professor of church history at the Baltic University at Pinneberg, near Hamburg. When this university was closed, he worked in London at the British Museum.
During his career, Vööbus made more than 40 separate trips to the Middle East, creating a collection of manuscript photographs on film that is larger than any other collection of Syriac manuscript images before the advent of digital imaging.[7] This collection of manuscript images is now known as the Vööbus Syriac Manuscript Collection. In 1979, the collection moved from Vööbus’ home in Chicago to the newly-founded Institute of Syriac Manuscript Studies (ISMS), located in the JKM Library at LSTC. The collection (then called the Professor Arthur Vööbus Collection of Syrian Manuscripts) was maintained at ISMS until 2016. In 2016, due to financial constraints, the ISMS entered into an agreement with the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library (HMML) and the entire collection was transferred and stored in HMML's microfilm vault.[7] HMML now undertakes responsibility for the continued digitization of the films and the hosting of the images.[6] In 2023, HMML makes the scanned films available for viewing online at https://hmmlvoobus.org/.
Studies in the History of the Gospel Text in Syriac (Louvain: 1951)
Early Versions of the New Testament Manuscript Studies: Oriental Texts and Facsimile Plates of Syriac, Armenian, Georgian, Coptic, Ethiopic and Arabic Manuscripts (Stockholm: 1954)
“Liber Graduum: Some Aspects of its Significance for the History of Early Syriac Asceticism,” Charisteria Johanni Kopp Octogenario Oblata (Papers of the Estonian Theological Society in Exile, 7), pages 108–128 (Stockholm: 1954)
The Communist Menace, the Present Chaos and Our Christian Responsibility (New York: 1957)
The Department of Theology at the University of Tartu: Its Life and Work, Martyrdom and Annihilation (Stockholm: 1963)
Discoveries of Great Import on the Commentary on Luke by Cyril of Alexandria: The Emergence of New Manuscript Sources for the Syriac Version (1973)
Important New Manuscript Sources for the Islamic Law in Syriac: Contributions to the History of Jurisprudence in the Syrian Orient. (1975)
West Syrian Synodicon, CSCO 367–368/161–162; 375–376/163–164. (Louvain: 1975, 1976)
“In Pursuit of Syriac Manuscripts,” Journal of Near Eastern Studies 37.2, Colloquium on Aramaic Studies (April 1978), pages 187–193.
“On the Pathways of the Syrian Orient in the Pursuit of Manuscript Treasures,” The Professor Arthur Vööbus Collection of Syriac Manuscripts on Film and the Institute of Syriac Manuscript Studies, pages 2–20 (Chicago: 1982).
The Martyrs of Estonia: The Suffering, Ordeal and Annihilation of the Churches under the Russian Occupation (Stockholm: ETSE, 1984)
Studies in the History of the Estonian People, volumes 1–14
Tragedy of the Estonian People, volumes 1–2
FestschriftEdit
Robert H. Fischer (ed.), A Tribute to Arthur Vööbus: Studies in Early Christian Literature and Its Environment, Primarily in the Syrian East, Chicago: Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, 1977.
ReferencesEdit
^Reference Library of European America 1998 "Arthur Voobus (1909-1990) obtained his doctorate in Estonia in 1943 and came to the United States after the war."
^"Refugee Talks at Meeting of Brotherhood". The Daily Chronicle. De Kalb, IL. April 1, 1952. p. 2. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Teen-Age Group at Convention for Lutherans". Vero Beach Press Journal. Vero Beach, FL. June 13, 1963. p. 23. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Church Council Feels Scholar's Wrath". The Province. Vancouver, BC. January 21, 1978. p. 8. Retrieved April 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abKitchen, Robert (2023). "Arthur Vööbus Collection at Hill Museum & Manuscript Library". Syriac Annals of the Romanian Academy (3): 133–136.
^"All Christian Churches Urged to Unite Against Common Enemy". Our Sunday Visitor. Omaha, NE. January 20, 1952. p. 11. Retrieved April 27, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
External linksEdit
Photo of the young pastor Arthur Vööbus
Arthur Vööbus at his desk in later life
Works by Arthur Vööbus at the Internet Archive
October 20, 2023
arthur, võõbus, arthur, vööbus, april, april, 1909, september, 1988, estonian, theologian, orientalist, scholar, author, professor, church, historian, arthur, vööbus, painting, contents, biography, works, festschrift, references, external, linksbiography, edit. Arthur Voobus 28 April O S 15 April 1909 25 September 1988 was an Estonian theologian orientalist scholar author professor and church historian 1 2 Arthur Voobus painting Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 3 Festschrift 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditArthur Voobus was born in Matjama village Tartu County Livonia Russian Empire as the son of a teacher In 1928 he completed his schooling at the Hugo Treffner Gymnasium in Tartu then in 1932 his studies at the Theological Faculty of the University of Tartu That same year he was ordained a priest From 1933 to 1940 he was a pastor in the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tartu Arthur Voobus graduated as master of theology in 1934 with a thesis on The true Christian true Christian life and the true Christian church by Soren Kirkegaard In parallel Arthur Voobus worked in libraries and manuscript collections in Rome Paris London Berlin and Leipzig on theological texts in Syriac His language skills were acquired at the university under Uku Masing In 1936 he married Ilse Luksep a daughter of a wealthy merchant family which along with his job in a large parish provided the material basis for his research Towards the end of the 1930s Voobus worked on the publication of Syriac texts In 1940 he fled the Soviet occupation of Estonia to Germany His dissident attitude led to observation by the Gestapo After the occupation of Estonia by German troops Voobus returned to Estonia His doctoral thesis in 1943 at the University of Tartu was concerned with monasticism in Syria Mesopotamia and Persia before the 10th Century In 1944 Voobus and his family fled a second time before the Soviet reoccupation of Estonia He spent part of the war interned in concentration camps 3 4 5 From 1944 to 1948 he worked as a pastor in refugee camps and from 1946 to 1948 he was a professor of church history at the Baltic University at Pinneberg near Hamburg When this university was closed he worked in London at the British Museum In 1948 Voobus immigrated to the United States and became chair of the New Testament and ancient church history at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago LSTC where he taught from 1951 until his retirement in 1977 6 Arthur Voobus was a member of several scientific academies including the Royal Academy of Science Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium Voobus died on 25 September 1988 in Oak Park Illinois United States During his career Voobus made more than 40 separate trips to the Middle East creating a collection of manuscript photographs on film that is larger than any other collection of Syriac manuscript images before the advent of digital imaging 7 This collection of manuscript images is now known as the Voobus Syriac Manuscript Collection In 1979 the collection moved from Voobus home in Chicago to the newly founded Institute of Syriac Manuscript Studies ISMS located in the JKM Library at LSTC The collection then called the Professor Arthur Voobus Collection of Syrian Manuscripts was maintained at ISMS until 2016 In 2016 due to financial constraints the ISMS entered into an agreement with the Hill Museum amp Manuscript Library HMML and the entire collection was transferred and stored in HMML s microfilm vault 7 HMML now undertakes responsibility for the continued digitization of the films and the hosting of the images 6 In 2023 HMML makes the scanned films available for viewing online at https hmmlvoobus org Works EditCommunism s Challenge to Christianity 1950 8 Studies in the History of the Gospel Text in Syriac Louvain 1951 Early Versions of the New Testament Manuscript Studies Oriental Texts and Facsimile Plates of Syriac Armenian Georgian Coptic Ethiopic and Arabic Manuscripts Stockholm 1954 Liber Graduum Some Aspects of its Significance for the History of Early Syriac Asceticism Charisteria Johanni Kopp Octogenario Oblata Papers of the Estonian Theological Society in Exile 7 pages 108 128 Stockholm 1954 The Communist Menace the Present Chaos and Our Christian Responsibility New York 1957 History of Asceticism in the Syrian Orient A Contribution to the History of Culture in the Near East volumes 1 3 Louvain 1958 1960 1988 The Department of Theology at the University of Tartu Its Life and Work Martyrdom and Annihilation Stockholm 1963 Discoveries of Great Import on the Commentary on Luke by Cyril of Alexandria The Emergence of New Manuscript Sources for the Syriac Version 1973 Important New Manuscript Sources for the Islamic Law in Syriac Contributions to the History of Jurisprudence in the Syrian Orient 1975 West Syrian Synodicon CSCO 367 368 161 162 375 376 163 164 Louvain 1975 1976 In Pursuit of Syriac Manuscripts Journal of Near Eastern Studies 37 2 Colloquium on Aramaic Studies April 1978 pages 187 193 On the Pathways of the Syrian Orient in the Pursuit of Manuscript Treasures The Professor Arthur Voobus Collection of Syriac Manuscripts on Film and the Institute of Syriac Manuscript Studies pages 2 20 Chicago 1982 The Martyrs of Estonia The Suffering Ordeal and Annihilation of the Churches under the Russian Occupation Stockholm ETSE 1984 Studies in the History of the Estonian People volumes 1 14 Tragedy of the Estonian People volumes 1 2Festschrift EditRobert H Fischer ed A Tribute to Arthur Voobus Studies in Early Christian Literature and Its Environment Primarily in the Syrian East Chicago Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago 1977 References Edit Reference Library of European America 1998 Arthur Voobus 1909 1990 obtained his doctorate in Estonia in 1943 and came to the United States after the war Chicago Tribune obituary Refugee Talks at Meeting of Brotherhood The Daily Chronicle De Kalb IL April 1 1952 p 2 Retrieved April 28 2023 via Newspapers com nbsp Teen Age Group at Convention for Lutherans Vero Beach Press Journal Vero Beach FL June 13 1963 p 23 Retrieved April 28 2023 via Newspapers com nbsp Church Council Feels Scholar s Wrath The Province Vancouver BC January 21 1978 p 8 Retrieved April 28 2023 via Newspapers com nbsp a b Kitchen Robert 2023 Arthur Voobus Collection at Hill Museum amp Manuscript Library Syriac Annals of the Romanian Academy 3 133 136 a b Voobus Syriac Manuscript Collection All Christian Churches Urged to Unite Against Common Enemy Our Sunday Visitor Omaha NE January 20 1952 p 11 Retrieved April 27 2023 via Newspapers com nbsp External links EditPhoto of the young pastor Arthur Voobus Arthur Voobus at his desk in later life Works by Arthur Voobus at the Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Arthur Voobus amp oldid 1180410348, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
