Kees Den Biesen
Kees den Biesen (Maastricht, 1959) is an independent scholar in Christian literature, philosophy and theology, specialized in early Christian literature, architectural theory and symbolical theology. His main interest is the interaction between art, intellect and religion.
Kees regularly lectures and publishes studies about the literary, intellectual and religious dimensions of the poetry of both Ephrem the Syrian and Dante Alighieri and about the phenomenological theory of architecture and liturgical design developed by the Dutch benedictine Dom Hans van der Laan.
He has taught at the MA in Syriac Theology Program at Salzburg University and currently teaches for both the patristic and liturgical programs at the Pontificio Istituto Orientale in Rome. Besides teaching, he prepares bilingual liturgical editions as well as study-editions of the Syriac Orthodox sacramental rituals.
Kees regularly lectures and publishes studies about the literary, intellectual and religious dimensions of the poetry of both Ephrem the Syrian and Dante Alighieri and about the phenomenological theory of architecture and liturgical design developed by the Dutch benedictine Dom Hans van der Laan.
He has taught at the MA in Syriac Theology Program at Salzburg University and currently teaches for both the patristic and liturgical programs at the Pontificio Istituto Orientale in Rome. Besides teaching, he prepares bilingual liturgical editions as well as study-editions of the Syriac Orthodox sacramental rituals.
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Articles by Kees Den Biesen
This triad of deeply interconnected intellectual strategies represents his most important ‘instruments of thought’ and is rooted in the careful observation of phenomena as they are presented to us rather than relying on conventional beliefs. Van der Laan’s instruments of thought lead us to reconsider the origins of human creation, urging a deeper examination of our perceptual and cognitive response to the limitlessness of the surrounding environment. On this basis, Van der Laan develops a unique philosophy of culture and design that includes consid- erations on the relationship between nature, culture, and religious ritual.
Although this book is informative, its principal aim is to be formative. On the basis of Van der Laan’s instruments of thought, the authors develop a methodology to explore the Plastic Number theory and the many ways in which we perceive and interpret proportion. Reintroducing playful creativity and intellectual exploration into architectural pedagogy and design practice, this book is a gateway for a deeper understanding of the effects of the built environment on human behavior and the various ways in which the human mind perceives and decodes artifacts.
Tiziana Proietti is an architect, educator, and researcher. She is Professor at the C. Gibbs College of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma where she holds joint appointments in the Departments of Architecture and Interior Design. She is director of the Sense Base Laboratory, a hub for interdisciplinary research aiming toward bridging neuroscience and architecture and testing human response to architectural proportion.
Kees den Biesen is an independent scholar in literature, philosophy, and theology, specialized in early Christian literature, architectural theory, and symbolical theology. His main interest is in the interaction between art, thought, and religion. He is primarily engaged in publishing in the field of Syriac studies and teaches at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome.
Bi-lingual edition of the Syriac Orthodox Eucharist with historical introduction, theological commentary, extensive notes and bibliography.
At the Wedding-feast of the Spiritual Bridegroom. Order of the blessing of bridegrooms and brides according to the tradition of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, Bar 'Ebroyo Press : Losser, 2022, 154 pp. (bi-lingual edition with introduction; large format for priests, small format for faithful).
5-57: Ima summis. Saggio introduttivo (Kdb & TP)
59-64: ‘Nota sui testi e la loro traduzione’ (KdB)
67-79: introduction to Il Numero Plastico (TP)
81-215: translation of Het plastisch getal (KdB & TP)
219-228: introduction to Lo Spazio Architettonico (KdB)
229-446: translation of Der architektonische Raum (KdB)
449-464: introduction to Gioco di Forme: Natura, Cultura e Liturgia nella Vita Umana (KdB)
465-539: translation of Het vormenspel der liturgie (KdB)
541-547: glossario
Hemels Brood en Geestelijke Drank: Orde van de viering van de goddelijke Qurobo volgens de traditie van de Syrisch Orthodoxe Kerk van Antiochië, Bar Ebroyo Press : Losser, 2018, 393 pp.; ISBN 978-90-5047-062-9 [bi-lingual edition of the Syrian Orthodox Eucharist, with introduction and newly established text and rubrics; large format for priests, small format for faithful].