The Cambridge History of Christianity

by Thomas F. X. Noble, Julia M. H. Smith

Overview

The key focus of this book is the vitality and dynamism of all aspects of Christian experience from late antiquity to the First Crusade. By putting the institutional and doctrinal history firmly in the context of Christianity’s many cultural manifestations and lived formations everywhere from Afghanistan to Iceland, this volume of The Cambridge History of Christianity emphasizes the ever-changing, varied expressions of Christianity at both local and world level. The insights of many disciplines, including gender studies, codicology, archaeology and anthropology, are deployed to offer fresh interpretations which challenge the conventional truths concerning this formative period. Addressing eastern, Byzantine and western Christianity, it explores encounters between Christians and others, notably Jews, Muslims, and pagans; the institutional life of the church including law, reform and monasticism; the pastoral and sacramental contexts of worship, belief and morality; and finally its cultural and theological meanings, including heresy, saints’ cults and the afterlife.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781107423640
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	07/31/2014
Series:	Cambridge History of Christianity
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	878
Sales rank:	528,153
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 1.97(d)

About the Author

Thomas F. X. Noble is Robert M. Conway Director of the Medieval Institute and Professor of History, University of Notre Dame. He previously held positions at Texas Tech University (1976–80) and at the University of Virginia (1980–2000), as well as several prestigious fellowships in both the United States and Europe. He has written or edited six books and over thirty book chapters or journal articles.

Julia Smith is Edwards Professor of Medieval History, University of Glasgow. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and has previously taught at Trinity College, Hartford, CT and at the University of St Andrews. Professor Smith has written numerous journal articles, and is the author or editor of four books including, most recently Europe After Rome: A New Cultural History 500–1000 (2005).

Table of Contents

Introduction: Christendom, c.600 Peter Brown; Part I. Foundations: Peoples, Places, and Traditions: 1. Late Roman Christianities Philip Rousseau; 2. The emergence of Byzantine orthodoxy, 600–1095 Andrew Louth; 3. Beyond empire I: Eastern Christianities from the Persian to the Turkish conquest, 604–1071 Igor Dorfmann-Lazarev; 4. Beyond empire II: Christianities of the Celtic Peoples, 600–1100 Thomas M. Charles-Edwards; 5. Germanic Christianities, 600–1100 Lesley Abrams; 6. Slav Christianities, 800–1100 Jonathan Shepard; Part II. Christianity in Confrontation: 7. Christians and Jews, 600-c.1100 Bat-Sheva Albert; 8. The Mediterranean frontier: Christianity face to face with Islam Hugh Kennedy; 9. Christians under Muslim rule Sidney H. Griffith; 10. Latin and Greek Christians Tia M. Kolbaba; 11. The northern frontier: Christianity face to face with Paganism Ian N. Wood; Part III. Christianity in the Social and Political Order: 12. The Christian church as an institution Thomas F. X. Noble; 13. Ascetism and its institutions Anne-Marie Helvétius and Michel Kaplan; 14. Law and its applications Janet L. Nelson; 15. The problems of property Rosemary Morris; 16. Ideas and applications of reform, c.600–c.1100 Julia Barrow; 17. Churches in the landscape Dominique Iogna-Prat; Part IV. Christianity as Lived Experience: 18. Birth and death Frederick S. Paxton; 19. Remedies for sins Rob Meens; 20. Sickness and healing Peregrine Horden; 21. Gender and the body Lynda L. Coon; 22. Sacrifice, gifts, and prayers in Latin Christianity Arnold Angenendt; 23. Performing the liturgy Éric Palazzo; Part V. Christianity: Books and Ideas: 24. Visions of God Alain Boureau; 25. Orthodoxy and deviance E. Ann Matter; 26. Making sense of the Bible, 600–1100 Guy Lobrichon; 27. The Christian book in medieval Byzantium Leslie Brubaker and Mary B. Cunningham; 28. Saints and their cults Julia M. H. Smith; 29. Last things Jane Baun; Conclusion: Christendom, c.1100 John H. Van Engen.

Editorial Reviews

"...inspires awe....enormous diversity of of excellent scholars....stands out from rivals by its sheer scale....provide an effective structure....identification and development of themes is thoroughly successful....deeply impressive..."
—Philip Jenkins

From the Publisher