Byzantine Christianity: A Very Brief History

by Averil Cameron

Overview

‘. . . I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium.’
W. B. Yeats

From the foundation of Constantinople in 330 to its fall in 1453, this brief history explores the key components of Byzantine Christianity, including the development of monasticism, icons and iconoclasm, the role of the emperor in relation to church councils and beliefs, the difficult relationship with the papacy and the impact of the Crusades.

The book also considers Byzantine Christianity as a living force today: the variety and vitality of Orthodox churches, the role of the Church in Russia and the enduring relevance of a spirituality derived from the church fathers.

‘Averil Cameron’s work has transformed our understanding of Byzantium, and here she offers an authoritative survey of its history and legacy . . . This is a lucid, informative and impressively wide-ranging brief history.’
Gillian Clark FBA, Emeritus Professor of Classics and Ancient History, University of Bristol

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780281076147
Publisher:	SPCK Publishing
Publication date:	10/19/2017
Series:	Very Brief Histories
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	641 KB

About the Author

Prof Dame Averil Cameron DBE, FBA, FSA, is a Research Fellow at Keble College, Oxford, a member of the Faculty of Classics and Chair of the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research. She was Warden of Keble College, 1994-2010, and before that Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine History at King's College London, where she was also the first Director of the Centre for Hellenic Studies. She is President of CBRL (Council for British Research in the Levant) and was President of FIEC (Fédération Internationale des Associations d'études Classiques), 2009-14.

Table of Contents

Preface xiii

Chronology xv

Part 1 The History

1 What was Byzantium? 3

2 Monks, monasteries and bishops 11

3 The age of the Fathers 18

4 The eastern Church splits 25

5 Icons and iconoclasm 33

6 After iconoclasm 40

7 The Macedonian emperors 48

8 Byzantium under the Comneni 56

9 1204 and after 64

10 Byzantium 1261-1453 71

Part 2 The Legacy

11 Byzantium and Orthodox life and spirituality 81

12 The setting of worship 89

13 Discipline and control 97

14 Orthodox churches and others 103

15 Perspectives today 111

Conclusion 120

Glossary 122

Further reading 126

Index 131

What People are Saying About This

Gillian Clark FBA

"Averil Cameron's work has transformed our understanding of Byzantium, and here she offers an authoritative survey of its history and legacy . . . This is a lucid, informative and impressively wide-ranging brief history."

Editorial Reviews

Averil Cameron’s work has transformed our understanding of Byzantium, and here she offers an authoritative survey of its history and legacy . . . This is a lucid, informative and impressively wide-ranging brief history.

An excellent, lucid account of a complex topic

These books have been written by recognised scholars who combine academic rigour, a focus on specific questions, and clear explanation. They introduce us to the findings of modern scholarship and help us to understand more of the life and faith of the classical world.

From the Publisher