The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity

Recent political events in the Middle East and eastern Europe have brought eastern Christianity to global attention. The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity provides an unparalleled account of the history and development of these vital Christian traditions, at the same time placing contemporary events in their full context. The Companion provides authoritative and lively essays on the main Eastern Orthodox traditions, such as the Greek, Russian, and Georgian churches, as well as the Oriental Orthodox traditions, including the Armenian, Coptic, and Syrian churches.

The in–depth articles of the Companion, which are written by an international team of experts, offer a comprehensive survey of the history, theology, doctrine, worship, art, culture, and politics that make up the churches of Eastern Christianity. The Companion can also be used alongside the respected Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity (Blackwell, 1999), providing detailed discussions and assessments to complement the Dictionary’s shorter entries.

Notes on contributors.

Preface: Ken Parry (Macquarie University, Australia).

1. Arab Christianity: David Thomas (University of Birmingham).

2. Armenian Christianity: Vrej Nerses Nersessian (British Library, London).

3. Bulgarian Christianity: Ivan Zhelev Dimitrov (University of Sofia, Bulgaria).

4. Byzantine Christianity: Hannah Hunt (Trinity and All Saints University College, Leeds).

5. Coptic Christianity: Janet A. Timbie (Catholic University of America, Washington, DC).

6. Ethiopian Christianity: David Appleyard (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London).

7. Georgian Christianity: Stephen H. Rapp, Jr. (Georgia State University).

8. Greek Christianity after 1453: Vrasidas Karalis (University of Sydney).

9. Romanian Christianity: Mircea Pacurariu (Sibiu, Romania).

10. Russian Christianity: Basil Lourié (Rector of Parish of Holy Martyr Elizabeth, St Petersburg).

11. Serbian Christianity: Radmila Radić (Institute of Contemporary History of Serbia, Belgrade).

12. Syriac Christianity: Heleen Murre–van den Berg (Leiden University).

13. Eastern Christianity in the United States: Thomas FitzGerald (Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA).

14. Eastern Christianity in China: Jeremias Norman (University of Washington, Seattle).

15. Eastern Catholic Christianity: Peter Galadza (Saint Paul University, Ottawa).

16. Eastern Christian Liturgical Traditions: Eastern Orthodox: Graham Woolfenden (St Sofia Orthodox Seminary, NJ).

17. Eastern Christian Liturgical Traditions: Oriental Orthodox: Bryan D. Spinks (Yale Institute of Sacred Music and Yale Divinity School).

18. Eastern Christian Iconographic and Architectural Traditions: Eastern Orthodox: Alexander Grishin (Australian National University, Canberra).

19. Eastern Christian Iconographic and Architectural Traditions: Oriental Orthodox: Lucy–Anne Hunt (Manchester Metropolitan University).

20. Eastern Christian Hagiographical Traditions: Eastern Orthodox: Dimitri Brady (City of Manchester).

21. Eastern Christian Hagiographical Traditions: Oriental Orthodox: Syriac Hagiography: Eva Synek (University of Vienna).

22. Eastern Christian Hagiographical Traditions: Oriental Orthodox: Coptic Hagiography: Youhanna Nessim Youssef (Australian Catholic University).

23. Eastern Christian Hagiographical Traditions: Oriental Orthodox: Armenian Hagiography: Verj Nerses Nersessian (British Library, London).

24. Sociology and Eastern Orthodoxy: Peter McMylor and Maria Vorozhishcheva (University of Manchester).

Index

Ken Parry is Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Ancient History at Macquarie University, Australia. He is the editor–in–chief of The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity (Blackwell, 1999) and has contributed to numerous other books and journals on Byzantine Christianity and the Christian East.

"This book is written in scholarly fashion but is consistently highly readable and engrossing. This is an excellent overview of Eastern Christianity." ( Expository Times , November 2008) "A masterful description of the major living traditions of Eastern Christianity. Its 24 chapters, each written by an accomplished scholar in the field, address the dominant ethnic and cultural categories of Eastern Christianity (Arab, Byzantine, etc.) along with their most characteristic features (liturgy, iconography, and hagiography). Each offers a concise, well–organized, and highly readable overview of the tradition in question, along with a representative bibliography ... Highly recommended. Academic libraries and theological collections; upper–level undergraduates through faculty/researchers." ( CHOICE ) "A distinctive addition to the companion series and to its chosen sphere of knowledge." ( Reference Reviews ) “Christian emigration, not least from the Middle East, means that there are growing communities of Eastern Christians in the West … Eastern Christians are now companions to Western; and the latter will learn much about the former from this Blackwell Companion.” ( Church Times ) "A worthwhile collection, and one that should prove useful." ( Eccliastical History )