A Brief History of Saints
Blackwell Brief Histories of Religion
1. Edition November 2004
192 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
ISBN:
978-1-4051-1402-8
John Wiley & Sons
A Brief History of Saints follows the rise of the cult of saints in Christianity from its origin in the age of the martyrs down to the present day.
* Refers to both well-known saints, such as Joan of Arc, and lesser-known figures like the 'holy fools' in the Orthodox tradition
* Ranges over subjects as diverse as the history of canonization processes, the Reformation critique of the cult of saints, and the role of saints in other religious traditions
* Discusses the relevance of sainthood in the postmodern era
* Two appendices describe patron saints and the iconography of saints in art.
List of illustrations.
Introduction.
1. The Saint: Beginnings.
2. The Bureaucratization of Sanctity.
3. Reformations Catholic and Protestant.
4. Towards the Modern World.
5. The Twentieth Century.
6. The Saints, World Religions, and the future.
Bibliography.
Index
Introduction.
1. The Saint: Beginnings.
2. The Bureaucratization of Sanctity.
3. Reformations Catholic and Protestant.
4. Towards the Modern World.
5. The Twentieth Century.
6. The Saints, World Religions, and the future.
Bibliography.
Index
"This is a book of solid learning worn lightly. Its readable tone
coupled with nuggets of juicy anecdote make the rich phenomenon of
saints accessible to a wide audience, with great gain of insight."
Elizabeth Johnson, Fordham University
"In an age when heroes all too quickly become targets for media
demolition, saints still have a capacity to fascinate. Whether we
are religious or not, saints remain inspirational exemplars of 'a
good life' and remind us of the human capacity for wisdom and
altruism in a world that is all too often violent and self-seeking.
As Lawrence Cunningham indicates in his A Brief History of
Saints, a single, simple definition of 'a saint' is impossible.
Different times and cultures highlight different human virtues but,
as Lawrence Cunningham concludes, saints are ultimately people who
'do the ordinary in an extraordinary fashion.' His book is an
excellent example of clarity and succinctness as he summarizes
complex historical and theological material. In a brief space he
offers a readable, insightful, sometimes amusing, and ecumenically
sensitive history both of the role of saints and of the ways that
Christian sainthood has been conceived and promoted. His comments
on secularized models of 'sainthood' in contemporary culture were
illuminating and, in today's increasingly global situation,
his section on sainthood in different world religions will be
especially welcome." Philip Sheldrake, University of
Durham
"This book could easily be justified as an addition to the
school library" Networking: Catholic Education
Today
"A succinct but exceptional guide." M. Sweeney
coupled with nuggets of juicy anecdote make the rich phenomenon of
saints accessible to a wide audience, with great gain of insight."
Elizabeth Johnson, Fordham University
"In an age when heroes all too quickly become targets for media
demolition, saints still have a capacity to fascinate. Whether we
are religious or not, saints remain inspirational exemplars of 'a
good life' and remind us of the human capacity for wisdom and
altruism in a world that is all too often violent and self-seeking.
As Lawrence Cunningham indicates in his A Brief History of
Saints, a single, simple definition of 'a saint' is impossible.
Different times and cultures highlight different human virtues but,
as Lawrence Cunningham concludes, saints are ultimately people who
'do the ordinary in an extraordinary fashion.' His book is an
excellent example of clarity and succinctness as he summarizes
complex historical and theological material. In a brief space he
offers a readable, insightful, sometimes amusing, and ecumenically
sensitive history both of the role of saints and of the ways that
Christian sainthood has been conceived and promoted. His comments
on secularized models of 'sainthood' in contemporary culture were
illuminating and, in today's increasingly global situation,
his section on sainthood in different world religions will be
especially welcome." Philip Sheldrake, University of
Durham
"This book could easily be justified as an addition to the
school library" Networking: Catholic Education
Today
"A succinct but exceptional guide." M. Sweeney
Lawrence S. Cunningham is John O'Brien Professor of Theology at Notre Dame University. He is the author or editor of many books, including The Sacred Quest: An Invitation to the Study of Religion (2001), Christian Spirituality (1996), Ecumenism (1990), and The Catholic Faith: An Introduction (1987). His previous works on sainthood include biographies of Thomas Merton and Saint Francis of Assisi. He has won three Catholic Press Association awards for his religious writing and numerous teaching awards.