Severos, patriarch of Antioch, was one of the most important ecclesiastical figures of the first half of the sixth century. Regarded as a schismatic by the Greek and Latin Church, he is commemorated as a saint in the Syrian Orthodox Church, and consequently most of his voluminous writings are only preserved in Syriac translations from the Greek. In this book, Sebastian Brock and Brian Fitzgerald provide much-needed English translations that detail the life of this important figure.
Severos lived during the important period when the reception of the Council of Chalcedon was still hotly debated. An opponent of the Council, Severos endured severe oppression and exile, and ultimately his many writings were condemned to be burned. But the two biographies translated here capture his life in exquisite detail—from his time as a student to his death in 538—in the process providing a fascinating look at ecclesiastical culture during that turbulent time. They will be an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the history of Christendom.
Sebastian Brockis emeritus reader in Syriac studies and emeritus fellow of Wolfson College at Oxford University. He is the author of many books, most recentlyThe Bible in the Syriac Tradition.Brian Fitzgeraldis an independent scholar.
Preface
Abbreviations
Maps
Introduction
1. Severos: outline of his life
2. The main theological issues
3. The biographical materials for the life of Severos
4. Zacharias
5. Anonymous Life (attributed to John of Beth Aphtonia)
6. The Present Translations
Translations
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