The Great Church in Captivity: A Study of the Patriarchate of Constantinople from the Eve of the Turkish Conquest to the Greek War of Independence [Paperback]

Steven Runciman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521313104 | ISBN-13: 978-0521313100 | Publication Date: March 31, 1986

This is Sir Steven Runciman's established and widely admired classic account of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, first published in 1968. The Great Church, as the Greeks called the Orthodox Patriarchate, was the spiritual centre of the Byzantine world. The Church's survival during the four centuries of Turkish rule which followed the fall of Constantinople bore witness to its strenght and to the unquenchable vitality of Hellenism. Sir Steven Runciman's history of the Great Church in this period is written with scholarship, sympathy and style.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

First published in 1968, this classic study of the Patriarchate of Constantinople traces the Grecian church's survival as the spiritual center of the Byzantine world during the four centuries of Turkish rule which followed the fall of Constantinople.

Product Details

• Paperback: 468 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (March 31, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521313104
• ISBN-13: 978-0521313100
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #206,645 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #67 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Orthodoxy
  • #88 in Books > History > Asia > Turkey
  • #98 in Books > History > Europe > Greece

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "We knew not whether we were on earth or in heaven...", April 3, 2000

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"boniface" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Church in Captivity: A Study of the Patriarchate of Constantinople from the Eve of the Turkish Conquest to the Greek War of Independence (Paperback)

I'll say right off what my quibble with this well-written study is: it would rate 5+ stars if it were illustrated. It is really too bad the publishers didn't bother to put in a few portraits of various Patriarchs of Constantinople, several representative Icons, a map of the city showing the Phanar, and some photos of the remaining churches and chapels. We have plenty of this sort of thing in books on western Christianity; why not in a book about eastern Orthodoxy? That said, it is an excellent read. It took me awhile to pick it up, perhaps out of fear of it being too "scholarly". Once underway, I was very much engaged by it, and it filled in a significant gap in my knowledge of the eastern churches. I'm grateful to Runciman for having given me a learning experience, which I wish I could say about many other authors, but can't. This is strongly recommended for students of Christian and near- and middle-eastern history, Orthodox believers who want to know more about their faith, and readers who like to explore what happens when cultures collide. I enjoyed reading this while curled up in a big comfy chair with a pot of tea. A nicely written study of a neglected part of human history!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, January 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Great Church in Captivity: A Study of the Patriarchate of Constantinople from the Eve of the Turkish Conquest to the Greek War of Independence (Paperback)

The book discusses in detail the many adventures that the Orthodox Church has been through during its long reign. Very few historians have covered the Great Church in such a detailed fashioned. Runciman is a very good historian and it's a shame that some of his other books are out-of-print.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening, April 7, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Great Church in Captivity: A Study of the Patriarchate of Constantinople from the Eve of the Turkish Conquest to the Greek War of Independence (Paperback)

The dilemma facing English speakers of Greek decent is that there are so few books written in English on Greek medieval history, and I can think of none written specifically on the Orthodox Church during the turkocratia, except of course Runciman's "The Great Church in Captivity". At first, I was skeptical. After all, Runciman is an Englishman and I was leery about potential ignorance or bias which could seep its way into his book. No need to be concerned. Runcimen's book is a well researched and a thorough history on the subject. I could hardly put it down.

Generally, the book was easy to read and very informative. One chapter deals heavily with theology, and finding the subject brain numbing, I must admit, I skipped over most it. No matter, the balance of the book, which deals with Church history, was very enlightening. I do have one issue with Runcimen's account, however. Greek history teaches that during the captivity, Greek children were taught Greek by the clergy, under covert conditions, usually at night in underground caves, so as to not alert the Turks. By doing this, the Greek people were able to maintain their identity through language and religion, and resist turkification. This is a fact of paramount significance to the Greek people, a legend of heroism passed down from generation to generation, yet there is no mention of it by Runciman. Even though this account was omitted, there is so much content in this book, that I highly recommend it to those interested in the history of the Orthodox Church.

To Greeks: A bit of warning to the wide-eyed and uninitiated: You were not taught this history at home or in Sunday school, so you may be shocked by some of this. I was.