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A Brief History of Saints (Blackwell Brief Histories of Religion)

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A Brief History Of Saints by Lawrence Cunningham (John O'Brien Professor of Theology, Notre Dame University) is an historical overview of the rise of the cult of saints in Christianity from its origin in the first century A.D. that ushered in the age of martyrs, down to the present day. Included are such famous saints as Joan of Arc and a great many lesser known men and women such as the "holy fools" in Orthodox tradition. Included is a presentation of the history of canonization processes, the Reformation critique of the cult of saints, and the role of saints in other religious traditions. A Brief History Of Saints focuses upon both Western and Eastern Christian traditions, how saints serve as a theological resource, and the relevance of sainthood in a postmodern culture. Enhanced with material on patron saints and the iconography of saints in art, a section of Notes, a Bibliography for further study, and a "user friendly" index, A Brief History Of Saints is a welcome and appreciated contribution to the evolving idea and ideal of sainthood in Christian theology, custom and practice, and highly recommended reading for both students of theology, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.