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Patrology: The Eastern Fathers from the Council of Chalcedon to John of Damascus

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Every student of the fathers is familiar with Quasten's "Patrology". The last volume of this was actually edited by Angelo Di Berardino. The story of the fathers ends in 450. Thereafter anyone wishing to learn about a later writer is left to struggle with briefer texts such as Altaner's elderly one-volume patrology. Few discussions of the Greek fathers can ignore writers after 450.

When in Rome recently, I found that the Italian translation of Quasten has further volumes; one on the later Greek fathers, and one on the later Latin fathers. Now, at long last, the first of these 'extra volumes' is available in English, thanks to the effort of Adrian Walford.

This takes the story from where Quasten vol. 3 ended (Chalcedon, 451 AD) to John Damascene in the 8th century. It also includes some notices of writers omitted by Quasten between 400-451. The format is the same as before, and there are also sections on Syriac and Coptic writers.

Unfortunately the volume is inferior to Quasten. This was a fault in the Italian, and is reproduced in the English. The text is more woolly, there seem to be no inline brief quotations from the people being discussed -- one of Quasten's glories -- and the bibliographies are very scant. This matters little for the scholarship, as this would quickly date. There is an understandable bias towards Italian scholarship, of course.

But Quasten always made a serious effort to list an edition, and all the English, French and German translations. In some cases no edition is listed -- just a reference to the entry number of the author in the "Clavis Patrum Graecorum" (which no-one can afford). Likewise if a translation is given it will be merely a recent one; in several cases I know of translations that exist in English and are not referenced.

This is sad, since one of the joys of Quasten was to discover a translation, obtain it, and thereby access the writer.

Nevertheless this volume can only be described as essential. Quasten's format is vastly superior to that of encyclopedias, for it is possible to read it cover to cover and as bedside reading, and through it learn the history of the church in immense and referenced detail. This volume now makes it possible for us all to continue the story to John Damascene.

Let us hope that the next volume will be translated also. I have spoken to the publisher and made some of these points to him. Unfortunately the translator, Adrian Walford, commenced work on that volume but has since died.

If anyone knows Angelo Di Berardino, perhaps they might suggest that his group of scholars at the "Institutum Augustinianum" continue their labours. A volume on the Greek church writers from John Damascene to the fall of Constantinople in 1453, in this format, would be very useful indeed.

Every student of the fathers is familiar with Quasten's "Patrology"(Patrology: 4 Vol. Set). The last volume of this was actually edited by Angelo Di Berardino. The story of the fathers ends in 450. Thereafter anyone wishing to learn about a later writer is left to struggle with briefer texts such as Altaner's elderly one-volume patrology. Few discussions of the Greek fathers can ignore writers after 450.

When in Rome recently, I found that the Italian translation of Quasten has further volumes; one on the later Greek fathers, and one on the later Latin fathers. Now, at long last, the first of these 'extra volumes' is available in English, thanks to the effort of Adrian Walford.

This takes the story from where Quasten vol. 3 ended (Chalcedon, 451 AD) to John Damascene in the 8th century. It also includes some notices of writers omitted by Quasten between 400-451. The format is the same as before, and there are also sections on Syriac and Coptic writers.

Unfortunately the volume is inferior to Quasten. This was a fault in the Italian, and is reproduced in the English. The text is more woolly, there seem to be no inline brief quotations from the people being discussed -- one of Quasten's glories -- and the bibliographies are very scant. This matters little for the scholarship, as this would quickly date. There is an understandable bias towards Italian scholarship, of course.

But Quasten always made a serious effort to list an edition, and all the English, French and German translations. In some cases no edition is listed -- just a reference to the entry number of the author in the "Clavis Patrum Graecorum" (which no-one can afford). Likewise if a translation is given it will be merely a recent one; in several cases I know of translations that exist in English and are not referenced.

This is sad, since one of the joys of Quasten was to discover a translation, obtain it, and thereby access the writer.

Nevertheless this volume can only be described as essential. Quasten's format is vastly superior to that of encyclopedias, for it is possible to read it cover to cover and as bedside reading, and through it learn the history of the church in immense and referenced detail. This volume now makes it possible for us all to continue the story to John Damascene.

Let us hope that the next volume will be translated also. I have spoken to the publisher and made some of these points to him. Unfortunately the translator, Adrian Walford, commenced work on that volume but has since died.

If anyone knows Angelo Di Berardino, perhaps they might suggest that his group of scholars at the "Institutum Augustinianum" continue their labours. A volume on the Greek church writers from John Damascene to the fall of Constantinople in 1453, in this format, would be very useful indeed.

Principal reference in translation for students of Eastern-Church Fathers from 451 (Chalcedon) to ca. 750 AD, this text follows Johannes Quasten's format of themes and groupings, which he edited as three sequential volumes in the 1950's. The present volume was edited by Angelo di Berardino of the Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum (Rome), who was editor of the fourth and fifth volumes of Quasten's Patrology, too.

Translated by Adrian Walford, entries are grouped as follows: 1) Constantinople and Asia Minor; 2) Greek literature of Syria; 3) Palestinian-region writers; 4) Alexandrian and Egyptians; 5) Syriac writers; 6) Coptic writers; 7) Armenian patristic texts; 8) Greek exegetical catenae; and 9) canonical and liturgical literature.

Little known Fathers appear along with writers of fame from across the same period. Italian contributors dominate this volume and include Pauline Allen (Catholic University, Brisbane), Maria Antonietta Barbara (Messina), Paolo Bettiolo (Padua), Filippo Carcione (Cassino), Danilo Ceccarelli Morolli (PIO, Rome), Carmelo Curti (Catania), the editor - Angelo di Berardino, Salvatore Lilla (BAV of the IPA, Rome), Andrew Louth (Durham), Gianfranco Lusini (Napoli), Adele Monaci Castagno (Vercelli), Manel Nin (San Anselmo, Rome), Tito Orlandi (La Sapienzia, Rome), Lorenzo Perrone (Pisa), Paul Rorem (Princeton), Manlio Simonetti (La Sapienzia, Rome), Baasilo Studer (San Anselmo, Rome), Karl-Heinz Uthemann (Utrecht), and Sever Voicu (IAP, Rome).

Simonetti's Introduction inspires general readers of history, ecclesiology, theology, and philosophy by its inclusive tone. Monastic reforms, imperial authority, ecclesiastical polity, and bridges to commerce and politics from East to West figure prominently in the Introduction just as theological controversies of Donatism, Monophysistism/Monothelitism, and Iconoclasm disclose a complex and heterogeneous portrait in a Church at once united and divided.

Each chapter provides copious references to standard and acclaimed editions of translated texts and original editions. Several chapters deserve special note for exemplary treatment of literature, such as John of Damascus (Studer), Leontius of Neapolis (Louth), Aeneas of Gaza (Lilla), Maximus the Confessor (Louth), and Canonical and Liturgical Literature (Nin). While I have singled out these for accolades, my praise extends to many other entries as well.

This text will find a place on the reference shelves of libraries and collections of students of patrology.