Leo the Great

ISBN-13: 9780415394802 / Angielski / Twarda / 2009 / 186 str.

Bronwen Neil

Opis

Pope Leo I’s theological and political influence in his own time (440-461) and beyond far outweighs the amount of attention he has received in recent scholarship. That influence extended well beyond his own see of Rome to the Christian East through his contribution to preparations for the Council of Chalcedon and its outcome. For this he was alternately praised and vilified by the opposing parties at the Council. Leo made his views known through letters, and a vast number of homilies. While so many of these survive (123 letters and 96 homilies of certain attribution), Leo and his works have not made been the subject of a major English-language socio-historical study in over fifty years.
In this brief introduction to the life and works of this important leader of the early church, we hope to gain a more accurate picture of the circumstances and pressures which were brought to bear on his pontificate. A brief introduction surveys the scanty sources which document Leo’s early life, and sets his pontificate in its historical context, as the western Roman empire went into serious decline, and Rome lost its former status as the western capital. Annotated translations of various excerpts of Leo’s letters and homilies will be organised around four themes dealing with specific aspects of Leo’s activity as bishop of Rome:
1. Leo as Spiritual Adviser on the Life of the Faithful
2. Leo as Opponent of Heresy
3. The Bishop of Rome as Civic and Ecclesiastical Administrator
4. Leo and the Primacy of Rome
Taking each of these key elements of Leo’s pontifical activities into account, we will gain a more balanced picture of the context and contribution of his best-known writings on Christology. This volume offers an affordable introduction to the subject for both teachers and students of ancient and medieval Christianity.

Spis treści

Acknowledgements  Abbreviations  Introduction: 1. Leo’s Life and Times  2. Pastoral Caregiver  3. Theologian and Opponent of Heresy  4. Heir of St Peter  5. Administrator of the Wider Church  Texts: General Introduction to the Translations  6. Pastoral Caregiver  Homily 87 on the September Fast  Homily 85 on the Feast of St Lawrence  Homily 27 on the Feast of the Nativity  Homily 69 on Holy Saturday  7. Theologian and Opponent of Heresy  Homily 16 on the December Fast  Homily 73 on the Ascension  Letter 15 to Turibius, Bishop of Astorga  Letter 28 to Flavian, Bishop of Constantinople  Letter 124 to the Monks of Palestine  8. Heir of St Peter  Homily 82B on the Feast of the Apostles  Homily 84 on the Anniversary of Alaric’s Sack of Rome Letter 6 to Anastasius, Metropolitan of Thessalonica  Homily 4 on the Anniversary of Leo’s Ordination  9. Administrator of the Wider Church  Letter 2 to Septimus, Bishop of Altinum  Letter 108 to Theodore, Bishop of Fréjus  Letter 137 to Emperor Marcian  Letter 167 to Rusticus, Bishop of Narbonne  Letter 170 to Gennadius, Bishop of Constantinople  Notes  Bibliography  Index

O autorze

Bronwen Neil