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

A Brief History of Saints follows the rise of the cult of saints in Christianity from its origin in the age of the martyrs down to the present day. Refers to both well-known saints, such as Joan of Arc, and lesser-known figures like the ‘holy foolsвЂTM in the Orthodox tradition Ranges over subjects as diverse as the history of canonization processes, the Reformation critique of the cult of saints, and the role of saints in other religious traditions Discusses the relevance of sainthood in the postmodern era Two appendices describe patron saints and the iconography of saints in art. "A Brief History of Saints follows the rise of the cult of saints in Christianity from its origin in the age of the martyrs down to the present day. Referring to both well-known saints such as Joan of Arc and lesser-known figures like the "holy fools" in the Orthodox tradition, the book ranges over subjects as diverse as the history of canonization processes, the Reformation critique of the cult of saints, and the role of saints in other religious traditions." "While special attention is paid to the Western tradition, Eastern Christianity is also considered. The final chapters outline how the saints may serve as a theological resource, as well as discussing the relavance of sainthood in postmodern culture. The volume contains additional material on patron saints and the iconography of saints in art."--BOOK JACKET A Brief History Of Saints Follows The Rise Of The Cult Of Saints In Christianity From Its Origin In The Age Of The Martyrs Down To The Present Day. The Saint : Beginnings -- The Bureaucratization Of Sanctity -- Reformations : Protestant And Catholic -- Towards The Modern World -- The Twentieth Century -- The Saints, World Religions, And The Future. Lawrence S. Cunningham. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 162-168) And Index. The saint : beginnings The bureaucratization of sanctity Reformations Catholic and Protestant Towards the modern world The twentieth century The saints, world religions, and the future.