Gregory of Tours: Glory of the Confessors (Liverpool University Press - Translated Texts for Historians)

The first translation into English of one of Gregory’s eight books of miracle stories, which contains a series of anecdotes about the lives of confessors. "...a model of its kind... both well and attractively produced."—Journal of Ecclesiastical History "Van Dam offers us an excellent translation... The notes are a valuable interpretive addition to the text."— Church History Contains a series of anecdotes about the lives and cults of Christians who witnessed to their faith through their exemplary lives. These anecdotes provide important historical evident, first, for the ways bishops and their congregations manipulated traditions about the development of the early Church, and second, for the contemporary functions and meanings of the cults of saints during the sixth century. The spontaneity and literary modesty of many of the anecdotes make them especially valuable for modern historians intent upon understanding the early Frankish Church. In addition to the translation, this volume includes an introduction and commentary. The introduction summarizes essential information about the chronology, composition and purposes of the "Glory of the Confessors", and also discusses other relevant topics, such as the role of these anecdotes in the celebration of the liturgy and the contrast between 'rusticity' and correct behaviour and beliefs. The commentary provides only basic identifications, dates, background and references to other secondary scholarly literature "Gregory was bishop of Tours from 573. To most modern readers he is best known for his 'History of the Franks, ' a narrative of Gaul in the sixth century. But during his episcopacy Gregory of Tours also composed eight books of stories about saints, their cults, and their miracles. This volume is the first translation into English of one of those books, the 'Glory of the Confessors, ' which contains a series of anecdotes about the lives and cults of Christians who witnessed to their faith through their exemplary lives. These anecdotes provide important historical evidence, first, for the ways bishops and their congregations manipulated traditions about the development of the early church, and second, for the contemporary functions and meanings of the cults of saints during the sixth century. The spontaneity and literary modesty of many of the anecdotes make them especially valuable for modern historians intent upon understanding the early Frankish church." The first translation into English of one of Gregorys eight books of miracle stories, which contains a series of anecdotes about the lives of confessors. "...a model of its kind... both well and attractively produced."Journal of Ecclesiastical History "Van Dam offers us an excellent translation... The notes are a valuable interpretive addition to the text." Church History