On Illustrious Men (Fathers of the Church Patristic Series)

Often cited as a source of biographical information on ancient Christian authors, On Illustrious Men provides St. Jerome's personal evaluations of his forebears and contemporaries, as well as catalogs of patristic writings known to him. Heterodox writers and certain respected non-Christians (Seneca, Josephus, and Philo) are included in this parade of luminaries, which begins with the apostles and concludes with St. Jerome himself and a list of his own works prior to 393, the year in which On Illustrious Men was composed. St. Jerome produced this work in his monastery at Bethlehem, to which he had retreated after his precipitous exit from Roman ecclesiastical politics. He had, however, maintained correspondences with several of his former associates, such as Dexter (the son of Pacian, bishop of Barcelona), to whom he addressed the work. Relying heavily on Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History, St. Jerome attempts to demonstrate the erudition and nobility of character which render Christianity immune to the criticisms of its cultured despisers. Since this work can be regarded as the patrology textbook of its day, its translator, Thomas P. Halton, has continued St. Jerome's mission by compiling bibliographical data on recent editions, translations, and studies of ancient writings mentioned in On Illustrious Men . Extensive footnote material and appendices furnish a wealth of information useful for patristic research. In addition, an index to all of the Fathers of the Church volumes published to date, listed by individual authors, appears in this, the hundredth volume of the series. Thomas P. Halton is the Margaret H. Gardiner Professor of Greek at the Catholic University of America. He has served as the general editor of the Fathers of the Church series since 1983. "A faithful translation of Jerome's 'Who's Who' of the ancient church, beginning with Simon Peter and concluding with Jerome himself. . . . Jerome's accounts are fascinating, filled with keen insight into some cases and characteristic spleen in others. The text itself, then, is well worth reading. . . . It is also extremely useful for the extensive annotations provided by Halton. . . . [Halton provides] massive bibliographic aid throughout the translation. It is this that will make this handy little book indispensable for anyone interested in early Christian history." Heythrop Journal Annotation This Volume Completes The Commentary On All The Psalms Written By Theodoret, Bishop Of Cyrus, In The Decade Before The Council Of Chalcedon Held In 451, A Triumph Of Antiochene Theology, In The Words Of J. N. D. Kelly. The Work Thus Bears The Marks Of The Theological Currents Of Those Years, Especially As Theodoret Was Instrumental In Convening That Council And Was Involved In The Christological And Trinitarian Debates Of The Period.theodoret's Work Of Commentary Offers Readers A Great Spiritual Classic That Has Contributed To Christian Spiritual Formation And Received The Attention Of Eminent Commentators From Antioch And Alexandria In The East, And From The Likes Of Augustine Of Hippo In The West. As This Volume Closes, Theodoret Claims Modestly To Have Offered His Readers The Best Of His Predecessors' Work (including Alexandrian Commentators) Together With His Own Insights Into The Spirit's Hidden Mysteries. He Writes As A Teacher, Not A Preacher In His Pulpit, With The Purpose Simply Of Dispelling Ignorance, Concerned That Those Singing [the Psalter] Daily And Uttering The Words By Mouth Do Not Enquire About The Force Of The Ideas Underlying The Words.this Translation Respects The Conciseness Which The Bishop Sets As One Aim For Himself, His Other Principle Being To Let The Text Speak For Itself. Theodoret Emerges In This Work As A Measured Commentator And Balanced Exponent Of His School's Hermeneutical And Theological Principles. Preface -- 1. Simon Peter -- 2. James, The Brother Of The Lord -- 3. Matthew, Surnamed Levi -- 4. Jude, The Brother Of James -- 5. Paul, Formerly Called Saul -- 6. Barnabas, Surnamed Joseph -- 7. Luke The Evangelist -- 8. Mark The Evangelist -- 9. John, The Apostle And Evangelist -- 10. Hermas -- 11. Philo The Jew -- 12. Lucius Annaeus Seneca -- 13. Josephus, Son Of Matthew -- 14. Justus Of Tiberias. Saint Jerome ; Translated By Thomas P. Halton. Includes Bibliographical References (p. Xix-xxi) And Indexes. Annotation This volume completes the Commentary on all the Psalms written by Theodoret, bishop of Cyrus, in the decade before the Council of Chalcedon held in 451, "a triumph of Antiochene theology", in the words of J.N.D. Kelly. The work thus bears the marks of the theological currents of those years, especially as Theodoret was instrumental in convening that Council and was involved in the Christological and trinitarian debates of the period. Theodoret's work of commentary offers readers a great spiritual classic that has contributed to Christian spiritual formation and received the attention of eminent commentators from Antioch and Alexandria in the East, and from the likes of Augustine of Hippo in the West. As this volume closes, Theodoret claims modestly to have offered his readers the best of his predecessors' work (including Alexandrian commentators) together with his own insights into "the Spirit's hidden mysteries". He writes as a teacher, not a preacher in his pulpit, with the purpose simply of dispelling ignorance, concerned that "those singing [the Psalter] daily and uttering the words by mouth do not enquire about the force of the ideas underlying the words". This translation respects the conciseness which the bishop sets as one aim for himself, his other principle being to let the text speak for itself. Theodoret emerges in this work as a measured commentator and balanced exponent of his school's hermeneutical and theological principles