The Cult of the Saints by Peter Brown

The Cult of the Saints by Peter Brown

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The Cult of the Saints by Peter Brown

In this groundbreaking work, Peter Brown explores how the worship of saints and their corporeal remains became central to religious life in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. During this period, earthly remnants served as a heavenly connection, and their veneration is a fascinating window into the cultural mood of a region in transition.

Brown challenges the long-held two-tier idea of religion that separated the religious practices of the sophisticated elites from those of the superstitious masses, instead arguing that the cult of the saints crossed boundaries and played a dynamic part in both the Christian faith and the larger world of late antiquity. He shows how men and women living in harsh and sometimes barbaric times relied upon the holy dead to obtain justice, forgiveness, and power, and how a single sainted hair could inspire great thinkers and great artists.

An essential text by one of the foremost scholars of European history, this expanded edition includes a new preface from Brown, which presents new ideas based on subsequent scholarship.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9780226076225
ISBN 10 0226076229
Title The Cult of the Saints
Author Peter Brown
Series Haskell Lecture
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Paperback
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Year published 1982-02-15
Number of pages 200
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.