Voting about God in Early Church CouncilsIn this study, Ramsay MacMullen steps aside from the well-worn path that previous scholars have trod to explore exactly how early Christian doctrines became official. Drawing on extensive verbatim stenographic records, he analyzes the ecumenical councils from A.D. 325 to 553, in which participants gave authority to doctrinal choices by majority vote. The author investigates the sometimes astonishing bloodshed and violence that marked the background to church council proceedings, and from there goes on to describe the planning and staging of councils, the emperors' role, the routines of debate, the participants’ understanding of the issues, and their views on God’s intervention in their activities. He concludes with a look at the significance of the councils and their doctrinal decisions within the history of Christendom. |
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User Review - deblemrc - LibraryThingThe book covers the history of the early Christian fate, and how some key elements of this fate were decided. It is writte for a large public, so ideal for people like me, who do not want to become ... Read full review
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User Review - timspalding - LibraryThingI had high expectations for this book. The topic is fascinating. I'd enjoyed a number of MacMullen's other books. I shelled out full price for the hardback and eagerly awaited its arrival. But I have ... Read full review
Contents
| 1 | |
2 The democratic element | 12 |
3 The cognitive element | 24 |
4 The supernaturalist element | 41 |
5 The violent element | 56 |
6 Preliminaries | 67 |
7 Councils in action | 78 |
Summary | 113 |
Notes | 119 |
| 155 | |
| 167 | |
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Common terms and phrases
acclamations acta action agree Alexandria Ancyra Antioch appear assembly attendance authority belief bishops called capital Carthage century Chadwick Chalcedon Chap chapter Christ Christian church clergy common council counted course Cple curse Cyril debate decision determined Dioscorus discussion doctrinal documents doubt earlier eastern Egyptian emperor Ephesus Eutyches evidence explain fact faith Fathers first Flavian follow force further given Greek hand Holy Italy known later least less letter MacMullen majority Mansi mass matters meaning meeting mind monks names nature never Nicaea notice offered officials once Orientals participants party perhaps person present presiding provinces question quoted rank record reported Reverend Bishops Roman Rome Schwartz seen session shouted side sometimes sort speak synodal teachings thing thought turn understanding views vote western whole writing
Bibliographic information
| Title | Voting about God in Early Church Councils |
| Author | Ramsay MacMullen |
| Edition | unabridged |
| Publisher | Yale University Press, 2008 |
| ISBN | 0300135297, 9780300135299 |
| Length | 192 pages |
| Subjects | › › History / General Religion / Christian Church / Administration Religion / Christian Church / History Religion / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |