This unique volume examines the life and thought of Basil of Caesarea. Stephen M. Hildebrand brings together a lengthy introduction to his life and thought with a selection of extracts from his diverse works in new translations, with each extract accompanied by an introduction and notes. This format allows students to better understand this significant figure in the Early Church by providing an accessible representative selection of his works in one concise volume, making this an invaluable resource for students of Early Christianity.
"In this volume Stephen Hildebrand gives a succinct yet insightful overview of the life and thought of Basil of Caesarea, informed by the latest scholarship, and offers a well-chosen selection of texts drawn from various genres and written for various purposes that illuminate different facets of the Cappadocian bishop's activities and theology. Basil is presented as a complex figure who pioneered new Christian paths as a churchman, preacher, theologian, and ascetic while at the same time being deeply embedded in late-ancient Roman society. This book will prepare readers to delve into the broad secondary literature on this Cappadocian Father, and more importantly to read extensively the writings of St. Basil the Great himself."
Mark DelCogliano, University of St. Thomas, USA
Mark DelCogliano, University of St. Thomas, USA