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<p><i>List of Illustrations vii</i></p> <p><i>Introduction 1</i></p> <p><b>1 The Saint: Beginnings 5</b></p> <p>Beginnings 8</p> <p>The Martyrs 11</p> <p>Literature 13</p> <p>Veneration 16</p> <p>After Constantine 18</p> <p><b>2 The Bureaucratization of Sanctity 28</b></p> <p>Liturgical Memory of the Saints 28</p> <p>The Saintly Legend 31</p> <p>Regularizing Sainthood 36</p> <p>A Test Case: Francis of Assisi 39</p> <p>The Christian East 44</p> <p>The Many Meanings of the Saints 46</p> <p>Pilgrimage 49</p> <p>Venerating Saints: A Theological Clarification 51</p> <p><b>3 Reformations: Protestant and Catholic 54</b></p> <p>The Age of the Reformers 54</p> <p>The Catholic Reformation 61</p> <p>The New Martyrs 68</p> <p>The Papal Curia and Canonization 72</p> <p>The Saints and Scholarship 74</p> <p><b>4 Towards the Modern World 78</b></p> <p>Worlds Divided 78</p> <p>New Forms of Religious Life 81</p> <p>Doctors of the Church 87</p> <p>The Starets 91</p> <p>The Tractarians and the Saints 96</p> <p><b>5 The Twentieth Century 102</b></p> <p>Schools of Spirituality 102</p> <p>A New Saintliness? 107</p> <p>The New Martyrs 115</p> <p>John Paul II: Saints and Evangelization 120</p> <p>Anglican and Lutheran Calendars 123</p> <p><b>6 The Saints, World Religions, and the Future 127</b></p> <p>Some Terminology 130</p> <p>Saints as a Theological Resource 136</p> <p>Saints and the Continuity of Religious Tradition 139</p> <p>Appendix I: Patron Saints 148</p> <p>Appendix II: Iconography of the Saints 151</p> <p><i>Notes 155</i></p> <p><i>Select Bibliography 162</i></p> <p><i>Index 169</i></p>

"This is a book of solid learning worn lightly. Its readable tone coupled with nuggets of juicy anecdote make the rich phenomenon of saints accessible to a wide audience, with great gain of insight." <b><i>Elizabeth Johnson, Fordham University</i></b><br /> <p>"In an age when heroes all too quickly become targets for media demolition, saints still have a capacity to fascinate. Whether we are religious or not, saints remain inspirational exemplars of 'a good life' and remind us of the human capacity for wisdom and altruism in a world that is all too often violent and self-seeking. As Lawrence Cunningham indicates in his <i>A Brief History of Saints</i>, a single, simple definition of 'a saint' is impossible. Different times and cultures highlight different human virtues but, as Lawrence Cunningham concludes, saints are ultimately people who 'do the ordinary in an extraordinary fashion.' His book is an excellent example of clarity and succinctness as he summarizes complex historical and theological material. In a brief space he offers a readable, insightful, sometimes amusing, and ecumenically sensitive history both of the role of saints and of the ways that Christian sainthood has been conceived and promoted. His comments on secularized models of 'sainthood' in contemporary culture were illuminating and, in today’s increasingly global situation, his section on sainthood in different world religions will be especially welcome." <i><b>Philip Sheldrake, University of Durham</b></i><br /> </p> <p>"This book could easily be justified as an addition to the school library" <i><b>Networking: Catholic Education Today</b></i><br /> </p> <p>"A succinct but exceptional guide." <b><i>M. Sweeney</i></b></p>

<b>Lawrence S. Cunningham</b> is John O’Brien Professor of Theology at Notre Dame University. He is the author or editor of many books, including <i>The Sacred Quest: An Invitation to the Study of Religion</i> (2001), <i>Christian Spirituality</i> (1996), <i>Ecumenism</i> (1990), and <i>The Catholic Faith: An Introduction</i> (1987). His previous works on sainthood include biographies of Thomas Merton and Saint Francis of Assisi. He has won three Catholic Press Association awards for his religious writing and numerous teaching awards.

<i>A Brief History of Saints</i> follows the rise of the cult of saints in Christianity from its origin in the age of the martyrs down to the present day. Referring to both well-known saints such as Joan of Arc and lesser-known figures like the “holy fools” in the Orthodox tradition, the book ranges over subjects as diverse as the history of canonization processes, the Reformation critique of the cult of saints, and the role of saints in other religious traditions. <br /> <p>While special attention is paid to the Western tradition, Eastern Christianity is also considered. The final chapters outline how the saints may serve as a theological resource, as well as discussing the relevance of sainthood in postmodern culture. The volume contains additional material on patron saints and the iconography of saints in art.</p>

"This is a book of solid learning worn lightly. Its readable tone coupled with nuggets of juicy anecdote make the rich phenomenon of saints accessible to a wide audience, with great gain of insight." <b><i>Elizabeth Johnson, Fordham University</i></b><br /> <p>"In an age when heroes all too quickly become targets for media demolition, saints still have a capacity to fascinate. Whether we are religious or not, saints remain inspirational exemplars of 'a good life' and remind us of the human capacity for wisdom and altruism in a world that is all too often violent and self-seeking. As Lawrence Cunningham indicates in his <i>A Brief History of Saints</i>, a single, simple definition of 'a saint' is impossible. Different times and cultures highlight different human virtues but, as Lawrence Cunningham concludes, saints are ultimately people who 'do the ordinary in an extraordinary fashion.' His book is an excellent example of clarity and succinctness as he summarizes complex historical and theological material. In a brief space he offers a readable, insightful, sometimes amusing, and ecumenically sensitive history both of the role of saints and of the ways that Christian sainthood has been conceived and promoted. His comments on secularized models of 'sainthood' in contemporary culture were illuminating and, in today’s increasingly global situation, his section on sainthood in different world religions will be especially welcome." <i><b>Philip Sheldrake, University of Durham</b></i><br /> </p> <p>"This book could easily be justified as an addition to the school library" <i><b>Networking: Catholic Education Today</b></i><br /> </p> <p>"A succinct but exceptional guide." <b><i>M. Sweeney</i></b></p>

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