The Macarian Legacy: The Place of Macarius-Symeon in the Eastern Christian Tradition

by Marcus Plested

The Macarian writings are among the most important and influential works of the early Christian ascetic and mystical tradition. This book offers an introduction to the work of Macarius-Symeon (commonly referred to as Pseudo-Macarius), outlining the lineaments of his teaching and the historical context of his works. The book goes on to examine and re-evaluate the complex question of his relationship with the Messalian tendency and to explore the nature of his theological and spiritual legacy in the later Christian tradition.

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 23, 2004

Reviews

[Matt Friedman]

This is one of the most important studies of Macarius-Symeon ("Pseudo-Macarius") published in English. I do kind of wish that Plested had been able to expand further on other figures of Late Antiquity and Medieval times bearing Macarian influence (e.g., such as Gregory Palamas), as well as the fascinating influence of the Macarian homilies (especially from the more widely known collection II, the "Fifty Homilies") on the development of Pietism and the Wesleyan heritage, from Johann Arndt on. Still, he touches on all of these in ways which facilitate further exploration.