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Byzantine Christianity: A Very Brief History
‘. . . I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium.’
W. B. Yeats
From the foundation of Constantinople in 330 to its fall in 1453, this brief history explores the key components of Byzantine Christianity, including the development of monasticism, icons and iconoclasm, the role of the emperor in relation to church councils and beliefs, the difficult relationship with the papacy and the impact of the Crusades.
The book also considers Byzantine Christianity as a living force the variety and vitality of Orthodox churches, the role of the Church in Russia and the enduring relevance of a spirituality derived from the church fathers.
To the holy city of Byzantium.’
W. B. Yeats
From the foundation of Constantinople in 330 to its fall in 1453, this brief history explores the key components of Byzantine Christianity, including the development of monasticism, icons and iconoclasm, the role of the emperor in relation to church councils and beliefs, the difficult relationship with the papacy and the impact of the Crusades.
The book also considers Byzantine Christianity as a living force the variety and vitality of Orthodox churches, the role of the Church in Russia and the enduring relevance of a spirituality derived from the church fathers.
128 pages, Paperback
Published October 19, 2017
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44 people want to read
About the author
Averil Cameron
63 books33 followersDame Averil Millicent Cameron, Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine History at the University of Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 6, 2019
A general overview of Byzantium and the Orthodox Church. I think that it has a very good bibliography for further reading.
December 8, 2025
Very nice short introduction to Byzantine Christianity for the general reader by a leading historian. Averil Cameron has accomplished a feat: condensing the history of Christianity in Byzantium and its legacy nowadays in less than 150 pages without being superficial. This book has inevitable omissions and generalisations, but it altogether is a highly enjoyable and necessary read for anyone who, as Cameron states at the end of the book, “wishes to appreciate the Christian tradition both past and present in its fullness, or to understand past history and contemporary political developements“, since Byzantine Christianity and its legacy cannot be ignored in this context. Good accesible bibliography at the end.
July 26, 2018
Prof. Cameron's short work "Byzantine Christianity: A Very Brief History", is an enjoyable pocket book which I would gladly recommend to any absolute beginners of Eastern Roman/Byzantine History, and wider Orthodox Christianity.
Over half of the book (all of part one), is essentially a brief summery of Byzantine History from the accession of Constantine in AD306 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Much of this is focused on military and political events and homes in on key individuals such as Emperors. Though this gives the unfamiliar reader some level of context of the socio-political world of Byzantium it means that very little of the development of Byzantine Christianity is actually discussed or the larger role which it played on the political context within the Byzantine world.
The second part of the book focuses on the influence of Byzantine Christianity, or rather elements of it found, in other Eastern/Orthodox Christian Churches, such as the Russian Orthodox Church, or the Serbian Orthodox Church. It gives a very brief summery of Orthodox Church history since the fall of Constantinople, and in the role of the Patriarch of Constantinople (now Istanbul) in church affairs. Finally it discusses the current state of the Orthodox Churches today. This encompasses how they view their fellow Orthodox Christians, but also western forms of Christianity, and how the latter view them.
Overall I feel this little book would be well suited to the late primary or early secondary school student looking to start their journey on the road of Byzantine and Church history.
Over half of the book (all of part one), is essentially a brief summery of Byzantine History from the accession of Constantine in AD306 to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Much of this is focused on military and political events and homes in on key individuals such as Emperors. Though this gives the unfamiliar reader some level of context of the socio-political world of Byzantium it means that very little of the development of Byzantine Christianity is actually discussed or the larger role which it played on the political context within the Byzantine world.
The second part of the book focuses on the influence of Byzantine Christianity, or rather elements of it found, in other Eastern/Orthodox Christian Churches, such as the Russian Orthodox Church, or the Serbian Orthodox Church. It gives a very brief summery of Orthodox Church history since the fall of Constantinople, and in the role of the Patriarch of Constantinople (now Istanbul) in church affairs. Finally it discusses the current state of the Orthodox Churches today. This encompasses how they view their fellow Orthodox Christians, but also western forms of Christianity, and how the latter view them.
Overall I feel this little book would be well suited to the late primary or early secondary school student looking to start their journey on the road of Byzantine and Church history.
October 5, 2018
"No doubt most Americans, if they are familiar with the term at all, know it from it’s political usage implying a needlessly elaborate or complicated bureaucratic structure or process, wherein the citizen is lost and the bureaucracy alone benefits from its own labyrinthine pathways.
This little book is Averil Cameron’s attempt to untwist those pathways from the Eastern Church between roughly 300AD and 1453AD. The first two thirds of the book bounces across the high points of Byzantine political and religious history, while the last third gives a survey of the… flavor? I guess? of what has defined Byzantine Christianity and what it contributes to the modern world."
Read the rest here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/schaeffe...
This little book is Averil Cameron’s attempt to untwist those pathways from the Eastern Church between roughly 300AD and 1453AD. The first two thirds of the book bounces across the high points of Byzantine political and religious history, while the last third gives a survey of the… flavor? I guess? of what has defined Byzantine Christianity and what it contributes to the modern world."
Read the rest here: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/schaeffe...
December 31, 2022
Ashamedly, I don’t think I could have told you the first thing about Byzantine Christianity before reading this book. I found this to be a helpful introductory book, especially given my ignorance about the subject matter. I also appreciated the “further reading” provided for each chapter as well as the glossary at the end. These are welcome and helpful resources for this introductory book.
September 2, 2024
Narasi dan pembahasan singkat mengenai Kekristenan Byzantium (Romawi). Semua dibahas tapi sekenanya karena diringkas dengan sangat. Jadi secara umum aja. Baik untuk pengantar.
March 15, 2018
This slim volume provides a decent overview of Christianity within the Byzantine Empire and after its fall. Written by a leading scholar of Byzantium, it is divided up into two sections. The first details the broad strokes of Byzantine Christianity from Constantine to the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453. The second section goes on to briefly describe some of the impacts that Byzantine Christianity has had on Eastern Orthodox Christianity and the nations influenced by it up to the present day.
Since this book covers about 1700 years of history, it should go without saying that many details have been left out. However, Cameron’s further reading sections for each chapter will prove useful to readers looking for more information. Cameron does a good job at showing the influence of Byzantine Christianity in a few general ways up to the present day. The only drawback is a slight tendency to add tangential information. While certain aspects of Byzantine Christianity are closely tied to the politics of the empire, the political digressions are often much longer than necessary. Cameron seems to have wanted to continue a chronological narrative through the book, but at times has prioritized that over the religious subject matter. Overall, this book would be excellent for anyone just starting their study of Byzantine history.
Since this book covers about 1700 years of history, it should go without saying that many details have been left out. However, Cameron’s further reading sections for each chapter will prove useful to readers looking for more information. Cameron does a good job at showing the influence of Byzantine Christianity in a few general ways up to the present day. The only drawback is a slight tendency to add tangential information. While certain aspects of Byzantine Christianity are closely tied to the politics of the empire, the political digressions are often much longer than necessary. Cameron seems to have wanted to continue a chronological narrative through the book, but at times has prioritized that over the religious subject matter. Overall, this book would be excellent for anyone just starting their study of Byzantine history.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews