Cyril of Alexandria

by Norman Russell

As a ruler of the church of Alexander and president of the Third Ecumenical Council of 431, Cyril was one of the most powerful men of the fifth century. Not only did he define the concept of christological orthodoxy for the next two centuries, but he is also often regarded as an unscrupulous cleric who was responsible for the murder of the female philosopher Hypatia and for the overthrow of the archbishop Nestorius.
Cyril of Alexandria presents key selections of Cyril's writings in order to make his thought accessible to students. The writings are all freshly translated and an extended introduction outlines Cyril's life and times, his scholastic method, his christology, his ecclesiology, his eucharistic doctrine, his spirituality, and his influence on the Christian tradition.

Genres: Christianity, Theology, Ancient History

282 pages, Hardcover

First published April 13, 2000

About the author

Norman Russell is an Orthodox translator and patristic scholar of partial Greek descent. He holds a doctorate from the University of Oxford and is an Honorary Research Fellow of St Stephen’s House of the same university.

Reviews

[Philippe Deblois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[Cody Edds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Norman Russell's book on Cyril of Alexandria is a standard introduction to Cyril's life, thought, and works. The first four chapters give an almost positive (if possible) and honest (as much as possible given the lack of study at the time of publishing) account of Cyril's life and legacy. The first two chapters, dealing with the early life and writing of Cyril, are well worth the read. Very little has been published on Cyril's early life and writings (especially his writings). Russell gives a depth to his account that is not found anywhere else at this level. The chapter on the Nestorian controversy is a great introduction to the history and issues at hand behind Ephesus, orthodox Christology, and Cyril's work against Nestorius. The final chapter in this first section covers Cyril's legacy but only does so surrounding the Eastern/Oriental divide and Chalcedon. I was hoping for a more modern treatment of his legacy and impact felt today or in the Reformation.

My main critique of this work, and one of two reasons it receives a three-star rating, is that Russell seems to continue the Gibbon Thesis (although to a lesser degree than most), and presents Cyril as a political rogue who sought, through manipulation and divisive tactics, to take down anyone who opposed him. Unfortunately, with Russell only including Against Nestorius and Cyril's Explanation of the Twelve Chapters, it might be easy for the reader to find Gibbon's perception of Cyril to be true. One might hope in a work like this that Cyril's early letters to Nestorius might be included to balance the one-sided portrayal.

The other reason this book receives a three-star rating is due to the selection of works presented by Cyril. Admittedly, this is both the strongest and weakest aspect of this work. Very little has been read (until recently) of Cyril as an exegete. Given that his works (10 Volumes in PG) are mainly taken up in exegesis (7 of the 10 volumes), it is a welcomed reprieve to see Cyril's exegetical brilliance on display in this book. The selections from both Isaiah and John are perfect for this task. My issue, though, is what follows. Both Against Nestorius and the Explanation deal with Cyril's Christology. Of course, this is what he is most known for so one must remain—but why both? I would hope to see Russell keep the selections from Against Nestorius but include, in the place of the Explanation, portions of Cyril's Trinitarian writings (Thesaurus or Dialogues on the Trinity). These two Trinitarian works of Cyril are massive, have yet to be translated into English, and would have served this book very well in presenting Cyril as a man whose doctrine of Christ was tied both to Scripture (Isaiah and John) as well as the Trinity.

With that said, again this portion is one of the strongest positives of this book. For instance, the inclusion of the yet to be translated Against Julian is commendable. This shows Cyril's Philosophical side while also continuing to highlight Cyril's dependence upon the Old Testament. Cyril's early letters to Nestorius and to the Monks in Egypt (letter one in McEnerney's translation) are generally easy to find online, and so I would suggest supplementing those throughout this read to see Cyril's heart for the man whose doctrine Cyril so strongly opposed. For a spectacular treatment of Cyril in a more honest light, so to supplement along with the biographical portion of Russell, see Mario Baghos' "Ecclesial Memory and Secular History in the Conflicting Representations of St. Cyril of Alexandria."