Table of Contents

Preface; 1. Introduction: a contemplative in a troubled world; 2. Integritas animi: ministry in the Church; 3. Sapienter indoctus: scriptural understanding; 4. Appropinquante mundi termino: the world in its old age; 5. The Christian community and its neighbours; 6. Christiana respublica: within the confines of the Empire; 7. Terra mea: Italy between two worlds; 8. Argus luminosissimus: the pope as landlord; 9. Scissum corpus: the schism of the Three Chapters; 10. Ravenna and Rome: and beyond; 11. In cunctis mundi partibus; the Far West; 12. Inconcussam servare proviciam: dissent in Africa; Epilogue; Appendix: On the distribution of Gregory's correspondence; Glossary of terms for offices; Index to Gregory's works.

Promotional Information

A very important study of Gregory the Great by a major scholar, author of The End of Ancient Christianity.

Reviews

'This book has been long and eagerly awaited ... Those who have waited will not be disappointed. No one is better placed to fulfil what the title promises ... It is a mark of Markus's splendid achievement that he is able to intergrate the tensions of Gregory's life, represented by the two halves of this book, and to fuse them in one individual in this world.' Dr Harrison, Durham University ' ... eagerly awaited ... It is a mark of Markus's splendid achievement that he is able to integrate the tensions of Gregory's life, represented by the two halves of this book, and fuse them in one individual in his world'. Church Times 'Sweet fruit of almost forty years' tender cultivation, this is a book to be savoured.' Early Medieval Europe 'Easily accessible to the non-specialist, it is also a carefully argued piece of scholarship ...[this] will no doubt be the standard monograph on this famous Pope for a long time to come.' Wolfram Kinzig, Journal of Ecclesiastical History