Alexandrian Legacy A Critical Appraisal

This volume brings together contributions exploring a range of aspects of the Alexandrian patristic tradition from the second half of the second century to the first half of the fifth century, a tradition whose complex and significant legacy is at times misunderstood and, in some quarters, wholly neglected. With contributions by both Australian and international scholars, the fourteen chapters here highlight that, behind the complexity of this tradition, one finds a vibrant Christian spirit – granted, one that has successfully put on the flesh of Hellenistic culture – and a consistent striving towards the reformation and transformation of the human being according to the gospel. Furthermore, this volume contributes a nuanced voice to the scholarly choir which already hums a new song about Christian Alexandria and its representatives. Indeed, these contributions are interdisciplinary in approach, combining methods pertaining to the fields of historiography, theology and philosophy, pastoral care, hermeneutics, hagiography, and spirituality. By way of this complex approach, this book brings together areas which currently evolve in separate scholarly universes, which is wholly befitting to the complexities entailed by the ever-challenging Alexandrian legacy.