Guiding to a Blessed End: Andrew of Caesarea and His Apocalypse Commentary in the Ancient Church

Description

Apocalyptic fervor gripped the Eastern Roman Empire as late antiquity drew to a close. The empire confronted bubonic plague, civil war, famine, and catastrophic Persian invasions. Meanwhile, Andrew, archbishop of Caesarea, was tasked with writing what would become the first Greek patristic commentary on the Apocalypse and the single most influential commentary on any biblical book. Andrew preserved existing Eastern Apocalypse interpretation and applied his own exegetical skills to create a commentary that remains fresh and remarkably contemporary. Andrew emphasized the spiritual value of the Apocalypse, transforming popular understanding of Revelation from a doomsday scenario to a "useful, God-inspired" book that would "guide those who read it to a blessed end." At the time, Revelation was largely rejected from the canon in the East, but Andrew's explanation would change its fate and influence Eastern eschatology forever. His work became the predominant and standard patristic commentary for the Greek East as well as the Slavic, Armenian, and Georgian churches. So highly regarded, it was directly responsible for the eventual acceptance of Revelation into the canon of the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox churches. In this interesting and insightful work, Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou, the leading expert on Andrew of Caesarea and the first to translate his Apocalypse commentary into any modern language, identifies an exact date for the commentary and a probable recipient. Her groundbreaking book, the first ever written about Andrew, analyzes his historical milieu, education, style, methodology, theology, eschatology, and pervasive and lasting influence. She explains the direct correlation between Andrew of Caesarea and fluctuating status of the Book of Revelation in Eastern Christianity through the centuries. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou teaches biblical studies and early Christianity at the University of San Diego and records a weekly podcast "Search the Scriptures" at ancientfaith.com, which has attracted an international following. She is translator of Andrew of Caesarea's Commentary on the Apocalypse in the Fathers of the Church series. PRAISE FOR THE BOOK: "The commentary by Andrew of Caesarea proved to be of immense influence on all subsequent theologians grappling with the Book of Revelation and the theme of eschatology in the East. Constantinou's development of compelling subjects―prophecy and history, eschatology and the millennium, the afterlife and punishment, angelology and the devil, free will―will be of immense interest to a wide readership."―John Chryssavgis, Archdeacon, Office of Ecumenical and Inter-Faith Relations, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America "This book provides a fascinating look at the earliest Greek commentary in existence. It is an exciting contribution to the study of theology and biblical interpretation for modern readers. It is truly a groundbreaking work."―Bradley Nassif, professor of biblical and theological studies, North Park University "Beautifully produced and lucidly written book on the important (though far too less known) patristic author, Andrew, bishop of Cappadocian Caesarea." ―Vigiliae Christianae