First Christian Hymnal

The Songs of the Ancient Jerusalem Church: Parallel Georgian-English Texts

Shoemaker Stephen J.

This collection offers the first English translation of the oldest known Christian hymnal, a book of hymns which was compiled in Jerusalem during the later 4th or early 5th century. "The First Christian Hymnal" offers an unmatched resource for understanding the development of early Christian worship and piety, as well as the transmission of Christian doctrine to the unlettered. For too long, this invaluable collection has been almost completely ignored by scholars of early Christianity, having survived only in an Old Georgian translation.

About the Author

Stephen J. Shoemaker is professor of religious studies at the University of Oregon, specializing in the history of Christianity and the beginnings of Islam. He lives in Eugene, OR.

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