Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary's Dormition and Assumption

Stephen J. Shoemaker

Oxford Early Christian Studies

Challenges many received opinions about the traditions of the Virgin Mary's Dormition and Assumption
Includes the first English translations of the most important narratives

Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary's Dormition and Assumption

Stephen J. Shoemaker

Oxford Early Christian Studies

Description

The ancient Dormition and Assumption traditions are a collection of over sixty different narratives, preserved in nine ancient languages, that commemorate the end of the Virgin Mary's life. These traditions have long been overlooked by scholars of early Christianity, no doubt largely because this complicated corpus was insufficiently well known. The present study aims to remedy this situation with a detailed analysis of the earliest traditions of Mary's death, including liturgical and archaeological evidence as well as the numerous narrative sources. Several of the most important narratives are translated in appendices, many appearing in English for the first time. The book will be of interest to all scholars of early Christian literature.

Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary's Dormition and Assumption

Stephen J. Shoemaker

Oxford Early Christian Studies

1:Earliest Dormition Traditions
2:Palestinian Cult of the Virgin
3:Rival Traditions of Mary's Death
4:Prehistory and Origins of the Dormition Traditions
Appendices
A. The Ethiopic Liber Requiei
B. Earliest Greek Dormition Narrative
C. Fifth-Century Syriac Fragments
D. The Ethiopic 'Six Books'
E. (Ps.-) Evodius of Rome
F. Jacob of Serug
G. Palm Narrative Parallels

Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary's Dormition and Assumption

Stephen J. Shoemaker

Oxford Early Christian Studies

Author Information

Stephen J. Shoemaker, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, University of Oregon

Ancient Traditions of the Virgin Mary's Dormition and Assumption

Stephen J. Shoemaker

Oxford Early Christian Studies

Reviews and Awards

Review from previous edition What is truly striking about this book is its meticulous and thorough research. Specialists in the Dormition materials and Marian devotion will henceforward meed to take into account Shoemaker's claims. Likewise, students and scholars of early Christianity will welcome the translations he provides in the appendices. - Church History

impressive ... both rich and illuminating: it offers many new insights on the development of legends surrounding the departure of the Mother of God from earthly life and her sojourn in paradise thereafter ... a valuable contribution to the field. Shoemaker treats both primary and secondary sources comprehensively and skilfully, adding critical and imaginative insights to the work which has been done in the field. - Sobornost

the book's extensive bibliography is impressive ... The thesis is meticulously referenced with full and detailed footnotes ... Shoemaker's scholarship in this area will make his a name to reckon with in the future. - Journal of Theological Studies

learned survey of the literary, archaeological, and liturgical sources for early traditions of the Dormition. - Bryn Mawr Classical Review

...essential for the study of Mary in early Christianity. - Journal of the American Academy of Religion