Church of the East
Charts in full the rich history and culture of this age-old yet endangered community. The author is one of the very few Westerners to have visited many of the most important Assyrian sites, and his book remains an indispensable point of reference for anyone interested in the history of Christianity in the Middle East. The book is now reissued in a new edition with an additional chapter to take account of the recent sufferings of the Christians of Iraq inflicted by Islamic State, fresh archaeological discoveries in relation to the Assyrians and the most recent developments in the Church elsewhere. Guiding the reader from apostolic beginnings to present-day activity, the author discusses the theology of the Assyrian Church, its Christology and its uniquely vigorous spirituality. He analyzes, furthermore, the turbulent relationship it has had with other Christian churches as well as its various dialogs with neighboring world religions such as Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism. Abundantly illustrated with maps and over 170 full-color photographs, the book will be essential reading for all those who want better to appreciate and understand this fascinating but depredated Christian community which has so profoundly shaped the history of civilization in both East and West.