Download or read book Holy Women of the Syrian Orient written by Sebastian P. Brock and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1998-08-28 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fifteen hagiographies about holy women of the Syrian Orient collected here include stories of martyrs' passions and saints' lives, pious romances and personal reminiscences. Dating from the fourth to seventh centuries A.D., they are translated from Syriac into accessible and vivid prose. Annotations and source notes by the translators help clarify elements that may be unfamiliar to some readers. This collection bears witness to the profound contributions women made to early Chistianity: their various roles, their leadership inside and outside the church structure, and their power to influence others. A new preface discusses recent developments in the field and updates the bibliography.