Gregory the Great and his World

The book is a study of Gregory the Great, the pope who sent Augustine (of Canterbury) and his fellow missionaries to convert the heathen English to Christianity (597). Markus gives a full account of Gregory's life and work, his thought and spirituality, within the setting of the world at the end of the sixth century. At a time of catastrophic change in Europe, Gregory's work as pope stands on the threshold of medieval Western Europe. The book deals with every aspect of his pontificate, providing a major contribution to the study of late antique society.

"Judged by the breadth of its scholarship and the richness of its ideas, Gregory the Great and His World is a very good book indeed, one destined to make an enduring contribution to our understanding of late antiquity." The Catholic Historical Review

"It gives a full account of his thought and spirituality at a time of catastrophic change in Europe, and provides a picture of late antiques society." History Today

"...the book coheres remarkably well as a work of fundamental research scholarship....Gregory the Great and His World is written in an engaging and sympathetic style. Readers who know Gregory well will learn from Markus's study. For others, Markus's book will take its place at the head of the abundant literature on Gregory and serve for decades as the most instructive point of entry into understanding Gregory and his pontificate." John Contreni, The Medieval Review

"Markus' Gregory the Great is a substantial contribution to the field. In a text well supplied with maps, bibliography and notes, Markus shares a lifetime of scholarship in this significant biography." George Demacopoulos, St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly

"This is a scholarly work and much of the discussion of texts and sources will be chiefly of interest to specialists, but the general reader can also benefit greatly from this careful reading of a personality and period decisive for the subsequent Christian story." First Things

"Markus deserves our gratitude for clarifying Gregory's dispute with the so-called Donatists of the sixth century. Markus delineates the difference two centuries brought to the question. Markus unwinds the tangled web of the Schism of the Three Chapters with careful attention to prosopography as well as the political ambitions and vulnerabilities of various players. Scholars of church history and of the Middle Ages will welcome this book for its clarification of the complicated role Gregory... It is a significant contribution that advances our understanding of Gregory and his times. Markus writes with precision, clarity, and a freshness of expression that makes his works a delight to read. This work is no exception." Carole Straw, Church History

"...an ambitious undertaking....by the breadth of its scholarship and the richnedd of its ideas, Gregory the Great and His World is a very good book indeed, one destined to make an enduring contribution to our understanding of late antiquity." Wm. D. McCready, Catholic Historical Review

"...a pleasant and engaging read and for the newcomer to Gregory will serve as an excellent introduction. It takes F. Holmes Dudden a great deal further in the light of nearly a century of subsequent scholarship, and there is helpful citation of the modern literature..." G.R. Evans, Speculum

"This book makes instructive and entertaining reading." Burcht Pranger, The Journal of Religion

"He summarizes perfectly:" American Benedictive Review