Summary

This book is concerned with the life and literary and theological output of St. Jerome of Stridon (ca. 331/347–419/420), who was one of the greatest Saints of the Early Christian Church, a famous translator of the Bible into Latin (so-called Versio Vulgata), an outstanding biblical scholar and exegete, a preacher of virginity and asceticism, a founder of Christian historiography and hagiography and a tireless controversialist of his time. In this book the author, for the first time in Russian patristic, historical-theological and historical-philosophical studies, makes an attempt of a complex study of the life, literary output and theological heritage of St. Jerome. The book, written according to the classical model of patristic study, consists of three parts. In the first part the author investigates the biographical data of St. Jerome, whose life is divided into seven periods. The facts of St. Jerome’s life are not simply described as such, but are regarded in close connection with his time and the great dogmatic controversies of the IV–V cent. A. D. The author tries to elucidate an evolution of St. Jerome’s character, of his views and his scientific interests. The second part is a detailed examination of the whole corpus of St. Jerome’s works, which according to their subject are divided into five groups besides numerous homilies and letters. The author makes an attempt to establish the possible dates and circumstances of writing of each work, scrutinize its contents and characteristic features, and to make note of all editions of the original text which are available nowadays. The third part is a scrupulous analysis and the author’s own original reconstruction of the basic principles and features of the theological doctrine of St. Jerome, as well as a clarification of his contribution to the biblical and theological studies of the day. The book will be profitable for all readers who are interested in Patristics, biblical exegesis, Church history and medieval philosophy and culture.