Cult of the Dead - by Kyle Smith

About the Book

"The Cult of the Dead tells a strangely neglected yet all too obvious story: the history of Christianity is the history of a martyr cult. Of all the world's religions, it is Christianity that is most obsessed with violence, martyrdom, and the remains of the dead. From the time of the apostles to today, this mania for martyrs has profoundly affected all forms of Christian devotion and cultural expression, from its liturgy and literature to its art and architecture. In this fascinating and compelling new account of the past two thousand years of Christianity, Kyle Smith offers a new history of an old religion, ranging widely over ancient relics, the Reformation, medieval pilgrims, persecuted evangelicals, and many more besides. Through ten, character-driven chapters, Cult of the Dead takes readers on the grand tour of Christianity's rich cultural heritage, developed around and was sustained by the memory of its sainted martyrs. This book tells the story of how Christianity became-and remains-a cult of the dead"--

Book Synopsis

A cultural history of how Christianity was born from its martyrs.

Though it promises eternal life, Christianity was forged in death. Christianity is built upon the legacies of the apostles and martyrs who chose to die rather than renounce the name of their lord. In this innovative cultural history, Kyle Smith shows how a devotion to death has shaped Christianity for two thousand years.

For centuries, Christians have cared for their saints, curating their deaths as examples of holiness. Martyrs' stories, lurid legends of torture, have been told and retold, translated and rewritten. Martyrs' bones are alive in the world, relics pulsing with wonder. Martyrs' shrines are still visited by pilgrims, many in search of a miracle. Martyrs have even shaped the Christian conception of time, with each day of the year celebrating the death of a saint. From Roman antiquity to the present, by way of medieval England and the Protestant Reformation, Cult of the Dead tells the fascinating story of how the world's most widespread religion is steeped in the memory of its martyrs.

From the Back Cover

"A brilliant, entertaining, and accessible account of the history of martyrdom. Invaluable for anyone interested in understanding the Christian faith."--Bart D. Ehrman, author of Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why

"An elegant and enlightening book."--Elizabeth A. Castelli, author of Martyrdom and Memory: Early Christian Culture Making

"A sweeping tour through the history of Christianity that makes the familiar seem fresh and dramatically brings to life the remarkable connections across time and space that constitute the Christian story."--Kyle Harper, author of The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire

"Cult of the Dead is vivid, readable, and often witty. Taking the reader on a journey from the time of Christ to the seventeenth century, it shows the intimate engagement with death at the heart of Christianity."--Mary Wellesley, author of The Gilded Page: The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts

"Masterfully presented. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the significance of pain, torture, and death in the construction of Christian communities from the time of the apostles to the Protestant Reformation."--Kristina Sessa, author of Daily Life in Late Antiquity

Review Quotes

"The book is lavishly illustrated, including more than a dozen color plates, and the careful attention Smith pays to them, turns these illustrations into an integral part of the story he tells The result is an enjoyable and informative read that will hold the interest of novice and experts alike."-- "Augustiniana"

"In this beautifully produced book. . . Kyle Smith brings alive devotion to the martyrs over the centuries and demonstrates how it helped to shape Christian devotional life, art, architecture, literature, and spirituality."-- "Journal of Religious History"

"The great accomplishment of Smith's book is that it manages to both revel in the macabre appeal of the martyrs, and, at the same time, take the Christian cult of the dead sympathetically and seriously."-- "Reading Religion"

"Carefully researched and accessible."-- "CHOICE"

"For a topic that encompasses millennia of fascinating history, Smith's digestible book offers a compelling and comprehensive introduction to the role of the lives and afterlives of Christianity's martyrs in Western society from late antiquity to the present day."-- "New Criterion"

"Cult of the Dead is the rare academic book that shows empathy; for the martyrs themselves and for those with devotion to them. . . . Smith does our dearly departed the ultimate favor: He allows the dead to speak once more."-- "National Catholic Reporter"

"Reading this book conveys the feeling of bouncing over bumps at high speed on a sunny day in an all-terrain sports utility vehicle. How can such lugubrious topics provide so much fun? The tale is animated by the telling. With sly wit, subtle humour, agile prose and empathetic imagination, Kyle Smith narrates the growth of one of Christianity's defining traditions."-- "Times Literary Supplement"

About the Author

Kyle Smith is Professor of Historical Studies and the Study of Religion at the University of Toronto. An award-winning teacher, he is the author or coauthor of four other books about Christian saints and martyrs.