Theodore, archbishop of Canterbury (668-90), was a monk of Greek origin and extraordinary learning, who shaped the English church into a structure it retained for a millennium. Yet until recently he has remained a shadowy figure, whose early career in the Near East and at Rome has been wholly unknown. The recent publication of previously unprinted biblical commentaries from Theodore's Canterbury school has helped to clarify the picture. Building on these commentaries, this new book presents a detailed investigation of the now available evidence and establishes Theodore's cultural and spiritual background and the formation of his learning. It draws on the expertise of scholars across a wide range of disciplines to provide a fresh account of Theodore's career and writings on such diverse subjects as canon law, penitential literature, liturgy and Latin rhythmical verse - revealing a unique personality who brought to Anglo-Saxon England the cultural heritage of Syria, Byzantium and Rome.

Preface; List of abbreviations; 1. The career of Archbishop Theodore Michael Lapidge; 2. The Syriac background Sebastian P. Brock; 3. Theodore of Tarsus and the Greek culture of his time Guglielmo Cavallo; 4. Rome in the seventh century Thomas F. X. Noble; 5. Theodore, the English church and the monothelete controversy Henry Chadwick; 6. The importation of Mediterranean manuscripts into Theodore's England David N. Dumville; 7. Theodore and the Latin canon law Martin Brett; 8. The Penitential of Theodore and the Iudicia Theodori Thomas Charles-Edwards; 9. Theodore and the Passio S. Anastasii Carmela Vircillo Franklin; 10. Theodore and the Laterculus Malalianus Jane Barbara Stevenson; 11. Theodore and the liturgy Christopher Hohler; 12. Theodore's Bible: the Pentateuch Richard Marsden; 13. Theodore's Bible: the gospels Patrick McGurk; 14. Theodore and Anglo-Latin octosyllabic verse Michael Lapidge; 15. The Canterbury Bible glosses: facts and problems J. D. Pheifer; Index.