John-Jerome of Prague (1368–1440) and the Errores Graecorum: Anatomy of a Polemic Against Greek Christians

This paper discusses the anti-Greek writings of the Camaldolese John-Jerome of Prague from 1409 to 1433. It demonstrates how his varied experiences in Poland and the Middle East helped shape his views on eastern Christians, and how these views were further affected by the role Greek theology played in the thought of his great opponents, the Hussites. His hostile statements about the Greeks provide some indication of the depth of the antipathy between the two sides, as well as the limited knowledge of many in the Latin West about the details of ecclesiastical history and Greek theology on the eve of the Council of Florence. A discussion of his writings over a quarter century illustrates how John-Jerome's opinions about Greek Christians changed as he experienced different aspects of the relationship between the Latin and Greek churches. It is interesting to compare John-Jerome's views with two contemporaries whom he knew personally, the Camaldolese humanist Ambrogio Traversari and the Greek Dominican theologian Andrew Chrysoberges.     

Book Notes

Books reviewed in this article: Erik Asard and W. Lance Bennett, Democracy and the Marketplace of Ideas: Communication and Government in Sweden and the United States. Andre Blais, Donald E. Blake, and Stephane Dion, Governments, Parties, and Public Sector Employees. William J. Breen, Labor Market Politics and the Great War: The Department of Labor, the States, and the First U.S. Employment Service, 1907–1933. James W. Button, Barbara A. Rienzo, and Kenneth D. Wald, Private Lives, Public Conflicts: Battles Over Gay Rights in American Communities. Lynton K. Caldwell and Robert V. Bartlett (Eds.), Environmental Policy: Transnational Issues and National Trends. John Carver, Boards That Make a Difference: A New Design for Leadership in Nonprofit and Public Organizations (2nd ed.). Larry N. Gerston, Public Policy Making: Process and Principles. Michele M. Hoyman, Power Steering: Global Automakers and the Transformation of Rural Communities. David L. Imbroscio, Reconstructing City Politics: Alternative Economic Development and Urban Regimes. Sheldon Kamieniecki, George A. Gonzalez, and Robert O. Vos (Eds.), Flashpoints in Environmental Policymaking: Controversies in Achieving Sustainability. Samuel Krislov, How Nations Choose Product Standards and Standards Change Nations. Brian K. Landsberg, Enforcing Civil Rights: Race Discrimination and the Department of Justice. Duncan MacRae, Jr. and Dale Whittington, Expert Advice for Policy Choice. William R. Nester, American Industrial Policy: Free or Managed Markets? William R. Nester, The War for America's Natural Resources. Howard Risher, Charles H. Fay, and Associates, New Strategies for Public Pay: Rethinking Government Compensation Programs.