Saint John of Damascus, also known as St. John Damascene (c. 676 4 December 749) was a Syrian Christian monk and priest. A polymath whose fields of interest and contribution included law, theology, philosophy, and music, before being ordained, he served as a Chief Administrator for the Islamic caliphate in Damascus, wrote works expounding the Christian faith, and composed hymns which are still in everyday use in Eastern Christian monasteries throughout the world. The Catholic Church regards him as a Doctor of the Church, often referred to as the Doctor of the Assumption due to his writings on the Assumption of Mary. St. John Damascene also produced An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, an invaluable source of traditional Christian theology widely accepted across the different branches and sects of Christianity. Damascenes work is in many respects a collection of accepted theology derived mostly from theologians of the 4th and 5th centuries, providing a comprehensive overview of Christian dogma. Damascene supports his writing through logic and quoting Scripture. An Exact Exposition was extremely influential during the Middle Ages. This edition of An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith is specially formatted with a Table of Contents.