Daniel Haynes - A saint for East and West: Maximus the Confessors contribution to Eastern and Western Christian theology /

Maximus the Confessors Contribution to Eastern and Western Christian Theology

Edited by Daniel Haynes

I n many areas of contemporary culture, it seems incongruous to consider that a figure from the past could inform present-day life. However, there are those luminous saints of old who challenge us to think things anew. St. Maximus the Confessor is one such saint. Despite the fact that Maximus is a deeply cherished saint of both Eastern and Western Christian traditions, his theology is still not very well known or understood.

Over the last couple of decades, there has been a renaissance of interest in the thought of the Confessor in both traditions. Numerous monographs and articles have been published attesting to his brilliance and importance for understanding central dogmas of both East and West. There is even an interest in aligning Maximus metaphysics with modern developments in science. The noted Maximus scholar Paul Blowers has recently explored the compatibility of Maximus doctrine of the logos and logoi with the scientific theory of evolution. I believe Maximus theology has the greatest potential to open up ecumenical dialogue and understanding between the major branches of Christianity. And it is this prospect which sparked not only my Ph.D. dissertation on Maximus doctrine of grace at the University of Nottingham, but principally the multi-day workshop on his theology at the sixteenth International Conference on Patristic Studies at Oxford University in 2011 , out of which the present volume emerged.

In this book, leading scholars, spiritual masters, and theologians engage with Maximus thought in creative ways. They examine the historical influences and intellectual trajectories of Maximus theological synthesis in depth, and new theological vistas open up to create possible paths forward in ecumenical understanding.

For practical purposes the book is broken up into three key parts: () reception and influence; () anthropology, Christology, and spirituality; and () ontology and metaphysics. Maximus vision of the cosmos and the Christian life would not make such distinctions, but this approach was chosen in order to make his theology more esculent for the reader. Andrew Louth provides an erudite introduction to the importance of Maximus theology for today and how the authors in this volume contribute towards it. Then in part one, Adrian Guiu, Edward Siecienski, and Christophe Erismann trace the historical and intellectual pathways of Maximus theological influence. Part two unpacks Maximus moral and spiritual theology in relation to his Christology and cosmic vision. Metropolitan Kallistos (Timothy Ware), Adam Cooper, David Bradshaw, and Luis Granados offer fresh perspectives on these classical Maximian subjects. Finally, in part three hieromonk Trnen, Baron Rowan Williams, John Milbank, Nikolaos Loudovikos, Torstein Tollefsen, Vladimir Cvetkovi, and Joshua Lollar venture deep into Maximus ontology and metaphysics of creation. Through their analyses, each contributor shows how Maximus thought took shape in Eastern and Western Christian theology. The Confessors theological genius creates a vision of the world that makes him truly a saint for East and West.

Daniel Haynes

Feast of William Laud, 2017

. Blowers, Unfinished Creative Business: Maximus the Confessor, Evolutionary Theodicy, and Human Stewardship in Creation.

I would first like to thank my family for their support of the many hours of labor on this project. Without their grace and patience, this book would not have been possible. The international team of scholars in this volume is world class, and the generosity of their agreement to contribute towards its creation is beyond measure. Of course, the gathering together of such diverse perspectives on Maximus theology could not have occurred without the support of the organizers of the quadrennial International Conference on Patristic Studies at Oxford University, where the multi-day workshop on the Confessors thought was held in August 2011 . Exceeding thanks goes to my Ph.D. supervisor, Dr. Mary Cunningham, for her advice and support in organizing the Maximus workshop. Finally, I would like to thank our publisher, Wipf and Stock, for their immense patience with the torpid pace of manuscript preparation. All of these elements came together to share this book with the world.