A Saint for East and West: Maximus the Confessor's Contribution to Eastern and Western Christian Theology

In 1054 CE the Great Schism between Eastern and Western Christianity occurred and the official break of communion between the two ancient branches of the church continues to this day. There have been numerous church commissions and academic groups created to try and bridge the ecumenical divides between East and West yet official communion is still just out of reach. The thought of St. Maximus the Confessor a saint of both churches provides a unique theological lens through which to map out a path of ecumenical understanding and hopefully reconciliation and union. Through an exposition of the intellectual history of Maximus theological influence his moral and spiritual theology and his metaphysical vision of creation a common Christianity emerges. This book brings together leading scholars and thinkers from both traditions around the theology of St. Maximus to cultivate greater union between Eastern and Western Christianity. St. Maximus the Confessor is not only one of the most profound Christian theologians of Late Antiquity but one who uniquely in his own lifetime and again today unites both East and West. The essays gathered here together are likewise from eminent Eastern and Western theologians and show a common spirit in their engagement with the texts theology and legacy of their common Father. --John Behr St. Vladimirs Seminary New York The essays in this collection prove that there is much work yet to be done on Maximus the Confessor and that his legacy in Eastern and Western Christian thought is both deep and wide. Fresh insights are offered here into an array of classic themes in Maximuss theology from his cosmology and metaphysics to his theological anthropology and ascetical doctrine. Veteran and younger scholars weigh in on issues that continue to compel modern theological retrieval of this prolific Byzantine thinker. This book is a welcome addition to the continuing renaissance of Maximus studies in recent decades. --Paul M. Blowers Emmanuel Christian Seminary Milligan College Daniel Haynes teaches Religious Studies at Georgia Gwinnett College and Bioethics at Brenau University. He also serves as the current Resident Theologian at the Episcopal parish of St. Mary and St. Martha of Bethany in Buford Georgia.