Description
Book SynopsisA study of the theology of Maximus the Confessor, bringing contemporary insights from the Orthodox tradition to bear on his understanding of temporality.
Trade Review"In this remarkable book, Dr. Mitralexis seeks more than an exposition of a central notion in St. Maximus the Confessor's metaphysical vision, but rather a genuine fusion of the horizons, in a Gadamerian sense, so that his understanding of Maximus is informed by the development of a relational ontology by the likes of Zizioulas and Yannaras, whose own thought has been inspired by their reading of Maximus. The result is a bold and original contribution to ontology and metaphysics." -Andrew Louth, FBA, Professor Emeritus of Patristic and Byzantine Studies, Durham University "This book, written by a young and promising Maximus scholar, is an interesting study of a central set of notions in Maximus' writings, namely, the notions of time, the Aeon, and eternity. These notions have been studied by others as well, but never as extensively as by Mitralexis. He finds the roots of Maximus' notion of time in Aristotle, but has a quite original hermeneutical approach since he tries to unravel the Confessor's philosophy from the vantage point of the Greek modern philosopher Christos Yannaras, thus seeking to make Maximus' thought relevant for our own age. The depth of Mitralexis' knowledge of the sources and his grasp of modern scholarship on Maximus is impressive. I highly recommend this book." -Torstein Theodor Tollefsen, Professor of Philosophy, University of Oslo "This is a really welcome addition to the fast-growing literature on Maximus the Confessor. It is a first-class study of the original texts, but is distinctive in its willingness to bring Maximus' thought into fruitful conversation with contemporary philosophical discussions, so that the implications of this study will be of interest to many more than Byzantine specialists." -Rowan Williams, Master of Magdalene College, University of Cambridge 'This book will be important both to theologians looking to further explore Maximus' works and their relevance for today, and to philosophers interested in ancient conceptions of time and the way these may challenge our contemporary understanding of physics.' - Emma Brown Dewhurst, Ludwig Maximilians Universitat Munchen, The Expository Times, Volume 130, Number 6, March 2019
Table of ContentsForeword - Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Acknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction PART ONE: Introducing Maximus the Confessor - and Our Contemporary Perspective 1. Maximus the Confessor 2. Hermeneutic Tools in Approaching Maximus: Christos Yannaras' Ontology 3. Ontological, Epistemological, Anthropological Themes in Maximus 4. Maximus' 'Logical' Ontology: PART TWO: Maximus the Confessor's Understanding of Motion and Temporality 5. Motion and Time in Aristotle's Physics as a Precursor to Maximus' Definition of Time 6. Maximus' Philosophy of Motion 7. Introducing Maximus' Conception of Time 8. The Fundamentals of Temporality, Spatiality, and Motion: Sections 35-40 from the Tenth 'Difficulty' 9. Inverted Temporality: The Aeon 10. Ever-Moving Repose Concluding Remarks: Reconstructing Maximus the Confessor's Theory of Time Bibliography Index
