Description
Book SynopsisJohn of Damascus, the eighth century theologian of the newly re-established Jerusalem Patriarchate, remains understudied because many consider him no more than a compiler of tradition, saying nothing original. We challenge this misconception by exploring ways in which John made his sources his own, his reception history, his biography, his philosophic appropriation and unique contribution, how he presented his theology in locally significant ways, his influence on subsequent generations, and all his varied theological output in both its historical context and as received in Byzantine tradition.
Table of ContentsPreface List of Maps and Figures Abbreviations Notes on Contributors Maps Introduction Scott Ables Part 1 The Damascene’s Sources, Life, & Context 1 The Greek Lives of St John Damascene: Common Information, Differences, and Historical Value Robert Volk 2 New Evidence for the Source of the Arabic Life of John Damascene and the Arabic Translation of the Expositio fidei Habib Ibrahim 3 The Purpose of the Anti-Manichaean Polemic of John of Damascus Scott Ables 4 ‘Ὡς θεῖος ἔφη Διονύσιος’—John Damascene’s Reception and Interpretation of the Corpus Areopagiticum Vassilis Adrahtas 5 The Ordering of Knowing and the Acquisition of Knowledge in the Expositio fidei Peter Schadler 6 ‘Supposedly Encountered an Arian Monk’: John of Damascus on the Origin of Islam Najib George Awad 7 Theology for the Public: Aspects of John of Damascus’ Theological Discourse in His Homilies Petros Tsagkaropoulos Part 2 The Damascene’s Theological Vision 8 The Understanding of the Sacraments in John of Damascus’ Theology Vassa Kontouma 9 Imago Dei: The Functionality of the Divine Image in John of Damascus Brenda Mariana Méndez-Gallardo 10 The Concept of Matter in St John Damascene’s Anti-Manichaean Theology of Creation Theocharis S. Papavissarion 11 Philosophy as both an Instrument and a Structural Principle of Theological Discourse in John Damascene Anna Zhyrkova 12 John of Damascus’ View of Universals and Particulars in Light of the Christological Debate Johannes Zachhuber 13 The Historicity of Personal Being: A Dialogue in Absentia between John Damascene and Martin Heidegger Smilen Markov Appendix: Expositio et declaratio fidei CPG 8078: Introduction and English Translation Habib Ibrahim Index of Modern Authors Index of Names and Subjects Index of Ancient Sources
