Who Are Some of The Greates Eastern Theologians?

[wynd]

Thank you, but the link didn’t work, I was looking forward to reading it .

An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith - by St John Damascene - The Complete Text

 

[Formosus]

I would like to add John Meyendorff.

 

[Cecilianus]

I would also like to add Fr. Lev Gillet and the unknown author of “The Way of a Pilgrim”.

Secondly, I would like to add some Roman Catholic theologians (all Jesuits) very useful in their explication of Eastern theology, and very respected by Catholics and Orthodox alike for their intellectual honesty:

Fr. George Maloney (who may also be considered an Orthodox theologian, since he died as pastor of a Russian Orthodox church - though he never left the Society of Jesus) - his best books are “A Theology of Uncreated Energies” and “A History of Orthodox Theology Since 1453”. A caveat on his admiration for Teilhard de Chardin in some of his other books.

Tomas Cardinal Spidlik (I especially recommend his “Prayer: The Theology of the Christian East, Volume 2”)

Fr. Irenee Hausherr (especially for his “Penthos: The Doctrine of Compunction in the Christian East”)

One could also add Fr. Francis Dvornik SJ, but he was more of a historian (one influential in the rehabilitation of the memory of St. Photios the Great among Catholics) than a theologian proper.

 

[jwright82]

An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith - by St John Damascene - The Complete Text

Thanks!

 

[Vico]

I am interested in studying some of the greatest theologians of the Orthodox faith, could ya’ll name a few past and recent? Also do Orthodox, please forgive my ignorance here, theologians write systematic theologies?

There are three given the title theologian by the Byzantine Church, all of faith and having union with God through grace and understanding.

St. John the Apostle, St. Gregory of Nazianzus (b. ~330 A.D.), and St. Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022 A.D.).

 

[Cecilianus]

Add Paul Evdokimov to the list.

 

[jimmy]

To understand the eastern perspective you should read:

St. Athanasius
St. Basil of Caesarea
St. Gregory Nazianzen
St. Gregory of Nyssa
St. Cyril of Alexandria
St. Severus of Antioch (non-Chalcedonian)
St. Maximus the Confessor
St. Gregory Palamas

All the above are saints who have determined the direction of theology in the east, so it is necessary to understand them in order to truely understand eastern theology. Here are a couple good modern theologians.

John Meyendorff
Alexander Schmemann

 

[Gregory_I]

I think all of Eastern theology can be extracted from the cappadocian fathers (St. Gregory of Nyssa for theosis, St. Basil for essence and energy, and St. Gregory theologian for Trinity, St. Cyril for Christology)

More or less. The other later eastern Fathers like Maximus and Palamas really built on these Four.

 

[jimmy]

I think all of Eastern theology can be extracted from the cappadocian fathers (St. Gregory of Nyssa for theosis, St. Basil for essence and energy, and St. Gregory theologian for Trinity, St. Cyril for Christology)

More or less. The other later eastern Fathers like Maximus and Palamas really built on these Four.

I have noticed that too. Throw Athanasius in there as well and you should have a good grasp. Maximus from what I have seen basically just synthesizes the theology of Cyril and the Capadocians and Athanasius. Palamas builds upon Maximus.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

1. Abba Philimon
2. St. Philotheos Of Sinai
3. Ilyas The Presbyter
4. St. Diadochos Of Photiki
5. St. Anthony The Great

Those are some of the ones I enjoyed from reading The Philokalia. I also agree with the Others mentioned here.

Surprised more folks did not mention St. Anthony. As well as being The Greatest Of The Desert Fathers, he was also one of the Greatest Of Mystics and an Awesome Theologian.