Orthodox Christian theology is often presented as the direct inheritor of the doctrine and tradition of the early Church. But continuity with the past is only part of the truth; it would be false to conclude that the eastern section of the Christian Church is in any way static. Orthodoxy, building on its patristic foundations, has blossomed in the modern period. This volume focuses on the way Orthodox theological tradition is understood and lived today. It explores the Orthodox understanding of what theology is: an expression of the Church’s life of prayer, both corporate and personal, from which it can never be separated. Besides discussing aspects of doctrine, the book portrays the main figures, themes and developments that have shaped Orthodox thought. There is particular focus on the Russian and Greek traditions, as well as the dynamic but less well-known Antiochian tradition and the Orthodox presence in the West.
• All contributors are Orthodox from various traditions and countries giving a sense of both the diversity and the coherence of the Church • Includes chapters on the contemporary theological scene in Greece, Russia and Antioch – introducing traditions little known to the English-speaking public • The chapter on Arab Christian tradition presents a perspective on Christian-Muslim relations new to most Christians in the West
Contents
Part I. Doctrine and Tradition: 1. Who are the Orthodox Christians? A historical introduction Mary Cunningham and Elizabeth Theokritoff; 2. Scripture and tradition in the Church Theodore G. Stylianopoulos; 3. Biblical interpretation in worship Archimandrite Ephrem Lash; 4. God in Trinity Boris Bobrinskoy; 5. Creator and creation Elizabeth Theokritoff; 6. Christ and salvation Peter Bouteneff; 7. Eschatology Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev; 8. The Church Matthew Steenberg; 9. Theology of the icon Mariamna Fortounatto and Mary Cunningham; 10. The human person as image and likeness of God Nonna Verna Harrison; 11. The spiritual way John Chryssavgis; Part II. Contemporary Orthodox Theology: Its Formation and Character: 12. Church Fathers and the shaping of orthodox theology Augustine Casiday; 13. The patristic revival and its protagonists Andrew Louth; 14. The Russian religious revival and its theological legacy Michael Plekon; 15. Some key themes and figures in Greek theological thought Athanasios N. Papathanasiou; 16. Personhood and its exponents in twentieth-century orthodox theology Aristotle Papanikolaou; 17. The witness of the church in a pluralistic world: theological renaissance in the Church of Antioch Nicolas Abou Mrad; 18. Russian theology after totalitarianism Leonid Kishkovsky; 19. Orthodox Christianity in the West: the ecumenical challenge John Jillions.
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