St John Damascene: Tradition and Originality in Byzantine Theology

by Andrew Louth

John Damascene, a monk near Jerusalem in the early 700s, never set foot in the Byzantine Empire, yet he had a great influence on Byzantine theology. This book, the first to present an overall account of John's life and work, sets him in the context of the early synods of the Church that took
place in the Palestinian monasteries during the first century of Arab rule.

Genres: Theology, Religion

Hardcover

First published July 4, 2002

About the author

Andrew Louth is an Eastern Orthodox theologian and priest of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent synthesis of the scholarly/historical aspects of St John's life and works with the theological meaning and its wider impact on the Orthodox world. A monk in Palestine under Muslim rule, St John articulated the faith handed down to him in a way that acknowledged the particular time and place in which he lived. I particularly enjoyed Louth's commentary on John's liturgical poetry, including the canons for Pascha, Transfiguration, and Dormition, which are still sung in services today.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very full explanation of St John of Damascus's theology, preaching and poetry. I'd recommend reading "On the Orthodox Faith" and his little book on the Divine Images as prerequisites for reading this one meaningfully.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read several chapters of this to prepare for a seminar discussion on John's historical context and first treatise on divine images. I found it very helpful and accessible. Rooting John in the monastic tradition and highlighting his contemporary popularity as a liturgical poet were both very strong decisions. Highly recommended as an introduction or reference source. The only reason why I didn't give 5 stars is that I'm not sure Louth did any significant original research or advanced any compelling novel thesis. (But I could be wrong about that.)