Byzantine Theology: Historical Trends and Doctrinal Themes [Paperback]

John Meyendorff (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0823209679 | ISBN-13: 978-0823209675 | Publication Date: January 1, 1999 | Edition: 1

For over a thousand years, Eastern Christendom had as its center the second capital of the Roman Empire-Constantinople, the New Rome,or Byzantium. The geographical division between the Eastern and Western Churches was only one manifestation of deeper rifts, characterized by a long history of conflicts, suspicions, and misunderstandings. Although the art, monasticism, and spirituality of Byzantium have come to be recognized as inspirational and influential in the shaping of Eastern European civilization, and of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance as well, the West has been in the main ignorant of the historical evolution and the doctrinal significance of Byzantine theology.Here, for the first time in English, is presented a synthesis of Byzantine Christian thought. The reader is guided through its complexities to an understanding of Byzantium: its view of man and his destiny of deification; its ability to transcend the Western captivity; its survival under quite adverse historical circumstances. In the end, he may well find himself receptive to the basic positions of Byzantine thought, which have attained, in this time of need for the reintegration of Christianity itself, a surprising, contemporary relevance.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Meyendorff, Professor Byzantine and Eastern European History at Fordham University, is an Orthodox priest, a holder of the D. es L. (Sorbonne), and the author of several books on Orthodoxy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 243 pages
• Publisher: Fordham University Press; 1 edition (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823209679
• ISBN-13: 978-0823209675
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #101,766 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Classical Introduction to Byzantine Theology, April 20, 2001

By 

Xavier Thelakkatt (Dayton, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Byzantine Theology: Historical Trends and Doctrinal Themes (Paperback)

This well written book is a general survey of Byzantine Theology both in its historical and doctrinal aspects. The first part deals exclusively with the historical development of the various theological doctrines of the Byzantine Church and the second part deals with the exposition of different doctirnes of theology. As a teacher Dr Meyendorff is clear and accurate in his coverage of the different aspects of theology.

As a Roman Catholic I was impressed by the striking similarities between the Byzantine doctirnes and the Roman Catholic faith. The author is objective and clear in his exposition. He seemed a little preoccupied with comparing and contrasting the theological doctirines of the Byzantine Church with those of the West. This seemed to limit the scope of the book. As a book dealing with theology, it is a successful work beneficial to those looking for some insight into the theological doctirnes and their development in the Church.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect introduction for the theologically literate, January 30, 2003

By 

matt (the reading room) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Byzantine Theology: Historical Trends and Doctrinal Themes (Paperback)

Meyendorff's introduction to Orthodox theology is extremely detailed in a concise manner. His style is smooth and easy to follow, although it really would help if the reader had some background in theology (but not much!). Take a look at the sample pages for a taste. This is one of the best intros to Orthodox theology in English and I recommend it heartily! Enjoy!

You may also be interested in Jordan Bajis' "Common Ground". It is an excellent introduction to the Orthodox Tradition geared towards Western Christians. Kallistos Ware has written a more devotionally-flavored into, "The Orthodox Way", which is also highly useful.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great guide to otherwise confusing issues, March 1, 2002

By 

Min Byong Chang "MBC" (Uijongbu South Korea) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Byzantine Theology: Historical Trends and Doctrinal Themes (Paperback)

Father Meyendorff's complete and detailed discussion about the complex theology of the Byzantine church is outstanding. The Christiology debate was a little over my head at points but his chapters on Iconoclasm and on the Schism between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church were top notch.