54—Maximus the Confessor: Where East and West Meet
Dec 29, 2021
Dive into the captivating life of Maximus the Confessor, a bridge between Greek and Latin Christian thought. His journey from imperial court to monastic life reveals the clash of theology and politics of his time. Learn about his bold stand against the Monothelite heresy and his enduring legacy in shaping key doctrines of faith. Discover how his writings continue to resonate today, influencing ecological ethics and spirituality while illuminating the path to becoming godlike in Christian life.
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insights INSIGHT
A Bridge Between East And West
Maximus combined Greek and Latin theological traditions into a unified voice.
Mike Aquilina shows how his life exemplified that ecumenical synthesis.
question_answer ANECDOTE
From Imperial Court To Monastic Life
Maximus served as chief of staff to Emperor Heraclius before ordaining as a monk.
Mike Aquilina recounts his shift from politics to contemplative scholarship.
insights INSIGHT
Monothelitism Undermined Christ’s Humanity
Maximus argued one-will doctrine stripped Christ's genuine human struggle and made the Garden of Gethsemane a sham.
Mike Aquilina highlights this as a decisive theological objection.
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By the seventh century, Christian thinkers of East and West were settling into scholastic methods, synthesizing and systematizing the thought of their Greek or Latin forebears. Maximus represents the best mind (by far) in this movement. Greek by origin, he spent decades living in Latin lands. His writing reflected the beauty and brilliance of piety and theology on both sides of the Mediterranean. In Maximus (to steal a phrase from Pope John Paul II) the Church breathed with both lungs. He marshaled all the resources of East and West to oppose the emerging Monothelite heresy. The emperor, meanwhile, pinned his hopes on the heresy to unite the empire against rising Islam—and Maximus suffered brutal torture and exile.
Way of the Fathers 