Eastern Christianity

Focusing on theology and its relationship to other aspects of church’s life, we will explore various dimensions of Eastern Christianity from its patristic roots to the present. The themes to be discussed will include the following: the heritage of the undivided church (before the Great Schism of 1054) the differences between ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ approaches to theology (as historical realities and as modern constructions); Gregory Palamas and the reception of his theology in the twentieth century; the link between theology and ‘spirituality’; various facets of the concept of ‘tradition’; different twentieth century versions of ‘Neopatristic synthesis’; apophatic and cataphatic theology; liturgical theology; and ecumenism.

Course Syllabus