Category Archives: Fathers

Sergius Bulgakov, The Bride of the Lamb

Posted on November 30, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Bulgakov, Sergius.  Bride of the Lamb.  Eerdmans. This isn’t a normal review.  It’s mostly a collection and analysis of his most important points.  This is the best thing ever written on eschatology in the sense of final judgment, life-after-death, etc. Bulgakov … Continue reading →

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We Believe in One Lord Jesus Christ (ed. McGuckin)

Posted on November 22, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

John McGuckin gives us an outstanding, yea even world-class compendium of Patristic Christology. It nicely succeeds the first volume in the series.  McGuckin notes a set of “ciphers” that explain the theology behind the Nicene Creed: “‘Christ’ becomes a cipher … Continue reading →

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Methodius of Olympus’s writings

Posted on November 15, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Some years ago a gnostic magus on Puritanboard attacked me for criticizing Methodius’s gnostic views on sexuality and marriage.  So basically I got attacked on a Puritan forum for upholding the Puritan view of marriage.  Sounds about right. All citations … Continue reading →

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Outline of Maximus’ Cosmology

Posted on February 16, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Chapter 3: The Logos, logoi, and created beings Key to Maximus’s cosmology is the mystery of Christ (64). The logoi are all contained in the divine wisdom, not just his thoughts but his acts of will. Logoi are ideas through … Continue reading →

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Bringing the nous into the heart

Posted on February 11, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

This is from John Mcguckin’s The Path of Christianity: The First Thousand Years, pp. 862-869.  It is very difficult for many people to approach the ancient fathers on prayer.  For some, it looks too much like Buddhism.  And for many activists … Continue reading →

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Theodore Studite on Holy Icons

Posted on February 11, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

  Updating from an old blog. via On the Holy Icons (Theodore) This book is a sharpened update of St John of Damascus’s treatises on icons. In many ways it is preferable. The core of St Theodore’s argument hinges on … Continue reading →

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Review: Festal Orations

Posted on February 11, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

This is more than a review.  I cross-referenced the orations here with the sets in Schaff and Daley, so that you can see which ones overlap. This review will touch on both Gregory’s theology and the superb introduction by Nonna Harrison. … Continue reading →

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Is the Holy Spirit a product?

Posted on February 9, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

I don’t want to get into Filioquist metaphysics.  Confessionally, I am a Protestant and that means I am in the Filioque tradition.  So let’s get this out of the way up front:  do I hold to the Filioque?  I think … Continue reading →

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Review: Cosmic Mystery

Posted on February 3, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

I’ve read this book six or eight times.  It’s probably the most important theological piece ever written on cosmology. Ambiguum 7 All created being is in motion since it aims toward some end. This combats Origenism.  Origen (de Principis I.2) … Continue reading →

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Review: Arius: Heresy and Tradition

Posted on February 3, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

by Rowan Williams Date: January 2014 Being faithful to church teachings does not mean merely chanting former slogans, but critically receiving the church’s witness and faithfully putting it into a new context in response to a new crisis.  Rowan Williams … Continue reading →

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