MODERN ORTHODOX THEOLOGY Paul Ladouceur

‘Paul Ladouceur’s Modern Orthodox Theology is a magisterial historical analysis and erudite review of
major aspects of contemporary Orthodox scholarship read with an eye to a detailed elaboration of
key systematic features. It could be thought of as a ‘book of books’, where the author’s treatment of
the topics and scholars is both wide ranging and scholarly, and yet gives the reader just enough
attention to detail to be intriguing. This book is illuminating in all kinds of ways. For those,
especially from other Christian or non-Christian religious traditions who are fascinated by facets of
Orthodox scholarship, the book provides a rich contextual appreciation of where such thinkers are
situated historically and systematically. For Orthodox scholars it presents a much needed overview of
MODERN ORTHODOX
the field that brings it up to date with contemporary debates and even ethical challenges, such as
those concerning human rights, God and creation or the ordination of women. For those wanting an
informed but all-encompassing approach to Orthodox theology in a higher education teaching
THEOLOGY
context, I can think of no better resource.’
Celia Deane-Drummond, University of Notre Dame, USA ‘Behold, I Make All Things New’
‘This is a most welcome contribution to modern orthodox theology. In focus, scope and detail there is
nothing to match it in English. It builds on but goes significantly beyond what Western readers may
learn from previous studies. No one interested in the future of ecumenism can afford to ignore this
wonderful book.’
George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary, USA

‘Paul Ladouceur has written a clear, well-organized, deeply informed overview and balanced
assessment of the main trends in Orthodox thought in recent centuries. He traces both the internal
debates and the engagements with western philosophical, cultural, political and theological trends.
Focusing especially on Russia, Russian theologians in exile and their successors, Greece, and
Romania, Ladouceur helps us listen in on the scholarly conversations and vigorous debates that have
shaped contemporary Orthodox thinking. This is an indispensable book for anyone who seeks a sure
guide to the history, personalities and themes of modern Orthodox theology. It is both learned and
accessible, and there is nothing else like it.’
John A. Jillions, Former Chancellor, Orthodox Church in America

Modern Orthodox theology is the living theological tradition of Eastern Christianity in continuity
from the early church to the present. This book considers the full range of modern Orthodox thought,
surveyed and analyzed chronologically, geographically and thematically. The first part of the book
charts the development of modern Orthodox theology from the fall of Constantinople in 1453 until the
early twenty-first century, with emphasis on significant theological movements and key personalities,
considered in their chronological and geographic contexts. The second part of the book contains eight
studies of major themes which have dominated Orthodox theology in modern times. The book includes
an extensive Selected Bibliography arranged by chapter, Recommended Readings, and a detailed Index.

PAUL LADOUCEUR teaches at the Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College, University
of Toronto (Canada), and at the Montreal Institute of Orthodox Theology, Université Laval
(Quebec, Canada).

THEOLOGY

Cover design: Nick Evans

Cover image: Cover image: St John the Theologian and
St Prochorus at Patmos (Novgorod, Russia, 17th c.)
/Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum
Paul Ladouceur
ISBN 978-0-567-66482-2
9 0 1 0 0
Also available
from T&T Clark

www.bloomsbury.com 9 780567 664822

 Acclamation for Modern Orthodox Theology

This book is destined for success, a success based on three merits: expertise, critique, and
compassion. The author’s knowledge of Orthodox theology and its history is encyclopedic. He
successfully navigates the reader between the Scylla of naive eulogy and the Charybdis of damning
criticism. He loves the tradition that he describes so well, yet he does not hesitate to offer balanced
judgement and critique. A book for those seeking an informed and serious conversation about
modern Orthodox Christianity.
Cyril Hovorun (Professor of Theology, Loyola
Marymount University, Los Angeles)

This is a veritable guidebook of contemporary Orthodox thought, revealing the dynamism, richness,
and diversity of modern Orthodoxy. Highly recommended.
Paul Meyendorff (Professor Emeritus, St Vladimir’s
Orthodox Theological Seminary, New York)

With the rare ability to combine encyclopedic attention to historical detail with incisive theological
analysis, Paul Ladouceur has produced the most comprehensive account of modern Orthodox theology.
Reaching as far back as the Council of Ferrara-Florence, he provides a thorough account of the most
important theologians and themes that have shape the development of Orthodox theology. Given that
books on modern Christian theology often simply ignore Orthodoxy, he fills a much needed gap that
will be useful to both students and scholars of theology, while also disabusing the notion that Orthodoxy
never encountered modernity.
Aristotle Papanikolaou (Co-founding Director and Professor, Orthodox
Christian Studies Center, Fordham University, New York)

Paul Ladouceur’s Modern Orthodox Theology is a magnificent book on the theological achievements of
Orthodox theologians of the last two centuries. The author has mastered an enormous bibliography,
carefully presenting and analyzing complex material both chronologically and thematically, with superb
concluding remarks. In its titanic effort to contextualize the rich tradition of the Eastern Christian
thought and to meet the challenges of modernity, this is the best in-depth study of modern Orthodox
theology that we will have for a very long time.
Petros Vassiliadis (Professor Emeritus, Department of
Theology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)

Modern Orthodox Theology.indb 1 28-12-2018 17:23:04

 Modern Orthodox
Theology
Behold, I Make All Things New (Rev 21:5)

Paul Ladouceur
Preface by Andrew Louth

Modern Orthodox Theology.indb 5 28-12-2018 17:23:04

 T&T CLARK
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP, UK
1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018, USA

BLOOMSBURY, T&T CLARK and the T&T Clark logo are trademarks of
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

First published in Great Britain 2019

Copyright © Paul Ladouceur, 2019

Preface © Andrew Louth

Paul Ladouceur has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents
Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work.

For legal purposes the Acknowledgements on pp. xx-xxi constitute an extension of this copyright page.

Cover design: Nick Evans

Cover image: St John the Theologian and St Prochorus at Patmos (Novgorod, Russia, 17th c.) /
Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum

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Modern Orthodox Theology.indb 6 28-12-2018 17:23:04

 Contents

Preface xiv
Foreword and Acknowledgements xvii

1 Prolegomena to Modern Orthodox Theology 1

Overview of Orthodox theology to the fall of Constantinople 1

Part I  Modern Orthodox Thought in Historical Perspective

2 Theological Encounters with the West: Orthodox Theology from the

Fifteenth Century to the Nineteenth Century 7
The Council of Ferrara-Florence and the fall of Constantinople 7
The Orthodox-Lutheran dialogue (1573–81) 12
Orthodoxy and the Counter-Reformation 15
The Orthodox confessions of the seventeenth century 15
The Confession of Metrophanes Critopoulos (1625) 16
The Confession of Cyril Lucaris (1629) 18
The Confession of Peter Mogila (1638–42) 20
The Confession of Dositheus of Jerusalem (1672) 23
The Russian theological academies (1635–1798) 25
Correspondence with the English Non-Jurors (1716–25) 26
The Encyclical of the Oriental Patriarchs of 1848 27
Conclusion 28

3 Theology in Imperial Russia 31

The conflict between the ‘Possessors’ and the ‘Non-Possessors’ 31
The schism of the ‘Old Believers’ (Raskolniki) 33
The reforms of Peter the Great 34
The spiritual revival of the nineteenth century 36
The Catechism of St Philaret of Moscow 37
Academic theology in the nineteenth century 39

Modern Orthodox Theology.indb 9 28-12-2018 17:23:04

x Contents

The Slavophiles 42
Alexander Bukharev 53
Conclusion 56

4 The Russian Religious Renaissance 59

Russian theology in the late nineteenth century 59
A Christian intelligentsia 64
The new religious consciousness 70
Theological contacts and frictions 73
Three symposia and a church council 80
Revolution and exile 84
The Sophia controversy and the decline of religious philosophy 88
Conclusion 91

5 The Origins and Nature of Neopatristic Theology 95

The origins of neopatristic theology 95
The revival of the apophatic tradition, Palamite theology and theosis 98
The triumph of neopatristic theology 105
The neopatristic synthesis 109
Acquiring the patristic mind 113
Neopatristic theology in an ecumenical context 114
Conclusion 120

6 Theology Old and New in Greece 123

Academic theology in Greece 123
Greek religious movements 129
The ‘Theology of the ’60s’ 134
Beyond the academy 139
The language question 146
Towards post-patristic theology? 147
Conclusion 153

7 Theology in Romania 157

Overview of theology in Romania 157
The social apostolate and the servant church 161
The Burning Bush Group 166
Dumitru Staniloae 167
Ethno-theology 173
André Scrima 175
Conclusion 176

Modern Orthodox Theology.indb 10 28-12-2018 17:23:04

 Contents xi

8 Tradition and the Restoration of Patristic Thought 179

Tradition and the nature of theology 179
The restoration of patristic thought and patristic studies 187
Conclusion 189

Part II  Themes and Conflicts in Modern Orthodox Theology

9 God and Creation 193

All-unity and cosmism 194
Sophia: The Wisdom of God 199
The divine energies and createdness 205
Panentheism 215
The logoi of things and the contemplation of God in creation 219
Conclusion 224

10 Divine-Humanity, Personhood and Human Rights 230

Divine-humanity 230
The suffering of God 236
Personhood 239
Critiques of personalist theology 247
Human rights 253
Conclusion 262

11 The Church of Christ 268

Orthodox visions of the church 268
The church in Russian religious thought 269
Georges Florovsky’s ecclesiology 276
Eucharistic ecclesiology 279
Conclusion 284

12 Ecumenical Theology and Religious Diversity 287

Ecumenical theology 287
The controversy over limited intercommunion 289
Opposition to ecumenism 294
Orthodoxy and religious diversity 298
Modern Orthodox thought on religious diversity 301
Orthodoxy and theologies of religious diversity 310
Conclusion 314

Modern Orthodox Theology.indb 11 28-12-2018 17:23:04

xii Contents

13 The Christification of Life 318

The churching of life and the Christification of life 318
Liturgical theology and liturgical piety 321
Theology of the laity 324
Conclusion 330

14 Social and Political Theology 333

Social and political thought in the Russian religious renaissance 333
Social and political thought in neopatristic theology 343
Political theology for the twenty-first century 346
A new symphonia? 353
Conclusion 357

15 Onomatodoxy: The Name-of-God Conflict 361

Conflict on Mount Athos and in Russia over the Name of God 361
Theology of the Name 365
The Name of God as word, symbol, image and icon 366
The Name of God as divine energy 368
The Name of God as religious experience 370
Conclusion 373

16 The Ordination of Women 378

Women in the Orthodox Church 378
Arguments against the ordination of women 381
Arguments in favour of the ordination of women 394
Women deacons 399
Conclusion 402

Part III  Assessments and Conclusions

17 Light and Shadows in Modern Orthodox Theology 407

The Russian religious renaissance in the spotlight 407
Critiques of Russian religious thought 412
Neopatristic theology and its critics 418
‘Hellenism’ and ‘Byzantinism’ 419
Anti-Westernism 422
Consensus patrum 424
Intellectual freedom and creativity 427
Intellectualism 429

Modern Orthodox Theology.indb 12 28-12-2018 17:23:04

 Contents xiii

Biblical scholarship 431

Revisionism in modern Orthodox thought 432
Engaging the modern world 434

18 The Living Tradition of Orthodox Theology 439

Trends in modern Orthodox theology 439
Modern Russian and Greek theology 444
Self-critique in modern Orthodox theology 446
Conclusion 450

Selected Bibliography 455

Recommended Readings 487
Index 498

Modern Orthodox Theology.indb 13 28-12-2018 17:23:05

 MODERN ORTHODOX THEOLOGY Paul Ladouceur
‘Paul Ladouceur’s Modern Orthodox Theology is a magisterial historical analysis and erudite review of
major aspects of contemporary Orthodox scholarship read with an eye to a detailed elaboration of
key systematic features. It could be thought of as a ‘book of books’, where the author’s treatment of
the topics and scholars is both wide ranging and scholarly, and yet gives the reader just enough
attention to detail to be intriguing. This book is illuminating in all kinds of ways. For those,
especially from other Christian or non-Christian religious traditions who are fascinated by facets of
Orthodox scholarship, the book provides a rich contextual appreciation of where such thinkers are
situated historically and systematically. For Orthodox scholars it presents a much needed overview of
MODERN ORTHODOX
the field that brings it up to date with contemporary debates and even ethical challenges, such as
those concerning human rights, God and creation or the ordination of women. For those wanting an
informed but all-encompassing approach to Orthodox theology in a higher education teaching
THEOLOGY
context, I can think of no better resource.’
Celia Deane-Drummond, University of Notre Dame, USA ‘Behold, I Make All Things New’
‘This is a most welcome contribution to modern orthodox theology. In focus, scope and detail there is
nothing to match it in English. It builds on but goes significantly beyond what Western readers may
learn from previous studies. No one interested in the future of ecumenism can afford to ignore this
wonderful book.’
George Hunsinger, Princeton Theological Seminary, USA

‘Paul Ladouceur has written a clear, well-organized, deeply informed overview and balanced
assessment of the main trends in Orthodox thought in recent centuries. He traces both the internal
debates and the engagements with western philosophical, cultural, political and theological trends.
Focusing especially on Russia, Russian theologians in exile and their successors, Greece, and
Romania, Ladouceur helps us listen in on the scholarly conversations and vigorous debates that have
shaped contemporary Orthodox thinking. This is an indispensable book for anyone who seeks a sure
guide to the history, personalities and themes of modern Orthodox theology. It is both learned and
accessible, and there is nothing else like it.’
John A. Jillions, Former Chancellor, Orthodox Church in America

Modern Orthodox theology is the living theological tradition of Eastern Christianity in continuity
from the early church to the present. This book considers the full range of modern Orthodox thought,
surveyed and analyzed chronologically, geographically and thematically. The first part of the book
charts the development of modern Orthodox theology from the fall of Constantinople in 1453 until the
early twenty-first century, with emphasis on significant theological movements and key personalities,
considered in their chronological and geographic contexts. The second part of the book contains eight
studies of major themes which have dominated Orthodox theology in modern times. The book includes
an extensive Selected Bibliography arranged by chapter, Recommended Readings, and a detailed Index.

PAUL LADOUCEUR teaches at the Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College, University
of Toronto (Canada), and at the Montreal Institute of Orthodox Theology, Université Laval
(Quebec, Canada).

THEOLOGY

Cover design: Nick Evans

Cover image: Cover image: St John the Theologian and
St Prochorus at Patmos (Novgorod, Russia, 17th c.)
/Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum
Paul Ladouceur
ISBN 978-0-567-66482-2
9 0 1 0 0
Also available
from T&T Clark

www.bloomsbury.com 9 780567 664822