Doru Costache - Main Features Of Byzantine Theology

[Published in Voice of Orthodoxy 30/4 (April 2008) 40]

Main Features of Byzantine Theology Revd Dr Doru Costache In modern times, many scholars have unwittingly endeavoured to trace the distinctive marks of the Byzantine phenomenon. One conclusion emerges from all these efforts: any unilateral identification of its essence with merely one or a few of its sides cannot do justice to Byzantine theological tradition. Byzantine theology proved to be exuberantly rich and consistently creative, unfolding by various layers, trends and aspects, all incorporated to an encompassing worldview and thoroughly assessed within a salvific and eschatological perspective. In the following, without any claim of exhaustivity, I shall try to depict a more comprehensive image of this complex phenomenon – a true landmark for the genuine ecclesial mindset and experience – by bringing to light some of its main features. In doing so, I hope these aspects will inspire the recovery of an authentically ecclesial ethos within contemporary theological scenery which bears the scars produced by the selfinflicted alienation from the traditional path. Apostolic – The first concern of the Byzantines has been to preserve and proclaim truthfully the content of the apostolic faith, ‘once delivered to the saints’ (Jude 1:3). The Byzantine fathers have always been acutely aware that they were the heirs of the apostolic tradition, faithful guardians and interpreters of the legacy transmitted by the first historical witnesses of Christ. To them, the one and unchangeable apostolic faith was handed on in the Church without scissure generation after generation, through the succession of saints and the episcopal ministry. Thus, notwithstanding its polymorphic accretions and cultural creativeness, Byzantine theology has been primarily characterised by faithfulness to orthodoxy (right opinion), identified as the apostolic confession or canon of faith, a true savoir faire necessary to orthopraxy (right way of living). This feature can be easily traced in the decisions of the ecumenical synods, ὃροι πίστεως (literally ‘the boundaries of faith’), and in the practical canons, or norms, they formulated, whose ultimate purpose is identical with the ecclesial service of safeguarding the apostolic legacy. Patristic – The degree to which Byzantine theology has been faithful to the original evangelic teaching is proven by its uncompromising commitment to the fathers’ consensus about the spirit of the apostolic proclamation. This commitment is visible both in the writings of the Church fathers themselves and in the ecumenical ὃροι πίστεως; e.g., the council of Chalcedon (451AD) has consecrated the famous formula ‘following the holy fathers, we all teach with one accord’. Though already appealed to during the previous centuries (as for instance by St Athanasius the Great, St Basil the Great and St Cyril of Alexandria), this principle, i.e. the faith of the fathers, revealed its full measure particularly during the iconoclastic controversies (8 th and 9th centuries), as decisive criterion for orthodoxy. It operated by helping the theologians to discern between what was orthodox as from the fathers and what was alien to the ecclesial mindset as not from the fathers. The centrality of the spiritual fatherhood paradigm (as sketched, for example, by St Symeon the New Theologian and the hesychasts) confirms even to a greater extent the patristic dimension of Byzantine theology, since nothing within traditional theology can be acknowledged without the event of transmission. This comprehension is perceptively summed up by Archbishop Stylianos when observing that ‘Christian faith is basically the result of communion between two persons’.

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Biblical – The same faithfulness to the apostolic tradition has been likewise obvious in the uninterrupted engagement of the Byzantine fathers with the Scripture, reckoned as canonical expression of the original kerygma of the Church. This engagement has taken various paths, from the massively biblical vocabulary shaping the liturgy to the development of the exegetical homilies delivered exclusively in the liturgical environs and the fertile field of hymnography. For instance, the vocabulary of spiritual authors – quintessential to Byzantine theology – consisted ultimately of dense biblical paraphrases, a significant testimony to their obvious endeavour to ‘speak the Bible’ as ‘technical language’ of mystical experience; this was a feature largely shared in common with the liturgical hymnography, abundant in scriptural terminology and imagery. Thus, continuing in spirit the tradition of the third and fourth centuries Biblical interpreters, the Byzantines developed however new ways of exploring the abysses of the sacred texts. They have pushed the style of punctual exegesis to the edges of mystical theology through the so-called mystagogic hermeneutical method, inspired by the dogma of Chalcedon and synthesising elements belonging to the earlier patterns of Alexandria and Antioch. Ecclesial – Very much different from modern, thoroughly non-ecclesial, theology, the Byzantine theological phenomenon has been the outcome of an intense and profound exploration of the ecclesial context. Finding inspiration in the experience of God’s people and witnessing it faithfully, these theologians contributed in turn to deepening the Church’s faith and life. In fact, the essence, motivation and goals of Byzantine theology were entirely ecclesial. This aspect has been also reflected by the mass engagement with theological endeavours throughout Byzantine history. As a traditional and collective phenomenon, although lead by major theologians and spiritual guides, the Byzantine theological demarche represented the effort of the whole Church. The theology of the icons for example – finding its superb intellectual articulation in the works of St Theodore the Studite –, expressed perfectly the spirit of traditional popular devotion, being utterly defended by the lay and monastic bodies. This represented one of the main factors determining Byzantine tradition never to dissociate between theology and life. [Published in Voice of Orthodoxy 30/5 (May 2008) 39]

Liturgical – Being ecclesial in essence, theology was also deeply immersed in that culminating experience of the Church, the prayerful life. It is not mere truism that Byzantine fathers were clergymen, monks or lay people intimately involved with the life of the ἐκκλησία, and consequently witnesses of the liturgical experience. This represents in fact a crucial aspect to the understanding of Byzantine theology that breathed the sacramental, eschatological and doxological intensity of the σύναξις, the holy gathering. Consequently, nothing in the fathers’ statements and elaborations may be correctly assessed if one ignores their liturgical aspect. For instance, during the 5th century controversies on the identity of Christ and the meaning of salvation, especially involving St Cyril of Alexandria, the correspondence between the Christological doctrine and the Eucharist has been strongly emphasised. Indeed, the liturgical proof had been used earlier by St Basil the Great, in his treatise On the Holy Spirit, yet the mutual influence of liturgy and theology became in time increasingly obvious. This gradual interdependence represented, however, nothing essentially new. The liturgical foundations of Byzantine theology (pondered by Church fathers such as Dionysius the Areopagite, Maximus the Confessor, Symeon the New Theologian or Nicholas Cabasilas) have been reiterating an ancient ecclesial

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principle. Formulated by St Irenaeus of Lyons, this principle reads: ‘our opinion is in accord with the Eucharist and the Eucharist confirms our opinion’. Soteriological – Serving the Church and being deeply rooted in its liturgical life, Byzantine theology could have not resulted in mere sophistry, intellectual games and logomachy, the way it has often been misrepresented by modern scholars. Its ultimate aim, salvific in nature, was always to explore and proclaim reverently the mystery of the divine and deifying experience. Against any propensities to reduce theology to a stereotypically sterile and epitomising formula, the relentless defence – by St Symeon the New Theologian and St Gregory Palamas for instance – of the mystical experience as the core of the theological discourse remains memorable. Thus, even when in the fire of bitter doctrinal debates, the efforts of the Byzantines was motivated nevertheless by soteriological reasons and spiritual purposes, charged with profound existential implications. This aspect has become obvious with, for example, the fifth century Christological debates, opposing the Antiochian ethical concerns and the Alexandrian soteriology of deification. It also came to the forefront in the seventh century, with St Maximus the Confessor’s effort to reinterpret – within a rigorous Chalcedonian framework – the dualistic foundations of Origenist tradition and to overcome its anthropologically dangerous consequences. In this light, all the dogmatic/doctrinal and practical/canonical elaborations of Byzantine theology should be perceived as expressions of a way of living and introductory guidelines to this way of living. Existential – Although it seems that much of the energies of the Byzantines was dispersed in various abstract debates, their permanent concern – in line with the soteriological dimension of theology – was to interpret the mystery of the human person in the light of Christ, the Son of God and Son of Man. For instance, referring to the existential implications of Byzantine Christology, Meyendorff noted that the Church fathers have discovered ‘something fundamentally true about man’s nature and its relationship to God’. Indeed, synthesising the earlier methodological trends and answering the main existential concerns of God’s people, Byzantine theology articulated the ideal of the theandric life. An explicit echo, and a refinement, of Chalcedonian Christology the principle of theandricity, or Godmanhood, depicts the content and purpose of the spiritual life as a process of Χριστοποίησις (‘Christification’), in St Nicholas Cabasilas’ terms. This process consists in the gradual change of one’s life, or existential mode, towards the image and likeness of Christ the Θεάνθρωπος (Godman), through immediate communion with him and within the ecclesial milieu. Its final outcome is the realisation of a way of living which bridges – here and now, anticipating the eschatological state of being – the gap between created and uncreated, without annulling their distinctive characteristics. Christ-like, in Christ and with Christ, those reaching the theandric mode strive to live ‘above divinity and humanity’, to put it according to the words of St Maximus. The existential aspect, and concretely the ideal of the theandric life, represents one of the most significant contributions of Byzantine theology to both Christianity and the deepest aspirations of humankind. The personal, ethical, social and ecological prolongations of the theandric mode are immense, as witnessed by the lives of the saints. Social – Reflecting the rhythms of God’s people, Byzantine theology was no less socially relevant. It is a matter of fact that precisely the strenuous effort of Byzantine theologians – following in the footsteps of St Basil’s social theory and practice – radically changed the ancient mentalities, determining the entire society to adopt Christian criteria. Testimony to this effort is the impressive amount of patristic homilies filled with strong social accents and the practical service of Church fathers like St Andrew of Crete (early eighth century). As a result, Byzantine society became

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the first in history to implement consistent social policies and largely develop a humanitarian system. Cultural – Far from having represented an illegitimate ‘Hellenisation’ of Christendom, as has often been alleged until recently, the Byzantine tradition ultimately illustrated an outstanding cultural victory. Making use of Greek philosophical categories and ideas, Byzantine theologians successfully endeavoured to transfigure the ancient legacy from the inside and in light of the Gospel, accomplishing the missionary task of Christianising their immediate cultural context. The synthesis of Christianity and Hellenism within the Byzantine tradition has become paradigmatic and meaningful for the whole history of the Church, setting for future generations the task of critically assuming and transfiguring new cultural contexts.

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