Modern Orthodox Theology: Behold, I Make All Things New

by Paul Ladouceur

Publisher:

T&T Clark

, 2019

Overview

Modern Orthodox theology represents a continuity of the Eastern Christian theological tradition stretching back to the early Church and especially to the Ancient Fathers of the Church. This volume considers the full range of modern Orthodox theology.

The first chapters of the book offer a chronological study of the development of modern Orthodox theology, beginning with a survey of Orthodox theology from the fall of Constantinople in 1453 until the early 19th century. Ladouceur then focuses on theology in imperial Russia, the Russian religious renaissance at the beginning of the 20th century, and the origins and nature of neopatristic theology, as well as the new theology in Greece and Romania, and tradition and the restoration of patristic thought. Subsequent chapters examine specific major themes:

• God and Creation
• Divine-humanity, personhood and human rights
• The Church of Christ
• Ecumenical theology and religious diversity
• The ‘Christification’ of life
• Social and Political Theology
• The ‘Name-of-God’ conflict
• The ordination of women

The volume concludes with assessments of major approaches of modern Orthodox theology and reflections on the current status and future of Orthodox theology.

• case studies
• a detailed index
• a list of recommended readings for each chapter

Key Features

• Focuses on the period from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twenty-first century
• Draws on general studies of Orthodox thinking by leading Orthodox personalities
• Highlights key writings by leading theologians to present the various movements and themes of modern Orthodox thought

Contents

• Prolegomena to Modern Orthodox Theology
• Theological Encounters with the West: Orthodox Theology from the Fifteenth Century to the Nineteenth Century
• Theology in Imperial Russia
• The Russian Religious Renaissance
• The Origins and Nature of Neopatristic Theology
• Theology Old and New in Greece
• Theology in Romania
• Tradition and the Restoration of Patristic Thought
• God and Creation
• Divine-Humanity, Personhood and Human Rights
• The Church of Christ
• Ecumenical Theology and Religious Diversity
• The Christification of Life
• Social and Political Theology
• Onomatodoxy: The Name-of-God Conflict
• The Ordination of Women
• Light and Shadows in Modern Orthodox Theology
• The Living Tradition of Orthodox Theology

Praise for the Print Edition

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

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

Product Details

• Title: Modern Orthodox Theology: Behold, I Make All Things New
• Author: Paul Ladouceur
• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Publication Date: 2019
• Pages: 544
• Christian Group: Orthodox
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Topic: Eastern Orthodoxy

About Paul Ladouceur

Paul Ladouceur is Adjunct Professor in Orthodox Theology, Université de Sherbrooke, and Trinity College, University of Toronto, Canada.