Communion and Otherness: Further Studies in Personhood and the Church

by John Zizioulas

Publisher:

T&T Clark

, 2006

Overview

‘Communion and otherness: how can these be reconciled?’ In this wide-ranging study, the distinguished Orthodox theologian, Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon, seeks to answer that question. In his celebrated book, Being as Communion (1985), he emphasised the importance of communion for life and for unity. In this important companion volume he now explores the complementary fact that communion is the basis for true otherness and identity. With a constant awareness of the deepest existential questions of today, Metropolitan John probes the Christian tradition and highlights the existential concerns that already underlay the writings of the Greek fathers and the definitions of the early ecumenical councils. In a vigorous and challenging way, he defends the freedom to be other as an intrinsic characteristic of personhood, fulfilled only in communion. After a major opening chapter on the ontology of otherness, written specially for this volume, the theme is systematically developed with reference to the Trinity, Christology, anthropology and ecclesiology. Another new chapter defends the idea that the Father is cause of the Trinity, as taught by the Cappadocian fathers, and replies to criticisms of this view. The final chapter responds to the customary separation of ecclesiology from mysticism and strongly favours a mystical understanding of the body of Christ as a whole. Other papers, previously published but some not easily obtainable, are all revised for their inclusion here. This is a further contribution to dialogue on some of the most vital issues for theology and the Church from one of the leading figures in modern ecumenism.

Product Details

• Title: Communion and Otherness: Further Studies in Personhood and the Church
• Author: John Zizioulas
• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Print Publication Date: 2006
• Logos Release Date: 2022
• Pages: 315
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• Subjects: Orthodox Eastern Church › Doctrines; Theological anthropology › Christianity; Church
• ISBNs: 9780567031471, 9780567031488, 0567031470, 0567031489
• Resource ID: LLS:CMMNNTHRNSCHRCH
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T20:50:42Z

About John Zizioulas

John Zizioulas (b. 1931) is an Eastern Orthodox theologian and titular Metropolitan of Pergamon, under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Zizioulas first studied at the University of Thessaloniki but eventually graduated with a degree in theology from the University of Athens in 1955. He then studied patristics under Georges Florovsky at Harvard Divinity School where he received his MTS in 1956 and earned his doctorate in theology from the University of Athens in 1965. Zizioulas was professor of theology for 14 years at the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh (both in Scotland), and has been a visiting professor at the University of Geneva, Gregorian University, and King’s College, London. He was consecrated as a bishop on June 22, 1986 and named Metropolitan of Pergamon.

(From Theopedia.com. Freely redistributable under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license.)