Selected Writings

The Selected Writings of Maximus the Confessor represent the theological output of perhaps the most sophisticated mind of seventh-century Eastern Christianity, forged in the crucible of the Monothelite controversy. Writing between 620 and 662, Maximus developed his theological system while defending orthodox Christology against imperial attempts to compromise the Council of Chalcedon through the doctrine that Christ possessed only one will. His resistance to Emperor Constans II's religious policies ultimately cost him his tongue and right hand, then his life in exile.

Maximus's theological achievement centers on his synthesis of Christology, anthropology, and cosmology through the concept of deification (theosis). He argues that the Incarnation reveals God's eternal purpose: to unite the created order to himself through humanity's participation in divine life. His doctrine of the cosmic Christ demonstrates how Christ's two wills—divine and human—working in perfect harmony provide the model for human spiritual transformation. Through his commentary on the Lord's Prayer, his theological letters, and his systematic works, Maximus shows how contemplative prayer, ascetic practice, and theological precision converge in the journey toward deification. His concept of the logoi—the divine principles underlying creation—bridges Platonic philosophy and Christian theology, showing how the material world serves as a ladder to mystical union with God.

Maximus stands as the great synthesizer of Eastern Christian theology, influencing both Byzantine spirituality and later Western scholasticism through figures like John Scotus Eriugena. His integration of rigorous theological method with mystical insight established him as a doctor of the Eastern Church and a crucial link between the Cappadocian Fathers and later Byzantine theology.

Who should read this: Serious students of patristic theology seeking to understand the development of orthodox Christology, and contemplatives interested in the theological foundations of Eastern Christian spirituality. This is demanding theological writing, not suitable for casual spiritual reading or those unfamiliar with conciliar Christology.