Sotiris Mitralexis offers a contemporary look at Maximus the Confessor's (580-662 CE) understanding of temporality, logoi, and deification, through the perspective of the contemporary philosopher and theologian Christos Yannaras, as well as John Zizioulas and Nicholas Loudovikos. Mitralexis argues that Maximus possesses both a unique theological ontology and a unique threefold theory of temporality: time, the Aeon, and the radical transformation of temporality and motion in an ever-moving repose. With these three distinct modes of temporality, a Maximian theory of time can be reconstructed, which can be approached via his teaching on logoi and deification. In this theory, time is not merely measuring ontological motion, but is more precisely measuring a relationship, the consummation of which effects the transformation of time into a dimensionless present, devoid of temporal, spatial, and general ontological distance. This manifests a perfect communion-in-otherness. In examining Maximian temporality, the author not only focusses on one aspect of Maximus' comprehensive Weltanschauung, but looks at the Maximian vision as a whole through the lens of temporality and motion.

About the Author
Sotiris Mitralexis is Seeger Fellow at Princeton University, Assistant Professor of philosophy at the City University of Istanbul and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Winchester. His latest title, Polis, Ontology, Ecclesial Event (2018), is published by James Clarke & Co.

Reviews
"In this remarkable book, Dr. Mitralexis seeks more than an exposition of a central notion in St. Maximus the Confessor's metaphysical vision, but rather a genuine fusion of the horizons, in a Gadamerian sense, so that his understanding of Maximus is informed by the development of a relational ontology by the likes of Zizioulas and Yannaras, whose own thought has been inspired by their reading of Maximus. The result is a bold and original contribution to ontology and metaphysics." -Andrew Louth, FBA, Professor Emeritus of Patristic and Byzantine Studies, Durham University "This book, written by a young and promising Maximus scholar, is an interesting study of a central set of notions in Maximus' writings, namely, the notions of time, the Aeon, and eternity. These notions have been studied by others as well, but never as extensively as by Mitralexis. He finds the roots of Maximus' notion of time in Aristotle, but has a quite original hermeneutical approach since he tries to unravel the Confessor's philosophy from the vantage point of the Greek modern philosopher Christos Yannaras, thus seeking to make Maximus' thought relevant for our own age. The depth of Mitralexis' knowledge of the sources and his grasp of modern scholarship on Maximus is impressive. I highly recommend this book." -Torstein Theodor Tollefsen, Professor of Philosophy, University of Oslo "This is a really welcome addition to the fast-growing literature on Maximus the Confessor. It is a first-class study of the original texts, but is distinctive in its willingness to bring Maximus' thought into fruitful conversation with contemporary philosophical discussions, so that the implications of this study will be of interest to many more than Byzantine specialists." -Rowan Williams, Master of Magdalene College, University of Cambridge 'This book will be important both to theologians looking to further explore Maximus' works and their relevance for today, and to philosophers interested in ancient conceptions of time and the way these may challenge our contemporary understanding of physics.' - Emma Brown Dewhurst, Ludwig Maximilians Universitat Munchen, The Expository Times, Volume 130, Number 6, March 2019



Book Information
ISBN 9780227176849
Author Sotiris Mitralexis
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint James Clarke & Co Ltd
Publisher James Clarke & Co Ltd
Weight(grams) 383g