The Cosmology of St. Maximus the Confessor and its Relation to modern Physics

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleΗ κοσμολογία του Αγίου Μάξιμου του Ομολογητή και η σχέση της με τη σύγχρονη φυσική
3. Language term Greek, Modern (1453-)
4. lemma author Katsiampoura, Gianna
5. lemma category Scientific theories and disciplines - Various approaches to the problem of correlation between science and theology
6. Publication date 01-12-2017
7. lemma work Πράπας, Χαρίλαος [Author]. The Cosmology of St. Maximus the Confessor and its Relation to modern Physics
8. lemma manifestations The Cosmology of St. Maximus the Confessor and its Relation to modern Physics
9. Keywords Modern physics - quantum physics - Maximus the Confessor - relativity theory
10. Citations
    1. <p>Prapas, Charilaos, <em>Η κοσμολογία του Αγίου Μάξιμου του Ομολογητή και η σχέση της με τη σύγχρονη φυσική</em> (<em>The Cosmology of St. Maximus the Confessor and its Relation to modern Physics</em>), Hellenic Open University, Patra 2015</p>
11. Lemma body

    1. This MA Thesis exercizes the cosmology of Maximus the Confessor and tries to find its relation to modern physics. According to the writer, Charilaos Prapas, the cosmology of Maximus the Confessor is distinguishable for its intense anthropologic character. According to Maximus, the focal point in it is occupied by the concept of salvation. The man, made in the image of God, is called as a priest of Creation to intervene, apart from his own salvation, to the task of the restitution and redemption of the universe, abolishing the divisions and calling upon a seamless unity of everything. The succor in this attempt is the Church with its mysteries, especially that of the Holy Eucharist. The description of the natural world by Maximus with the use of the concept of “reason” and the pursuit of the truth that is concealed in the natural reason, also known as the natural theory, is combined with the cosmological views of modern physics, as these are presented in the theories of relativity, quantum mechanics and thermodynamics.

       The relation that is formed between Saint Maximus’ cosmology and modern physics through their common approach as to certain philosophical and natural questions is of particular interest. The thought of Maximus on the relation between the natural-scientific law and the spiritual-written law is interesting and worth studying. This knowledge is deemed appropriate to provide valuable help in the dialogue between Christians and non-believers, as well as between Church-people and faith-science. The theological thought of saint Maximus could easily be claimed to correspond with the values and expectations of the contemporary man, and at the same time refuels his positive attitude towards the people and God. Indeed, it is exposed in such a way as to correspond with the sensible and philosophically credible approach of the essence of the natural universe, in the context of a holistic conception of the existent.

       The connection of natural science with theology has often been in the center of concern for those who have attempted to highlight an image of science according to their ideological stance, whether the latter coincides with Christian theology or differentiates radically or partially. During the 17th and 18th century certain scientists as well as theologians attempted to prove that the scientific truth confirms religion, even though some scientists supported the opposite, while there were some who were in favor of their complementary character. The formality and prevalence of the “Big Bang” theory during the previous century and its unavoidable correlation with the moment of Creation fueled many discussions and publications of articles and books. The method that the writer would use in this thesis will firstly be literary historic, which will look into the meaning of the words and phrases of the teaching of Maximus, as it is derived from the sources. Then, along with the study of modern physics theories, he attempts to compare the theological, cosmological and scientific references systematically and in full, so as to find their common points. Finally, he combines the common references so as to document and interpret them theologically and scientifically, with the aid of the secondary literature.

       According to Prapas, in his personal spiritual experience and his enlightenment by God, Maximus the Confessor exhibits a wonderful adaptability to his cosmology and his theology in general. He overrules the static data of his era by presenting the content of Christian life in its right dimensions. His cosmology is distinguished for the stability of its principles as well as the capability to follow all the scientific variations in the historic path that the Church follows. It must be stated that Maximus bases his argument on a sensible and flexible way of thinking, which in some parts borders on the mathematic accuracy and the ratiocinative coherence of the natural sciences. However, the restoration of nature and the deification of the man is not a separate reality from the whole of creation, but mostly a fact that affects all creation. Man, as a priest, redefines the connection of creation with God by offering it, not as a reality that tends to the “non-existent”, but as a fact of communion through which he is led to deification. Saint Maximus notes that the man should be concerned with the Creation, the other men and the Holy Scripture. Finally, he unifies the natural and supernatural dimension in the realm of created reality, which is the domain of science, but also the realm of God and His actions. God “speaks” through the natural phenomena and the historical events.