Maximus the Confessor as a European Philosopher

The study of Maximus the Confessor’s thought has flourished in recent years: annual international conferences, publications and articles, new critical editions and translations mark a torrent of interest in the work and influence of the most sublime of the Byzantine Fathers. It has been repeatedly stated that the Confessor’s thought is of eminently philosophical interest, and his work has been approached from a philosophical point of view in a number of monographs. However, no dedicated collective scholarly engagement with Maximus the Confessor as a Philosopher has taken place – and this colloquium will attempt to start such a discussion. Apart from Maximus’ relevance and importance for philosophy in general, a second question arises: should towering figures of Byzantine philosophy like Maximus the Confessor be included in an overview of the European continent’s history of philosophy, or rather excluded from it – as happens today with most histories of European philosophy? Maximus’ historical presence challenges our understanding of what European philosophy is. In this colloquium, we will begin to address these issues and examine numerous aspects of Maximus’ philosophical ‘system’: the logoidoctrine, Maximus’ anthropology and the human will’s freedom, the theory of motion, his understanding of time and space etc. – thereby also stressing the interdisciplinary character of Maximian studies.

Organizing Committee: PD Dr. Sebastian Lalla (Freie Universität Berlin), Sotiris Mitralexis (Freie Universität Berlin), Prof. Dr. George Arabatzis (University of Athens), Prof. Dr. George Steiris (University of Athens)