St. Maximus the Confessor, the greatest of the Byzantine theologians, lived through the most catastrophic period the Byzantine Empire was to experience before the Crusades. This book introduces the reader to the times and upheavals during which Maximus lived. It discusses his cosmic vision of humanity and the role of the church. The study makes available a large number of Maximus' theological treatises, many of them translated for the first time, which are accompanied by lucid and informed introductions. "Maximus the Confessor" provides a much needed introduction to the theology of Maximus, as well as direct access to his profound but often difficult thought.

Andrew Louth is Professor of Cultural History at Goldsmiths' College. He is the author of many works on the Christian tradition, among them Eusebius: The History of the Church (1989) and The Wilderness of God (1991)

Part 1 Introduction; Chapter 1 Life and Times; Chapter 2 The Sources of Maximus' Theology; Chapter 3 Maximus' Spiritual Theology; Chapter 4 The Doctrine of the Person of Christ; Chapter 5 Cosmic Theology; Part 2 Text; Chapter 6 General Introduction to the Texts; Chapter 7 Letter 2; Chapter 8 Difficulty 10; Chapter 9 Difficulty 41; Chapter 10 Difficulty 71; Chapter 11 Difficulty 1; Chapter 12 Difficulty 5; Chapter 13 Opuscule 7; Chapter 14 Opuscule 3;