Maximus the Confessor (Early Church Fathers)

Rating:
Summary: An invaluable study
Review: Despite the hyperbolic criticisms (indeed, doomsaying) of the first reviewer, Louth's Maximus the Confessor is an enormously useful resource. The introductory essay provides a clear orientation for the reader -- no small task for the works of the Confessor. Though some flaws in the translation have been pointed out (not least by Janssen, a learned editor of Maximus' texts), this should not concern for the reader as they do not distort the Confessor's teachings and therefore are not misleading. In fact, by coupling his deft introduction with a lucid translation of these tremendously difficult texts, Louth has done a great service for the English speaking world. It is to be hoped that this will encourage further reading in the challenging, but greatly rewarding, works of St Maximus.

Rating:
Summary: An invaluable study
Review: I cannot in good conscience bypass one more time that one-starred, rather negative review by the reviewer from Holland of this actually excellent book on St. Maximus the Confessor by Andrew Louth, without attempting to redress what is basically a false impression of a very praise-worthy work. I could not disagree more with his overall opinion of what Louth has done. In fact, Andrew Louth has done a great service in making these texts of St. Maximus--some of his most important and most beautiful spiritual works--available to the English-speaking public. Yes, he is not always consistent in his translation of some of the terms Maximus uses; yes, one might quibble with his interpretation of the Confessor's thought here and there. But anyone who has ever tried his hand at translating even one passage of Maximus' notoriously difficult Greek will appreciate what Louth has actually accomplished and will give credit where credit is assuredly due. One of the greatest Maximus scholars of this century, Lars Thunberg, who has himself written perhaps the single most important monograph of the past fifty years on the Confessor's thought, <<Microcosm and Mediator>>, says in his own review (published in an Orthodox journal in England) of Louth's book: "His audacity is to be hailed, for the texts that he has chosen for translation are some of the most difficult: Ambigua 10 and 41...together with the very succinct and demanding Letter 2 on Love...translations of Maximus texts of this complexity...may always be discussed and other renderings be suggested." Despite offering in his review alternative renderings of his own of some difficut passages, Thunberg does not let his scholarly criticism outweigh his assesment of the overall value of the book, and goes on to praise Louth for producing "this beautiful volume, containing both a substantial introduction and remarkable translations...Andrew Louth has certainly given to his readership a most valuable introduction not only to the 'thinking' but also the 'thought' of the Confessor. His challenging observations provide a stimulus and an agenda for us all."

The "substantial introduction" is all of that, and is, in my view, simply one of the best introductions to the thinking and theology of St. Maximus in print. It is itself worth the price of the book. In short, I agree with Lars Thunberg, and not with the reviewer from Holland, in recommending this book highly. Anyone who loves Maximus or who wants to understand him better should read this book.

Rating:
Summary: A "most valuable" introduction to Maximus
Review: I cannot in good conscience bypass one more time that one-starred, rather negative review by the reviewer from Holland of this actually excellent book on St. Maximus the Confessor by Andrew Louth, without attempting to redress what is basically a false impression of a very praise-worthy work. I could not disagree more with his overall opinion of what Louth has done. In fact, Andrew Louth has done a great service in making these texts of St. Maximus--some of his most important and most beautiful spiritual works--available to the English-speaking public. Yes, he is not always consistent in his translation of some of the terms Maximus uses; yes, one might quibble with his interpretation of the Confessor's thought here and there. But anyone who has ever tried his hand at translating even one passage of Maximus' notoriously difficult Greek will appreciate what Louth has actually accomplished and will give credit where credit is assuredly due. One of the greatest Maximus scholars of this century, Lars Thunberg, who has himself written perhaps the single most important monograph of the past fifty years on the Confessor's thought, <>, says in his own review (published in an Orthodox journal in England) of Louth's book: "His audacity is to be hailed, for the texts that he has chosen for translation are some of the most difficult: Ambigua 10 and 41...together with the very succinct and demanding Letter 2 on Love...translations of Maximus texts of this complexity...may always be discussed and other renderings be suggested." Despite offering in his review alternative renderings of his own of some difficut passages, Thunberg does not let his scholarly criticism outweigh his assesment of the overall value of the book, and goes on to praise Louth for producing "this beautiful volume, containing both a substantial introduction and remarkable translations...Andrew Louth has certainly given to his readership a most valuable introduction not only to the 'thinking' but also the 'thought' of the Confessor. His challenging observations provide a stimulus and an agenda for us all."

The "substantial introduction" is all of that, and is, in my view, simply one of the best introductions to the thinking and theology of St. Maximus in print. It is itself worth the price of the book. In short, I agree with Lars Thunberg, and not with the reviewer from Holland, in recommending this book highly. Anyone who loves Maximus or who wants to understand him better should read this book.

Rating:
Summary: just trying to even the score some more
Review: The first reviewer's criticisms might matter if there were a better translation of Maximus' work available. There is not. Maximus is such a brilliant, insightful theologian, he deserves to be read; perhaps I should say contemporary Christians need to read and consider him seriously.

Louth's introduction is indeed superlative.

Perhaps Maximus' most approachable work are his Centuries on Love, available in the Classics of Western Spirituality Series and in the Philokalia, Volume II, edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware (but not in Louth's book). Thunberg's works, "Microcosm and Mediator" and the shorter, more accessible "Man and the Cosmos" are the best English works on Maximus (perhaps the best in any language). Another recent scholar, who has translated a number of Maximus' works into English, is Joseph Farrell.