Schadler appraises the writing of Greek theologian
John of Damascus (c.
Dionysius the Areopagite referred to the divine energies as processions, principles, determinations, and divine volitions, (37) while
John of Damascus wrote in this regard of the divine radiance and activity.
Others, such as
John of Damascus, are not willing to attribute evil to God, so they work their way around it:
This she does via the study of church fathers
John of Damascus, Gregory of Nyssa, Athanasius, Gregory of Nazianzus, and St.
It covers, in Part I, "Historical, Philosophical Encounters" and, in Part II, "Contemporary Dialogue." In the first part, two authors analyze the contribution of two important theologians:
John of Damascus and Gregory of Palamas.
Already in antiquity, some Christians--Augustine, for example--resisted such popular themes, insisting on the distinction between Christ and the martyrs, while others--Vietricius of Rouen and
John of Damascus, for example--verged on polytheism in their enthusiastic celebration of the saintly martyrs.
It is also deeply Trinitarian, drawing from the tradition of social trinity, going back to
John of Damascus (8 CE), and associated today with Juergen Moltmann.
But art of this kind, whether from the eastern or western churches, is distinctively Christian art in the sense defined initially by
John of Damascus around 700 and in 843 with the end of the iconoclastic controversy.
John of Damascus said that there is the written word of God and that there is the painted word of God," Sinaites commented.
John of Damascus in his turn dealt with them in the same extensive way during the Iconoclast period.