Theological and polemical works (Opuscula Theologica et Polemica)

Theological and polemical works (27 treatises) were written by St. Maximus the Confessor in the period from 626 to 649 and differ from each other in volume. Their genre form is also different: messages, words, definitions, florilegies, etc. Most of his works date back to the period of his polemics against monoenergism and monothelitism. Also, a group of works dates back to the time of polemics with the Monophysites and Nestorians. St. Maxim explores the main Christological terms (“nature”, “essence”, “hypostasis”, “person”, “will”, “action”, etc.), including the doctrine of the two wills and actions of Christ. Early works include: Opusculum 13, 14, 18. Works written during the period of polemics with the Monothelites: Opusculum 1-4, 6-8, 10, 16, 18, 20. In particular, in Opusculum 20 (“Dogmatic Tomos to Presbyter Marinus”) St. Maximus first proposes the doctrine of Christ’s relative assimilation of human rebellion in Gethsemane. In Opusculum 16 (“On the two wills of the one Christ our God”), the presence of a gnomic will in Christ, which is different from the natural one, is refuted. Anti-Monothelitian treatises written after 643: Opusculum 5, 9, 12, 25. In Opusculum 9 (“To the Holy Fathers, Abbots and Monastics, and all Orthodox living on this Christ-loving island of the Sicilians”), St. Maxim responds to the accusation that he professes one and two energies and wills at once. He gives an explanation of his previous writings, because of which he was accused of ambiguity, and calls for peace among like-minded people. Works written on the eve of the Lateran Council of 649 and shortly after it: Opusculum 11, 15, 24, 26, 27. The remaining treatises belong to the group of works of unknown date of writing. Contents From the compiler Anticipating the publication of the annotated translation of the theological and polemical works of St. Maxim the Confessor, I would like to thank everyone who participated in the work on this publication, and first of all D. A. Chernoglazov and A. M. Shufrin for their work on translating the works of one of the most difficult to understand holy fathers, as well as Z. A. Barzakh, who provided her published translation. In addition, I would like to especially thank A. M. Shufrin for discussing complex problems in interpreting the thought of St. Maxima. His contribution to resolving these problems can hardly be overestimated. I would like to express my gratitude to the scientists whose correspondence with whom contributed to the writing of this work: Christian Boudignon, Philippe Booth, Jean-Claude Larcher, V. M. Lurie, Richard Price and Marek Jankowiak, as well as those who in one way or another contributed to its appearance: V. V. Averyanov, Priest Alexander Koblov, F. G. Benevich, D. S. Biryukov, David Bradshaw, George Varvatsoulias, Hieromonks Cyril and Methodius (Zinkovsky), Mikon Knezhevich, K. A. Kuznetsov, G. N. Nachinkin, Bronwen Neil, B. V. Ostanin, E. Z. Panchenko, V. V. Petrov, D. A. Pospelov, A. M. Preobrazhensky, R. B. Rudnitsky, Jeremy Wallace, T. A. Shchukin and A. V. Yartsev. I would like to draw the attention of readers to the fact that the theological and polemical works of St. Maxima is one of the most complex works of patristic writing, extremely important for understanding his Christological teaching and the teaching of the Church as a whole. The understanding of these works, as well as the entire polemic with monothelitism and monoenergism, is far from complete. I would like not only to provide a translation of these works by St. Maxim to the reader, but also to introduce him in the introductory article and comments to their various interpretations and different approaches to the entire controversy, its history and essence. Some of the hypotheses and interpretations discussed in the book are taken from works being prepared for publication and correspondence with experts on prp. Maxim and the history of dogmatic disputes. Having delved into this issue, the reader will be able to witness the living process of understanding the legacy of St. Maximus the Confessor - a process in which those who worked on the book are by no means going to put an end to it.