თანაზიარება და სხვადყოფნა

Communion and Otherness - თანაზიარება და სხვადყოფნა

transl. Tamar Goguadze Zurab Jashi
Tbilisi: Sanli, 2019

In this wide-ranging study, the distinguished Orthodox theologian, Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon, seeks to answer that question. In his celebrated book, Being as Communion (1985), he emphasized the importance of communion for life and unity. In this critical companion volume, he now explores the complementary fact that communion is the basis for true otherness and identity.

After a major opening chapter on the ontology of otherness, written specially for this volume, the theme is systematically developed with reference to the Trinity, Christology, anthropology and ecclesiology. Another new chapter defends the idea that the Father is the cause of the Trinity, as taught by the Cappadocian fathers, and replies to criticisms of this view. The final chapter responds to the customary separation of ecclesiology from mysticism and strongly favors a mystical understanding of the body of Christ as a whole. Other papers, previously published but some not easily obtainable, are all revised for their inclusion here.