Being as Communion: Studies in Personhood and the Church (Contemporary Greek Theologians Series, No 4) by John D. Zizioulas Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Being as Communion: Studies in Personhood and the Church (Contemporary Greek Theologians Series, No 4)
Book Review: God is Love, Love is Communion
Summary: 5 Stars
I found this book hard to understand the first time through, but after struggling with it a second time, I am very grateful for the understanding that it gives. The main philosphical/theologiical argument is that nothing exists without communion, not even God. THis book really helped me understand the centrality of the the doctrine of the Trinity.Book Review: Why the Trinity matters!
Summary: 5 Stars
Bishop Zizioulas presents a very systematic defense of the Eastern Orthodox understanding, and relevance, of Trinitarian theology. He shows how the starting point of the Trinity is not the essence, as is often the case in western theology, but with the persons- Father, Son, Spirit. Commenting on western, essense first approach, he writes:
"This interpretation represents a misinterpretation of the Patristic theology of the Trinity. Among the Greek Fathers the unity of God, the one God, and the ontological 'principle' or 'cause' of the being and life of God does not consist in the one substance of God but in the hypostasis, that is, the person of the Father. The one God is not the one substance but the Father, who is the cause both of the generation of the Son and the procession of the Spirit. Consequesntly, the ontological 'principle' of God is traced back, once again, to the person." (page40-41)
This line of thought runs thru the whole text, linking personhood with being in the ontological sense. Moreover, he draws various ecclesiological conclusions about he role of the bishop in the church catholic. He builds a eucharistic ecclesiology around some of his reading of the Greek Patristic tradition that fits well with much of modern Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic thought.
This book has had a very wide influence among theologians. SOme other books taht may be of related interest are: God For Us, by LaCugna (although I think she misses the point of the Cappadocians); The One the Three and the Many, by Gunton; The Tripersonal God, by O'Collins; The Eucharist Makes the Church, by McPartlan; The Sacrament of Salvation by McPartlan; Theology in the Russian Diaspora, by Nichols; Altogether Gift, by Downey; Eucharist and Church Fellowship in the First Four Centuries, by Werner Elert (very thorough); After Our Likeness, by Volf; Flesh of the Church, Flesh of Christ, by Tillard; God as Communion, by Fox and The God of the Gospel of John by Thompson.
THese books all concern themsleves with the ideas of how communion and fellowship are defined and experienced within the life and teachings of the Church based upon the life of God, in Whom we live, move and have our being. Some are very original. I would also recommend the works of Kallistos Ware, Volume One and Two of his Collected Works for similar themes.
Ut Unum Sint.
Enjoy!
Book Review: The Doctrine of the Trinity
Summary: 4 Stars
Zizioulas' book sets the doctrine of the Trinity in its historical and theological context. He holds that the doctrine of the trinity brought about a revolution in philosophy- the concept of the person. This is an excellent book for anyone studyng this complex Christian doctrine.
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