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I'm a very brainy person and like to study theology. Just recently I was digging into Thomism and Molinism. My question is whether there is much meat for my brain to chew on in Eastern Christianity, because sometimes it seems there's a drought of information about theology in the East compared to the sometimes-overkill amount of cataphatic theology and academic work in the West. I understand that the apophatic method is preferred in the East, and the Fathers to more "scholastic" work, but still I was considering becoming Eastern and I kind of hit a wall there.

Depends on what you are looking for ans what you regard as intellectually satisfying. I would suggest you start with the book list at St. Vladimir's Seminary. SVS over the decades has done good work in translating and publishing an extensive menu of patristic writings. Eastern Christianity, I am speaking in very general terms admittedly, labored in either "western/latin" or "turkish" captivity from roughly the fall of Constantinople until roughly the last century. Again, this is a gross generalization. However, much of the tenor or Eastern theological scholarship, such as there was, largely parroted latin concepts and categories. During the last century there has been a rebirth of Eastern (both Orthodox and Catholic) scholarship on a wide range of topics that is rooted in the apophatic-patristic tradition yet aimed toward dealing with the modern era. Among people I would point to, with varied areas of interest are: Georges Florovsky, Nicholas Afanasiev, Vladimir Lossky, John Zizioulas (aka Metropolitan John of Pergamon), Robert Taft, John Meyendorff, Alexander Schmemann, John Behr, George Fedotov, Veselin Kesich, Jaroslav Pelikan just to name a few

Read Jaroslav Pelikan's The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Volume II-The Spirit of Eastern Christianity, which provides a firm foundation. You can follow up with Pelikan's Christianity and Classical Culture: The Metamorphosis of Natural Theology in the Christian Encounter with Hellenism, which is really an examination of the minds of the Cappodocian Fathers. John Meyendorff's Byzantine Theology also provides a good introduction to the subject of Orthodox theology.

Having read those, your next step is to encounter the Fathers directly, beginning with John Damascene's Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith and Nicholas Kabasilas' Commentary on the Divine Liturgy. From there, you can work into the others through the cross references in the books you have already been reading.

Stuart,

Do you know of any writings about the Roman Rite Liturgy that is similar to the Kabasilas text on the Eastern Divine Liturgy?

My limited understanding of Orthodox Theology is that we are inadequate to understand God - We cannot comprehend God -

God seeks US!

Therefore it may not be necessary to be brilliant and brainy as even the least of us (me) can gaze upon the Icon of Jesus and see a glimpse of the Almighty revealing Himself to us through Jesus. That is about as intelligent as you need to get in my opinion.

We are incapable of understanding God! So in the Eastern Theology - WE ACCEPT OUR FAITH WITHOUT HAVING TO INTELLECTUALIZE IT IN RATIONAL THOUGHT - The Latin Catholic's have done that down to a T - and all of it is good mind you - but in the East it seems that acceptance is the way.

The thought here is - unless you believe - and submit - and accept - like a child does - what good is Theology?

However there are many very intelligent people here - who will enlighten you about Theological Studies.

Do not sell short the intellectual foundations of the Orthodox Church. The Cappodocian Fathers, John Chrysostom, Maximos the Confessor, John of Damascus, Photios the Great--all of them would disagree with your statement:


They emphasized the faith rather as logike laetria--rational worship--and described us, the faithful, as "rational sheep". Unlike the four-legged variety, God endowed us with intellect and reason, and expected us to use them, not the least in order to discern the manner in which one might offer God the "right glory" that is his due.

You are wise indeed Stuart but I did not say we should not intellectualize our faith or use our God given intellect

- it's just that we don't have too.

It's just not a requirement.

I guess I think about it that way(rationally) because I like the orthodox way of just accepting that God is The Father and that Jesus Christ is truly His Son - no need to ponder more.

Perhaps that is too simplistic - An Eastern (Zen-like)) cop out on my part.

An oversimplification perhaps but I like the dichotomy: the West stresses Fides Quaerens Intellectum; the East emphasizes Fides Adorans Mysterium. It is a matter of nuance, to be sure, but I think that the poles are accurate! The further East you go the more you sense the utter abasement before the Ineffable.

On a related point, surely it is wide of the mark to talk of the Fathers as being purveyors of scholasticism in any form!
Lastly, one becomes 'Eastern' by experience above all: beyond reading, analyzing, discussing (even on this wonderful forum). One is invited to adore the mystery in the context of a praying, fasting, repenting community of believers who share the Orthodox faith and bring the light of Christ to a darkling world. Find such a faith community, cleave to it and you will become 'Eastern'.

There is a difference between intellectualism and scholasticism. But, while you are on the subject, John of Damascus, generally conceded the last of the Eastern Fathers, can in many ways be described as a "proto-scholastic".

While it is true that St. Thomas Aquinas quotes St. John of Damascus more frequently than any other Father, it is utter bosh to describe him as 'proto-scholastic'. Also no Eastern Christian ever refers to him as 'the last of the Eastern Fathers'. Where does this put St. Symeon the New Theologian or St. Gregory Palamas to mention just two of the 'later Fathers.'