Why don't mourners do geometry? St Maximus the Confessor and St Gregory the Theologian's Oration 27
In: Zbornik Matice Srpske za društvene nauke: Proceedings for social sciences, Heft 177, S. 79-90
ISSN: 2406-0836
The paper deals with St Maximus? Ambiguum 14 in which this Byzantine
theologian interprets a paragraph from the famous First theological oration
of St Gregory the Theologian. By way of comparison, the Cappadocian states
that Eunomian theological discussions are misplaced in the same manner as
doing geometry would be in the time of mourning. Maximus faced a rather
difficult task of interpreting this odd comparison. In response to this
challenge, he offered several different interpretations, admitting that he
would be grateful to anyone who might offer a better solution of this
ambiguity. Some scholars who dealt with the text criticism of this very
oration did precisely this by suggesting that ?the geometry? (?????????)
represented a lapsus calami which replaced the original phrase ?the
immoderate laughter? (???? ???????), while others refused to accept their
proposal. Reflections are offered in conclusion on the authority present in
the patristic texts, both in case of Maximus as well as in the case of
contemporary patristic scholars.