Speakeasy Theology God Blossoms Humanly
May 4, 2026
Andrew, a scholar of patristic theology who studies Christian mystics like Dionysius and Maximus, discusses therelation of divine and human in Cyril, Gregory Nazianzen, Dionysius, Maximus, John of Damascus, and Rowan Williams. He traces how theandricity (divine-human unity) is treated differently across thinkers. They also revisit historical methods, Maximus’s cosmic Christology, and why some fathers have been misread.
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Turning To History After Seeing Islam's Transformative Role
- Andrew shifted into history departments and taught courses on the transformative impact of Islam, arguing the rise of Muhammad reshaped the Mediterranean world's political future.
- He used this period to connect theological shifts with broader historical change while at Goldsmiths and Durham.
Theandric Language Keeps Divine And Human Distinct Yet United
- Theandric (divine-human) language resists separating the human and divine in Christ and forces theology to see them as inseparable yet distinct.
- Maximus pushes this so far he treats Christ's death as both a human and divine act, avoiding notions of human quiescence before divinity.
John Damascus Accepts Theandric But Keeps It Practical
- John Damascus accepts theandric terminology but treats it less centrally than Maximus, offering a clearer, less radical account.
- Andrew explains John is more representative of inherited traditions and less philosophically adventurous than Maximus.
