LOVE IN THE GREAT CANON THEOLOGY OF ST. ANDREW OF CRETE

Wojciech SŁOMSKI

professor, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw, Okopowa 59, 01-043 Warszawa, Poland, e-mail: slomski@autograf.pl, 0048 609 003 199, ORCID: 0000-0003-1532-0341

Abstract

The article analyzes the conception of love in the theology of the Great Canon. The author of the Canon is St. Andrew, Archbishop of Crete. The Canon represents the spiritual way of a penitent soul. The key topic of the Canon is repentance. It does not contain a systematic and consistent theological doctrine of love. Nevertheless, love is one of the most significant conceptions for understanding the theological meaning of the Canon. The way of a repentant sinner is a ladder like John Climacus’ “The Ladder of Divine Ascent”. Repentance is one of the lowest steps, love is the highest step as the highest virtue of a Christian. So there is a long way from repentance to a man’s love to God. In the process of repentance and deliverance from passions, a penitent soul awakens love for God, which grows and reaches fullness by the end of the path. Divine love to man accompanies a penitent soul during climbing up the Ladder. Due to his love God forgives human beings. The Canon represents apophatic way for the knowledge of God and salvation. The states of mind during the process of repentance are illustrated by the Old and New Testaments personalities. The Christology of St. Andrew rejects Monophysitism and Monothelitism. St. Andrew mentions “immaterial fire”, probably, referring to the hesychastic conception of the uncreated Tabor Light or the uncreated divine energies.

Keywords

Andrew of Crete, apophatic theology, divine love, liturgical theology, the Great Canon

SUMMARY

Love in the Great Canon is presented not as a systematically set out integral theological doctrine, but as the goal of a Christian’s penitent path to the achievement of higher virtues. Love is one of the three highest virtues along with faith and hope. In the process of repentance and deliverance from passions, the repentant sinner awakens love for God, which grows and reaches fullness and completeness by the end of the path.

The forgiveness of sins is given because of God’s love for man. The Lover of men responds to the prayers of a penitent soul. An important role in the process of repentance and forgiveness of sins is played by the love of the Mother of God for Christ. The love of the Blessed Mary unites man with God. Her love serves as a model for all people and contributes to intercession for sinful people before the Lord.

Andrew of Crete offers an apophatic way of knowing God and Divine Love, in accordance with the prevailing apophatic theology of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The knowledge of God is based on the denial of passions, the rejection of sins and the former way of life. Most likely, St. Andrew was close to mystic and hesychastic trends in the Eastern Orthodox Church, since he referred to “immaterial fire” and other mystic concepts.

(Language: english)

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