Theology as a Surprise: Patristic and Pastoral Insights

His Grace Bishop Maxim (Vasiljevi) offers us a breath of fresh air in this compelling work. This is not a book of theology in the form we have become accustomed to expect: a systematic examination of the usual topics of theological reflection; it is much more than that. Bishop Maxim draws upon Scripture, the Fathers, and Liturgy to address perennial and yet very contemporary questions: our experience of time and history, our existence as human persons and the complexities of sexuality and gender, our life in the polis and the eklesia, and the relational presence of an icon in a world saturated with digital images.

About the Author: Bishop Maxim (Vasiljević) is bishop of the Diocese of Western America of the Serbian Orthodox Church. He is a professor of Patristics at the University of Belgrade, and the editor of the university's journal Theology. He has published numerous books, studies, and articles on the church fathers, theology, iconology, and other diverse themes.

In this book, His Grace Bishop Maxim (Vasiljević) offers us a breath of fresh air. This is not a book of theology in the form we have become accustomed to expect: a systematic examination of the usual topics of theological reflection; it is much more than that. Bishop Maxim draws upon Scripture, the Fathers, and Liturgy to address perennial and yet very contemporary questions: our experience of time and history, our existence as human persons and the complexities of sexuality and gender, our life in the polis and the ekklēsia, and the relational presence of an icon in a world saturated with digital images. And he does so in engagement with a diverse range of contemporary thinkers: philosophers, scientists, poets, artists, media figures, and film directors. The theological vision and call that emerges here is indeed a surprise, and one that brings the gospel to bear on all aspects of our life and existence.

His Grace Bishop Maxim (Vasiljevi) offers us a breath of fresh air in this compelling work. This is not a book of theology in the form we have become accustomed to expect: a systematic examination of the usual topics of theological reflection; it is much more than that. Bishop Maxim draws upon Scripture, the Fathers, and Liturgy to address perennial and yet very contemporary questions: our experience of time and history, our existence as human persons and the complexities of sexuality and gender, our life in the polis and the eklesia, and the relational presence of an icon in a world saturated with digital images.

About the Author: Bishop Maxim (Vasiljević) is bishop of the Diocese of Western America of the Serbian Orthodox Church. He is a professor of Patristics at the University of Belgrade, and the editor of the university's journal Theology. He has published numerous books, studies, and articles on the church fathers, theology, iconology, and other diverse themes.