Fifth-century Christianity was once a theological battlefield. With the Messalian heretics and their experientialist spirituality at the one part and the intellectualist university at the different, representatives of either extremes came upon themselves condemned by means of the Church. during this milieu of subjectivist notions of grace and unfavorable anthropology, there seemed a real mystic, Diadochus, Bishop of Photike in Epiros. His is a theology whose poles are God's grace and man's skill to cooperate with it when it comes to discernment of spirits. Diadochus's skill to salvage what was once orthodox from the Messalians and the intellectualists proves that, instead of a reactionary, he used to be a real theologian able to synthesis, open to the reality no matter if present in his adversary, and but company in his religion, unwilling to compromise. he's one of the earliest witnesses of the Jesus Prayer.

Diadochus is crucial religious author of his century, whose effect are available within the writings of Maximus the Confessor, Simeon the recent Theologian, Gregory of Palamas, and the writer of The manner of the Pilgrim.

This is the 1st translation of his entire works in English.

Cliff Ermatinger is a Chicago local and works as affiliate pastor of 2 parishes in that archdiocese. he's the writer of numerous books on Byzantine and Carmelite spirituality in addition to one on philosophy. He has written articles for Spanish, English, and German language periodicals. with his priestly tasks, he coaches rugby, fly fishes, and competes as a bagpiper in Highland video games in the course of the U.S.