The Οἰκονομικὴ Πραγματεία of Iobios the Monk (Bibl. cod. 222)

What is it about?

This article examines Photios’ reception of the theological insights of the sixth-century theologian, Iobios the Monk’s work, the Οἰκονομικὴ Πραγματεία, particularly in Photios’ work, Τὰ Ἀμφιλοχία. The article examines how Photios commented on Iobios’ work more generally, demonstrating how Photios showed a pragmatic hermeneutic towards Iobios. The article considers how the themes of error, ignorance and heresy were informative for Photios’ aim to exposit and subsequently receive insights from Iobios’ work. However, the article also aims to elucidate where Photios distanced himself from Iobios’ own method and conclusions. The article also examines the correspondence between Iobios’ and Photios’ method and conclusions through four questions of Τὰ Ἀμφιλοχία. The article exemplifies how two of Iobios’ analogies of the Trinity proved to be highly influential for Photios’ Trinitarian thought. The article concludes that Iobios’ intra-Trinitarian insights were principally what inspired Photios to utilise aspects of Iobios’ thought in his own Trinitarian oeuvres.

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