Christ and Human Flourishing in Patristic Theology

Abstract

The mystery of the incarnation of the Logos holds the power of all the hidden meanings (logoi) and fibres of ^ripture as well as the knowledge of visible and intelligible creatures. Whoever knows the mystery of the cross and the tomb knows the principles (logoi) of these creatures, and whoever has been initiated into the ineffable power of the resurrection knows the purpose (logos) for which God originally made all things.-St. Maximus the Confessor) The pursuit of '‫׳‬human flourishing" has become a subject of considerable public interest in recent years. While some hear the phrase as a translation of the classical philosophical term eudaimonia, for many others it repre‫״‬ sents a way of speaking about the various goods of life across cultural, ideological, and disciplinary boundaries that might othewise divide US. Christian theologians, too, have joined the conversation in hopes of finding new ways to contribute to the private and public quest for a good life.2