Divine Participation: A Reconstruction of St Cyril of Alexandria’s and Fr Matta al-Miskīn’s Commentaries on the Gospel of St John

Series: 

Author:
Wagdy Samir
This monograph offers a comparative study of Cyril of Alexandria (c.378–444) and Matta al-Miskīn (1919–2006) on humankind’s union with God, or deification, as articulated in their commentaries on the Gospel of John. By bridging over fifteen centuries, it highlights the continuity of contemporary Coptic Orthodox thought with its Alexandrian roots. Both theologians emphasise the real, existential, and transformative nature of divine participation. While this participation is substantial, not superficial, both Cyril and Matta underscore the profound asymmetry between the divine being (God) and the human participant, affirming the mystery of this union within the framework of Orthodox theology.
Copyright Year:
2025
E-Book (PDF)
Availability:
Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-73013-7
Publication:
24 Mar 2025
Hardback
Availability:
Published
ISBN:
978-90-04-72911-7
Publication:
03 Apr 2025
Cover Divine Participation: A Reconstruction of St Cyril of Alexandria’s and Fr Matta al-Miskīn’s Commentaries on the Gospel of St John

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Wagdy Samir, Ph.D. (2022), is an independent Coptic Orthodox scholar and Director of the Australian Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies (AIOCS). His academic contributions include articles exploring the theological legacy of Father Matta al-Miskīn, with a particular focus on his Alexandrian heritage.
Preface
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations

1 Divine Participation in the Gospel of John
 1.0 Introduction
 1.1 Cyril’s and Matta’s Approaches in their Commentaries on John’s Gospel
 1.2 Methodology
 1.3 Book Outline

Part 1 St Cyril of Alexandria



2 Discerning the Theology of Participation in Cyril’s Commentary on the Gospel of John
 2.0 Introduction
 2.1 Divine Participation in On John
 2.2 Surveying the Relevant Scholarship

3 The Context of Divine Participation
 3.0 Introduction
 3.1 The Creation/Paradise Narratives
 3.2 The Incarnation as the Context of Restoring Divine Participation
 3.3 Concluding Remarks

4 Attaining Union with God
 4.0 Introduction
 4.1 Baptism
 4.2 The Eucharist
 4.3 Concluding Remarks

Part 2 Matta Al-Miskīn



5 Theology of Union with God in Matta’s Commentary on the Gospel of St John
 5.0 Introduction
 5.1 Matta’s Theology of Participation in the Divine Life
 5.2 Surveying the Relevant Scholarship

6 The Context of Humankind’s Divine Participation
 6.0 Introduction
 6.1 The Creation/Paradise Narratives
 6.2 The Incarnation Narrative
 6.3 Concluding Remarks

7 Means of Divine Participation
 7.0 Introduction
 7.1 Baptism
 7.2 The Eucharist
 7.3 Concluding Remarks

8 Cyril of Alexandria and Matta Al-Miskīn in Comaprison
 1 Participation is the togetherness of elements of diverse ontological type in the essential unity of a single instance
 2 Participation is substantial, not just a matter of appearance
 3 Participation is asymmetrical, not a relation between equals

Bibliography
Index
Academic institutions, libraries, students, and practitioners interested in the Gospel of John, Coptic Orthodox studies, Alexandrian patristics, Cyril of Alexandria, Matta Al-Miskīn, union with God, and deification.
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Publisher:
Brill
Language:
English
Pages:
xiv, 228 pp.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004730137

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