Life after Death

It is an occasion of some dispute among some Orthodox as to what happens after we die. Some wholly reject Latin notions of purgatory; some entertain theories of "toll houses"; some simply say we do not know exactly what happens after we die other than we are judged, and the prayers of the living can be efficacious to those who have died. A new book by one of francophone Orthodoxy's important writers today, Jean-Claude Larchet, whose articles we have published in Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies, may shed some light here: Life after Death according to the Orthodox Tradition, trans. G.J. Champoux (Orthodox Research Institute Press, 2012), 348pp.

About this book the publisher tells us:

Life after Death according to the Orthodox Tradition presents the teachings from Orthodox Church tradition. On a few points, these teachings differ significantly from those of the Catholic and Protestant confessions. Some divergences between eastern and western traditions have existed since the fifth century, but have been considerably accentuated since the twelfth century, when the West, to borrow an expression from the historian Jacques Le Goff, 'invented Purgatory.' The Latin tradition is, however, in its roots, in perfect agreement with the eastern tradition. Also, although in our references we give the greatest space to the Greek Fathers, we will surely cite convergent or complementary teachings and testimonies of the Latin Fathers and hagiographers of antiquity. We hope in this way to make better known to Orthodox the teachings of their own often scattered about and poorly known tradition, and also to acquaint Catholic or Protestant readers with teachings unknown to them or which long ago ceased being within the compass of their faith, but which nevertheless belong to the rich patrimony of an ancient Christian tradition which, in its origins, is or should be common to all.

Theological Anthropology in Jean-Claude Larchet

Those familiar with the world of francophone Orthodoxy will at once recognize the important contributions of Jean-Claude Larchet, whom Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies has published in the past, and whose works we have reviewed. At the end of last year, another of his books was released: Personne et nature: La Trinité — Le Christ — L'homme: Contributions aux dialogues interorthodoxes et interchrétiens contemporains (Éditions du Cerf, 2011), 416pp.

About this book the publisher tells us:

Les notions de personne (ou d'hypostase) et de nature (ou d'essence) sont des notions de base de la théologie trinitaire, de la christologie, de l'anthropologie et de la spiritualité chrétiennes. Élaborées progressivement et avec peine, tant en elles-mêmes que dans leurs relations, durant les six premiers siècles, elles ont été au cœur des controverses et des dialogues théologiques de toutes les époques. Presque tous les désaccords et tous les accords concernant la foi ont mis en cause leurs définitions, leur déséquilibre ou leur équilibre.

Aujourd'hui encore, ces notions restent au cœur des discussions théologiques entre chrétiens en quête d'unité, qu'il s'agisse du dialogue entre orthodoxes et catholiques ou protestants sur la question du « Filioque », du dialogue entre l'Église orthodoxe et les Églises non chalcédoniennes sur la personne et les natures du Christ, ou encore du débat suscité par les théories personnalistes de certains représentants du mouvement néo-orthodoxe grec qui entendent, à tort ou à raison, contrebalancer tant l'essentialisme de la théologie latine que le piétisme de certaines formes de spiritualité orthodoxe.

Les études rassemblées dans ce volume constituent des contributions majeures à ces différentes dimensions du dialogue interchrétien et interorthodoxe contemporain, et plusieurs d'entre elles, écrites il y a plusieurs années (mais actualisées pour la présente édition), restent régulièrement citées comme des travaux de référence.

Derrière l'aspect critique de ces textes, on trouve en effet un réel approfondissement des concepts mis en jeu et, au-delà de leur caractère engagé et circonstanciel, une réflexion théologique de portée universelle susceptible d'intéresser tous les chrétiens soucieux d'approfondir leur foi.

Theology and Therapy of Spiritual Illness

The Orthodox scholar Jean-Claude Larchet, whom LOGOS: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies published in 2009 ("La théologie des energies divines: l’enjeu, les dificultés et les perspectives du dialogue entre catholiques et orthodoxes") has been working for years on any number of important projects, including the ecclesiology of Maximus the Confessor as well as the letters of, and studies on, the Confessor's wider importance. But I think Larchet is best known for being a rare and very important voice seeking to integrate Orthodox theology with insights from the Fathers and modern psychology, particularly on questions of suffering and illness. This latter trajectory was perhaps best introduced to anglophone audiences in 2002 when we saw the publication of his The Theology of Illness. This book, from Oakwood Publishers, we are told:

offers us fresh insight into the mystery of evil, sin, and illness, and their place within our struggle toward holiness... It gives us renewed hope, by locating the "problem of pain" in a profoundly theological framework, in which ultimate resolution of the mystery of illness and suffering is provided by the healing touch of Christ Himself, the Physician of our souls and bodies.... The Theology of Illness, already translated into several languages, now appears in English and explores biblical and patristic perspectives on sickness and redemptive suffering. The questions Larchet considers are fundamental: the origins of sin in a fallen world, its impact on physical health, and the healing of human nature by the incarnate Son of God. He explains healing as a means of glorifying God, stressing again the crucial role of prayer and sacramental grace in promoting genuine health. When illness plunges us into unfamiliar territory, even to the point of death, Larchet teaches us to marshal spiritual reserves in a society dominated by technology and materialism. In a time when the physician has been dubbed the high priest of the god of Modern Medicine, Larchet encourages us to situate these crucial experiences within the framework of their relationship to the unique reality of the Holy Trinity.

In 2005, we had his Mental Disorders and Spiritual Healing: Teachings from the Early Christian East. Also that year we had two other works in French: L'inconscient spirituel and Le Starets Serge. In 2008 we had a work on icons: L'iconographe et l'artiste. In June of 2010, we saw the publication of Une fin de vie paisible sans douleur sans honte.

Now Alexander Press is bringing out a handsome boxed trilogy of Larchet's Therapy of Spiritual Illness. For further details, go here.