Review: Orthodox Dogmatic Theology

Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky, Orthodox Dogmatic Theology (Third edition, second printing), Platina, CA: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 2009. 426 pages. (First edition in English 1983).

Since everyone but me seemed to have read this book, I decided to finally purchase it some days ago, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. Although I had known about the book for several years, I had hitherto avoided it because it came out of the so-called Jordanville school which, like much of modern Russian theology, was heavily influenced by Western scholasticism, often adopting Roman Catholic teaching wholesale (minus the obvious doctrines of Papal supremacy/infallibility, the Immaculate Conception and the Filioque). While this work certainly is not void of scholastic influence, as the editors acknowledge in the preface, this relates essentially only to the mode of presentation and does not affect the actual substance of the content, which is thoroughly Orthodox. Fr. Michael clearly explains the differences between the Orthodox and Latin views on issues such as original sin, the satisfaction theory of atonement, and so on. In many ways, the book is much like the icon on the front cover: Orthodox in content but 'Western' in style.

Fr. Michael Pomazansky

What probably accounts for this 'Western' style is also what I liked most about this book: its clarity and pithiness. Despite the rather forbidding title (if you want to put someone off a book, use the word 'dogmatic' in the title!), the book itself is neither convoluted nor opaque. Fr. Michael presents the core teachings of the Christian faith in a way that is concise and clear, but also very comprehensive. The subjects covered are laid out in a way that is easy to follow, and which corresponds to the history of salvation as it is presented to us in Scripture, beginning with an explanation of who God is - the doctrine of the Trinity - followed by the creation of the world, the fall of man, and the Lord's incarnation and work of salvation - in this context he gives an exposition of Orthodox Christology, as well as a brief summary of the various heresies and controversies which challenged this doctrine. Explaining these doctrines, not abstractly, but in the context of the Biblical narrative does not only make them easier to understand but shows us why they matter. Every chapter is replete with relevant biblical quotations and he also makes extensive use of the Fathers (particularly St. Cyril of Jerusalem, much to my delight), giving the reader a firm grounding in both. Here follows chapters on the Church, the Mysteries (Sacraments), Prayer, and Christian Eschatology. To speak of Seven Sacraments is certainly a borrowing from Latin theology, and one many Orthodox would consider inadequate if not wrong, but it is one found in nearly all Orthodox books dealing with the subject, and so one cannot fault Fr. Michael for this. Likewise, many consider the number of Ecumenical Councils to be nine (including the 4th and 5th Councils of Constantinople), not the seven listed by Fr. Michael, but again this is more or less standard. What could be considered somewhat questionable is Fr. Michael's mention of the toll-houses in the chapter on Eschatology, particularly his passing mention of the life of St. Basil the New in this context. However, he stresses the symbolic and spiritual nature of this idea and does not go into any detail as to their nature, staying well within the boundries of the Scriptural, liturgical, and patristic texts that clearly speak of the soul's encounter with demons at the moment of death (unlike the book's translator, Fr. Seraphim Rose, whose own work The Soul After Death, which is unfortunately recommended by the editors in the footnotes, is highly speculative, overly literal, and cannot be said to be grounded in the Tradition of the Church). The only thing I found lacking was Fr. Michael's treatment of theosis, but this is made up for by the editors' rather extensive footnotes, which on the whole are quite helpful and provide supplimentary patristic quotations and add some nuance where Fr. Michael's own mode of expression was less than clear, or where he did not make use of common Orthodox theological parlance.

Read in conjunction with a general work on the history and faith of the Orthodox Church (Ware's, The Orthodox Church, for example), Fr. Michael's book serves as a perfect introduction to Orthodox theology and would be of great benefit to catechumens or those instructing them. While the scholastic style should be borne in mind, it is only prolematic if the reader absolutises the language and expressions used and forgets that these are simple expositions of vast and complex subjects which are naturally significantly deeper and more subtle than what such an introductory work can offer.

On the whole, this is a wonderful addition to any Orthodox library and one I wish I had read a decade ago.