Biblical Answer

Sacramental Ontology and Participation in the Theology of St. Maximus the Confessor

The concept of "participation" in the theology of St. Maximus the Confessor can be understood as a form of sacramental ontology. According to Maximus, the sacraments are not just external signs of spiritual realities, but rather they participate in and reflect the very essence of God's being. In his Mystical Theology, Maximus writes that the sacraments "participate in the divine nature" (Mystical Theology I), suggesting that they are not just mere human inventions, but rather they are rooted in the very nature of God.

In this sense, Maximus's understanding of participation is closely tied to his sacramental ontology. The sacraments are not just means of signifying membership in the church, but rather they are the very means by which we participate in the divine life. Maximus writes that the sacraments "constitute other means of signifying membership and continuing participation in the church" (emphasis added), suggesting that they are not just external signs of spiritual realities, but rather they are the very means by which we participate in the divine life. This understanding of participation is rooted in Maximus's understanding of the sacraments as means of spurring us into activity, as he writes in his commentary on Dionysius's works.

In this sense, Maximus's understanding of participation is closely tied to his understanding of the sacraments as means of conveying God's grace. Maximus writes that the sacraments "provide a useful and healthy spur, to turn him away from empty and harmful occupations" (Hugh of St Victor), suggesting that they are not just mere human inventions, but rather they are the very means by which we participate in the divine life. This understanding of participation is rooted in Maximus's understanding of the sacraments as means of conveying God's forgiveness and salvation, as he writes in his commentary on the Lord's Supper. In this sense, Maximus's understanding of participation is closely tied to his sacramental ontology, and suggests that the sacraments are not just external signs of spiritual realities, but rather they are the very means by which we participate in the divine life.