35 - John of Damascus, On Composite Nature against the Leaderless

Summary

John of Damascus remains the most significant theologian of the eighth century for those churches of both East and West that accepted the Council of Chalcedon. Although the precise dates of his birth and death are unknown, his lifespan was roughly contemporaneous with the Umayyad caliphate (651–750). Unfortunately, very little is known about him, and what is put forth is complicated by over a dozen late fictional vitae. The most prominent for the tradition is the Life of our Holy Father, John Damascene (BHG 884). Nevertheless, some details of John’s life are consistent. John’s grandfather was commissioned by the Byzantine emperor Maurice (r. 582–602) to collect the taxes for the entire region of Syria; this commission was renewed under the emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641), after a brief period of Persian occupation (614–628). John’s family was somehow involved – accounts vary – in the surrender of Damascus to the Arabs (in 634). John’s father retained his position and is even reported to have been a very close friend of the caliph ‘Abd al-Malik (r. 685–705). John followed his father in the Arab administration. John was well educated and became a monk and a priest.