I can see that. However, +Kallistos' questionable theological musings are completely irrelevant here. The evidence presented in the introduction to the appendix in the English addition speaks for itself and needs to be addressed on its own merits. A conclusion reached by examining the objective facts cannot simply be dismissed as a "curious assumption" (as Hieromonk Patapios puts it) nor as merely the product of the "Western religious phronema" (whatever that is). Any serious attempt to defend the alleged Antonian authorship of the work in question must address these facts and not rely on fallacious arguments ad hominem.
Mother Theresa was not known as a great theologian, but rather as a very holy woman...she could and did make mistakes. Her comment, however, is emblematic of the "Do this or you'll go to hell" mindset of the Western Church.
We need more of that in this country, not less. In fact, the last nine paragraphs of St. John Chrysostom's Homily 6 on Philippians (beginning with "Let us give thanks to God for what has been spoken...") provide an excellent example of some of the things that we desperately need to hear. Do you consider this bad theology as well?
No, indeed he did use the OT. He knew that fear edifies the simpler people.
Indeed he did (see above). And if the fear of God edified such a holy man as St. Anthony, and if the latter says that in fact this is necessary to attain to love of God; then surely we must not dare to fancy ourselves as too "sophisticated" for it.
Come to think of it, that's likely Jenkins' whole problem in the first place: It certainly doesn't look like there is any fear of God here.
“I can see that.”
That’s quite a condemnation of His Eminence. I hadn’t read that before. The metropolitan is a good man who has been better advised to stick to the Fathers and leave off the theorizing and syncretism.
“...”Western religious phronema” (whatever that is)”
Seriously, you don’t know what phronema is?
“We need more of that in this country, not less.”
Only because this is not a Christian country and perhaps not even then. Do you believe, as Kalomiros accuses Western Christians, that God is the author of evil, that it is God Who hurls the souls of evil doers into eternal torment? Isn’t it a fair observation that the West’s obsession with hell fire, brimstone and an angry God leads to exactly the spiritual situation we find the West in? Wouldn’t it be better to teach, “Do this and you will become like God”?
“In fact, the last nine paragraphs of St. John Chrysostom’s Homily 6 on Philippians (beginning with “Let us give thanks to God for what has been spoken...”) provide an excellent example of some of the things that we desperately need to hear.”
But, ZS, that’s exactly what the West has heard for centuries. It hasn’t worked.
“Do you consider this bad theology as well?”
I do because it is misleading. The Cappadocians, +Ephraim the Syrian, Isaac the Syrian and later +Symeon the New Theologian and especially +Gregory Palamas presented a much more “effective” theology of theosis.
“And if the fear of God edified such a holy man as St. Anthony, and if the latter says that in fact this is necessary to attain to love of God; then surely we must not dare to fancy ourselves as too “sophisticated” for it.”
Sophistication has nothing whatever to do with it. The fear of God’s punishment, ZS, is the beginning of wisdom, not the end. Read +Maximos the Confessor, Four Hundred Chapters on Love.