Nature and human person according to Saint Maximus the Confessor

This article examines the notions of nature and human person in the thought of Saint Maximus the Confessor, a major figure of seventh-century Byzantine theology. Julia Vidovic adopts a comparative and analytical approach, bringing together the interpretations of two contemporary theologians, Bishop John Zizioulas and Jean-Claude Larchet, whose divergent readings serve to highlight the complexity of Maximian thought. The study draws on the original Greek terms in order to accurately render the ontological nuances specific to Maximus regarding the balance between nature and hypostasis. The main contribution of the article lies in its demonstration that the notion of person, in the Church Fathers and in Maximus in particular, does not derive from anthropology but finds its foundation in Trinitarian theology and Christology, personal consciousness being inseparable from the event of the Incarnation.