Petre Maican

This article examines the question of encountering persons with disabilities in the light of Orthodox theology. Adopting a meditative and speculative approach, Petre Maican draws on the ascetic thought of Saint Maximus the Confessor to interrogate the way in which the human gaze perceives the other. The central idea is that the inner transformation of the perceiving subject, as conceived by Maximus the Confessor, makes it possible to move beyond the immediate reactions prompted by bodily difference and to discern in each person the presence of God. The theological contribution of the article lies in the application of the Maximian doctrine of spiritual perception to a contemporary issue in Christian ethics and anthropology, thereby offering a doctrinal framework for rethinking the reception of difference within the ecclesial community.

This article examines the thought of Romanian Orthodox theologian Dumitru Stăniloae on the ecumenical question, particularly his way of interpreting the patristic heritage in the context of interconfessional dialogue. The study analyzes how Stăniloae articulates the theological diversity inherent in the ecumenical movement with the tradition of the Church Fathers, without dissolving doctrinal differences. The central idea is that this diversity can be read positively as a dimension of the process of deification: it fosters both a deepening of the knowledge of God and an increased desire for communion among persons. The contribution of the article lies in highlighting an original Orthodox contribution to contemporary ecumenical dialogue, rooted in patristic theology and capable of integrating confessional plurality without abandoning doctrinal rigor.