Das Konzept des geistlichen Gehorsams bei Johannes Sinaites

In Christianity, charismatic authority still plays a key role, especially in the traditions of the Eastern Church. Charisma in relation to the ministry has always been judged to be positive, in particular in Protestant patristics. However the drawbacks of this, such as the demand for absolute obedience, were hardly noticed. Andreas Müller describes how this demand was integrated into a »spiritual system« in the 6th century and how obedience to »spiritual fathers« became necessary for salvation. In doing so, he analyzes the Klimax by Johannes Sinaites, in which Johannes countered the authoritarian concepts in the Emperor Justinian's legislation. A comparison of the concept of obedience in the Climax with those in the works of Pachomios, Basileios the Great and the Apophthegmata Patrum demonstrates the approach of Johannes Sinaites.

For this study, the author was awarded the habilitation prize of the University Society of Munich.