Maksim Grek Revising Muscovy’s Book Repertoire: Teaching versus False Doctrines

This article presents the results of a text study of three works by Maksim Grek. The development of the text presents a valuable opportunity to examine the creative workshop of the medieval opinion journalist, observe the process of perception of the author’s text by Russian scribes who were searching for their own didactic words, and identify the problems that were of interest to people in the mid-sixteenth century. The enlightenment and theological ideas of the Athonite theologian were in demand in the society of Muscovite Russia, when, according to Joseph of Volotsk, “everyone was in doubt about everything”. The writer himself was searching for ways and means for the words of his teaching to penetrate the soul and consciousness of an Orthodox person. Maksim Grek’s authorial revisions are seen as a reflection of his renewed efforts to give cogency to his preaching of knowledge important to the Orthodox reader, even if not always related to confessional matters. The dissemination of knowledge, defence of the foundations of Christianity, and defence of the faith against false doctrines were the essence of the preaching activity carried out by the monk. This study focuses on his works interpreting the patristic heritage and denouncing apocryphal legends. In both cases Maksim Grek responded to the requests of his inquisitive addressees. The monk’s preachings were characterised by a profound logic of reasoning, rich argumentation, and emotionally coloured words. Compared to the fate of the chapters in the writer’s lifetime codices, which were almost unchanged by copying, the history of the text of the works under consideration is unique. Their text has survived in several editions and versions belonging to both the author and scribes of the following generations. The works were not included in the lifetime Chludov collection of Maksim Grek’s works, although their critical tonality is similar to the last chapters 72 and 73 in the Chludov codex. In them, too, the writer polemises against books opposed to the truths of the Orthodox Church. The imperative tone running through the whole text emphasises the didactic character of the works.