Metodio d’Olimpo, un autore minore?

Abstract

The article offers a fundamental approach for whoever wishes to engage with the personality and theology of Methodius. The article proposes to demonstrate from historical-literary evidence that Methodius of Olympus should by no means be considered as one of the minor theologians of the third century. With a survey of the recent research of K. Bracht, in a concise summary the author deals with all the problematical areas surrounding Methodius’ personal details (chronology, location, episcopate, martyrdom), and the network of theological legacies and influences which place him at the centre of third century theology. The author provides a conspectus of recent scholarship on Methodius, and offers a critical assessment of the criteria used to judge the so-called ‘asiatic theology’ as applied to Methodius in particular. Finally, the author adopts a positive stance in favour of the relevance of Methodius, especially for the development of certain major ascetical and mystical themes in the history of theology, in whose ambit every author helps to reconstruct the wide panoramic view of the evolution of thought, of which the ‘great’ theologians are merely the tip of the iceberg.