It is worthy to note that according to our Orthodox Church not any one of the Fathers alone can comprehend the Truth in its fullness as the whole Church does. Some of them had at times fallen into error and at times contradicted one another.
For this reason our Church has never canonized patristic theology in its every word and has not even established a compulsory list of the Fathers and their writings
To acknowledge the true Church tradition we must not simply know and quote the Fathers. but we must penetrate their spirit and attain “the patristic mind”
In other words, one should not bring a sola scriptura methodology to the study of the Fathers. The readings of the Fathers, the Saints and the contemporary witness of the Church are to be read by the Church and within Tradition, and ultimately for participation in the Divine Life of Christ.
For this reason our Church has never canonized patristic theology in its every word and has not even established a compulsory list of the Fathers and their writings
To acknowledge the true Church tradition we must not simply know and quote the Fathers. but we must penetrate their spirit and attain “the patristic mind”
+ Fr. Tadros Malaty, Traditon and Orthodoxy, 50 - 51
In other words, one should not bring a sola scriptura methodology to the study of the Fathers. The readings of the Fathers, the Saints and the contemporary witness of the Church are to be read by the Church and within Tradition, and ultimately for participation in the Divine Life of Christ.
