ABSTRACT
From the point of view of the evolution of Byzantine theology, and not only in respect of the debate on the icons, theological writings form a particularly important source, more especially because they do not all originate within the bounds of the empire. Byzantine literature during the later seventh, eighth, and ninth centuries was dominated by the writings of churchmen and theologians on a vast range of themes, associated with a whole range of issues of dogma and belief, and until the middle and later eighth century mostly not associated with the issue of holy images. This issue begins to become a key issue only from the time of the iconoclast council of Hie rei a in 754, and dominates really only from the time of the seventh ecumenical council in 787. 1 Indeed, with the exception of John of Damascus and others in his circle, writing outside the empire's political bounds, and of one or two key texts, not always securely dated, and to be discussed below, the issue of holy images was until that time only very poorly reflected in the literature of the period. It was clearly far less important than many other concerns reflected in the various categories of theologically concerned literature. This literature included not only polemical writing against heretics, but also a great number of hymns, sermons or homilies, and related compositions.2 Together with hagiographies, homilies are transmitted in
For discussion and analysis of the key elements in the debate, see K. Parry, Depicting the Word. Byzantine iconophile thought of the eighth and ninth centuries (The Medieval Mediterranean 12. Leiden 1996).
