John of Damascus
c. 675 – 749 · Damascus / Palestine
Biography
Syrian monk under Muslim rule; foremost defender of the veneration of icons during the Iconoclast crisis.
“I do not worship matter; I worship the God of matter, who became matter for my sake.”— On the Divine Images 1.16
Writings
- Three Treatises on the Divine Images
- The Fount of Knowledge
- Exposition of the Orthodox Faith
Influence
Provided the theological basis received at Nicaea II (787) and closed the patristic age in the East.