Cyril of Alexandria’s Ontological Priority of Personhood Against Monarchianism

Crowded discussions on Trinitarian theology in today’s academic sphere makes it difficult to advance theological vision based on concrete theological definitions rooted in early Christian sources. Consequently, in today’s context, less attention is given to the significance and real value of personhood as rooted in a Trinitarian understanding. This theological crisis reflects also on our daily life as we are now facing a real crisis in which the foundational point of reference for humanity, having being created in the image and likeness of a Trinitarian God, has been disfigured. In response to this theological and social crisis, this perceptive study by Sherif Mourad presents us with a fresh outlook for the restoration of the value of personhood and the significance of a person-based priority of being. Sherif was able to masterfully capture this personhood-based ontological priority in Cyril of Alexandria’s theology and then he thoughtfully engaged it in a lively discussion with Torrancean and Zizioulan Trinitarian debates. This work does not only restore and highlight the genuine Alexandrian understanding of personhood, but also helps us understand the necessity for re-evaluating our own humanity in light of this profound definition.