Introduced by Fr John St Shenouda

Translated by Fr Robert Nixon, OSB

John Philoponus, also known as John the Grammarian or John of Alexandria, was a Christian philosopher, theologian, scientist and literary scholar.

Philoponus was born in Alexandria around 490 AD.  He is the author of numerous writings.  The literary works of Philoponus consist of at least 40 treatises on a range of topics such as theology, mathematics, sciences, church politics and even medical treatises.

The Arbiter, translated in this book, is one of his most important and widespread theological works post-Chalcedonian, where he attempted, as much as possible, to be a non-biased arbiter/mediator between the miaphysite and Chalcedonian Christological models through mainly philosophical, rather than biblical arguments.