The Christian ways of East and West. Review of Eugene Webb. In Search of the Triune God. The Christian paths of East and West. University of Missouri, 2014, 448 p

This article reviews the monograph of the American historian of religion Eugene Webb In Search of the Triune God. The Christian Paths of East and West. The author presents Webb’s conception of “primary” and “secondary” symbolism, which is grounded in the methodology of the American philosopher Eric Voegelin. In the study of Thrinitarian theology, two methods are identified: the “way of the optimist” and the “way of the pessimist”. The first consists of theosis, which is grounded in the symbolism of the East; the second is viewed by Webb as a dead end. Webb demonstrates that the tradition of Eastern Christianity of the Ecumenical Councils has maintained primary biblical symbolism, a symbolism grounded in experience, while the Christian tradition of the West, separated from true experience, has developed a secondary symbolism. The idea of divine adoption was developed in the East as a way of theosis available for all people.