Maximos the Confessor

   Theologian who led the struggle against Monotheletism (q.v.), whose works had a great influence on Byzantine mystics, and on western theologians. His opposition to Monotheletism took the form of organizing church synods in North Africa (q.v.) in 646, and supporting Pope Martin I (q.v.) in 649, for which Maximos was imprisoned, tortured, and exiled. He died in exile in Lazika (q.v.) in 662. His theological works, which were themselves influenced by the mysticism of pseudo-Dionysios the Areopagite (q.v.), had an influence on the ninth-century western philosopher Johannes Scotus Erigena, as well as on many western theologians, including Bernard of Clairvaux, Thomas Aquinas (q.v.), Robert Grosseteste, Meister Eckhart, and Nicolas of Cusa.