Античная метафизика и христианская теология в «Гимнах о Троице» Мария Викторина

Abstract

The article deals with the reception of ancient metaphysics in the “Hymns of Trinity” of Marius Victorinus. In the first part, the author investigates a hypothetical time of writing and the literary, artistic, and compositional features of the hymns, which, in all likelihood, were written ca. 363, in the mature period of Victorinus’ literary activity, and represent a summary of his entire philosophical and theological system, which makes the hymns extremely important for understanding the evolution of his thought. In the second section of the article, the author analyzes the basic doctrinal issues where the links between ancient metaphysics and Christian theology are evident. First to be mentioned is the doctrine of the three Ones and three Beings, based on the dialectic of the One and many in Plato’s Parmenides and on the philosophical system of Plotinus. According to Victorinus, the first, or absolute, One, deprived of any multiplicity, corresponds to God the Father; the second One, born from the first One, is the One-Being, which corresponds to the Son-Logos; the third One, which is generated by the Logos, is the world as a whole, which includes all intelligible and material beings, forming a single “chain of being”. At the same time, it is noted that Victorinus also considers the third One and the “third Being” as the Holy Spirit, which is the “Power of the One”, binding all things together and making them one. Further, three metaphysical triads are considered: substance – form – cognition, being – life – intellect, and remaining – procession – reversion, by means of which Victorinus describes Christian Trinity. Finally, the author examines the doctrine of the Logos as the “Seed of Being” and the source of life for all beings, and of the Holy Spirit as the source of true knowledge and the way a human soul returns to God. It is pointed out that the concept of the Logos as the “Seed of Being” in Victorinus was influenced by the Stoic concept of pneuma as the seed of all things and a related doctrine of the “spermatic logoi”, as well as the Platonic concept of the world Soul. The return of souls to God as their prime cause is viewed as the result of a long process of their enlightenment and spiritualization, which is accomplished by the action of the Holy Spirit as the Wisdom of God and the “hidden Christ”. The first Russian translation of the first “Hymn on Trinity”, along with detailed historical and philosophical commentaries, is attached.