Abstract
Abstract As a successor and strong supporter of Origen, though not an uncritical one, Didymus the Blind has long been presented as advocating controversial theological views, notably the apokatastasis. Along with Origen and Evagrius, Didymus’ views on this were condemned by the Fifth Ecumenical Council in 553 CE. In order to better understand Didymus’ theology, it is important to consider his notion of spiritual conflict and its ramifications for the friends and enemies of God. The purpose of this paper is to examine Didymus’ theology of enmity with God, in particular his interpretation of key biblical passages that indicate certain characters as enemies of God, namely Satan, the demons, and Judas Iscariot. The paper will address such questions as should Christians have any sympathy for Satan and the demons? Was Judas’ betrayal merely the selling out of Jesus based on greed, or was there a deeper betrayal of the teacher-student relationship? How do God’s enemies contrast with Didymus’ understanding of the friends of God? In addition to considering Didymus’ exegesis of these characters, the paper will examine his treatment of the New Testament command to love one’s enemies. Didymus’ doctrinal and exegetical texts will both be considered to establish his theology of spiritual conflict. Finally, these considerations will be contextualized within Didymus’ own theological milieu, where the blind scholar seems to be aware of mounting criticism of his theology, perhaps by his own students, and even possibly the conflicts swirling around several of his prominent former students (Evagrius, Jerome and Rufinus).
Highlights
The purpose of this paper is to examine Didymus’ theology of enmity with God, in particular his interpretation of key biblical passages that indicate certain characters as enemies of God, namely Satan, the demons, and Judas Iscariot
The paper will address such questions as should Christians have any sympathy for Satan and the demons? Was Judas’ betrayal merely the selling out of Jesus based on greed, or was there a deeper betrayal of the teacherstudent relationship? How do God’s enemies contrast with Didymus’ understanding of the friends of God? In addition to considering Didymus’ exegesis of these characters, the paper will examine his treatment of the New Testament command to love one’s enemies
Before initiating a discussion of Didymus’ theology of love for spiritual adversaries, it is important to note that this paper is related to a larger project that has been in development for the past five years dealing with how Didymus portrays Christian teachers as the friends of God
Summary
Before initiating a discussion of Didymus’ theology of love for spiritual adversaries, it is important to note that this paper is related to a larger project that has been in development for the past five years dealing with how Didymus portrays Christian teachers as the friends of God. Clement and Origen, as well as his own contemporary Gregory of Nyssa.[5] It will conclude by making a few brief remarks about how Didymus’ theology on these topics may have fit in with the broader historical circumstances in which he lived, especially the aftermath of the persecution at the beginning of the fourth century, the confusions caused by the Manicheans and Arians in the middle of the century and the theological disputes concerning the heritage of Origen at the conclusion of that century By examining these issues, Didymus’ theology will be seen to exhibit constant concern not to abandon outreach to the sinner and student, such that a spirituality of the teacher as friend to those oppressed by ignorance explains his commitment to suspect doctrines such as the pre-existence of the teacher’s soul and the capacity of any rational creature to repent
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
