Divine Essence Research Articles

Вчення Ісуса Христа щодо духовної та фізичної «нечистоти» людини

This research analyses the content, components and essence of one of the topics that causes a lot of debate in the Christian world. The topic of the place of the Law of God and the sanitary law given through Moses in the context of eating clean and unclean animals has generated much discussion and even controversy. The words of Jesus in Mark 7:14-23 seem to confirm that there is no need to observe the commandments concerning clean and unclean food, since all the commandments of the Old Testament were cancelled on the cross. What this biblical passage actually means is the main task of biblical exegesis and critical analysis of this passage. As a result of the analysis of literary sources, it was found that the interpretations of this text vary and are not unanimous. Given the fact that opinions on these texts differ and have different connotations, there is a need for careful research in order to understand with certainty what Jesus Christ meant by these words. It was found that the context of Mark 7:14-23 and the cross-referenced Bible passages indicate that Jesus’ words do not refer to the doctrine of clean and unclean food, but to the traditions of hand and utensil washing held by the Pharisees and scribes. A cultural and historical analysis of this passage shows that the commandment about clean and unclean food was given by God in the desert to remind the Israelites of the division of animals into certain categories, and that they should not adapt to the lives of other peoples who sacrificed such animals or considered them sacred. Later on, Jewish traditions distorted this teaching, which Jesus Christ pointed out to the Pharisees and scribes when they tried to reproach Him for not observing the doctrine of washed hands. After conducting a linguistic analysis, we found that the words of Jesus Christ in Mark 7:14-23 refer exclusively to the fact that the Jews considered food unclean because of unwashed hands and thus lost the true meaning of God’s commandment. In summary, we can note that the problem Jesus Christ highlights is the observance of small regulations that are not even taught in the Bible and because of which the Jewish teachers did not see the essence of God’s commandments: love of God and love of neighbor. That is why the Lord says that it is not the fact that a person is unclean, defiled, or lacking in holiness that makes him unclean, but rather that he does evil deeds that come from his heart. The study also revealed that Mark 7:14-23 does not refer to Christ’s abolition of the laws that regulated the eating of meat from «clean and unclean» animals. Such a position is neither reasonable nor biblically proven. Moreover, the laws of diet are much older than any other laws concerning the physical well-being of man (Genesis 7:2, 3).

Should a Yogi Be Healthy? Health Concepts in Early Haṭhayoga Texts

Haṭhayoga texts, influential in the development of modern posture-based yoga, offer a conceptual framework intertwining physical cultivation, health, and soteriological aims. This article explores two interconnected inquiries regarding early Haṭhayoga texts: How do they conceptualize health, and how do they perceive the relationship between health and soteriology? These investigations illuminate the place of health in early yoga texts within Hindu traditions prior to its global recognition.This article reveals that early haṭha texts present a holistic approach to health, highlighting the interconnectedness of curing the mind and healing the body. This process entails not only eradicating physical diseases but also the transcendence of all forms of suffering. The transformative process of eliminating the misleading self-identity (ahaṁkāra) is pivotal, leading directly to health. This relationship extends beyond metaphorical comparisons of healing ignorance and suffering. This ontological framework proposes a harmonious integration between the material and soteriological realms, viewing the healthy body as a physical manifestation of the divine essence. Thus, the emergence of the biomedical discourse surrounding yoga in modern times did not occur autonomously. Haṭhayoga, with its roots dating back to the beginning of the second millennium CE, played a crucial role in shaping this historical transformation.

The Concept of Creatures’ Freedom in Process Theology: A Study on David Ray Griffin's Contributions

This document delves into the realms of Process Theology, especially emphasizing David Ray Griffin's pivotal role in reshaping our understanding of the divine. Rejecting the classical depiction of God as an omnipotent and omniscient entity, it advocates for a portrayal of God as deeply involved in the evolutionary process of the universe. This approach marks a significant shift from traditional theism, proposing instead a reciprocal relationship between God and creation, where influence is mutual rather than one-directional. Process theology is notable for its application of process philosophy, which views the universe as a series of ephemeral 'actual occasions'. These instances embody the interplay between being shaped by past events and navigating towards future self-determination. Griffin’s introduction of panexperientialism further extends this narrative, suggesting that all entities, however simple, engage in a form of experiential existence, thereby challenging the traditional binaries of consciousness and volition. The relationship between the characteristics of the divine and the freedom afforded to creatures is carefully examined. Griffin posits a God whose modus operandi is relational and evolutionary, promoting a model of divine interaction that favors persuasion over coercion. This innovative perspective sheds light on the nature of theodicy, portraying a God who empathizes with the plight of creatures, thus affirming the significance of free will and the capacity for goodness amidst challenges. Griffin's rendition of Process Theology offers a refreshing narrative that reconciles the presence of evil with a benevolent divine essence, presenting God as an integral part of creation's fabric. It paints a universe where divine love, creaturely autonomy, and the complexities of existence are closely knit, offering a hopeful and empathetic view on the divine's role in the cosmic saga.

Is There an End to the Theatrical Play? Hans Urs von Balthasar’s Understanding of the Beatific Vision in Relation to the Theo-Drama

Hans Urs von Balthasar’s teaching on the beatific vision has been drawing scholarly attention. By building upon the works of Thomas Dalzell, Aidan Nichols, and Anne Carpenter, I advance the discussion by demonstrating that the dramatic and artistic-poetic grounding of Balthasar’s theo-drama shapes the way he understands the beatific vision. In his later work, Balthasar transposes the Catholic understanding of the beatific vision according to the art form and logic of drama. Specifically, using the notions of the visio immediata Dei and the visio mortis, he transposes the meaning of the beatific vision such that the divine essence is understood as a union of love in conversation with the Thomistic perspective of an immediate knowledge of God.

ARGUMENTS REGARDING THE EXISTENCE OF GOD IN THE WORK MONOLOGION

Throughout the history of philosophical thought, both theologians and philosophers have tried to bring arguments in favor of the existence but also of the essence of God. Anselm of Canterbury uses the rational approach to prove God's existence in both the Monologion1 and the Proslogion2 . The work Monologion or on the divine essence represents a landmark for the rational demonstration of the existence and essence of God, through the degrees of perfection of the divine being. Instead, in the work Proslogion his approach is a rational one (a priori) and logically argues the existence of God. In the work Proslogion, Anslem recalls that his first work is an unsuccessful attempt, by weaving several arguments, concatentione multorum argumentorum to demonstrate the reason of faith3 , and what can be observed is the similar way (almost synoptic), in which he begins his and the following works, both in the Proslogion and in Why God became man

Unveiling Divinity: A Comparative Quest Into The Perception Of God In Islam And Semitic Religions

The quest to understand the perception of God across different religions has been a central theme in human civilization. This comparative study delves into the essence of divinity as perceived in Islam and Semitic religions, exploring the foundational beliefs and philosophical underpinnings that shape the understanding of the Supreme Divine Authority. Drawing from insights gleaned from renowned historian Arnold Toynbee's monumental work on the history of religion, this study underscores the significance of religion in unraveling the mysteries of existence. Despite attempts by non-religious ideologies like Marxism and Freudianism to undermine organized religion, the enduring presence of faith systems underscores the intrinsic role of religion in human existence. Through an examination of key scriptures, including the Glorious Qur'an, this study elucidates the commonalities and divergences in the perception of God, emphasizing the universal call to worship a singular, omnipotent deity. Moreover, it highlights the innate human inclination towards belief in the Creator, positing that acceptance of divinity requires no precondition, while disbelief necessitates conditioned skepticism. Ultimately, this study offers profound insights into the universal quest for understanding the divine, transcending cultural and religious boundaries to illuminate the timeless truths underlying human spirituality.

The divine essence of ‘Good’ – a comprehensive exploration of ‘aga;oc’ in Coptic Orthodox theology and worship

The divine essence of ‘Good’ – a comprehensive exploration of ‘aga;oc’ in Coptic Orthodox theology and worship

Seeing Christ, Seeing the Trinity: Beyond Boersma's Trinitarian Deficit

AbstractIn an effort to correct the alleged ‘christological deficit’ of Thomas Aquinas's theology of the beatific vision, Hans Boersma circumscribes the object of the blessed's vision of God to the humanity of Christ and denies that they immediately see the divine essence. This results in a trinitarian deficit in Boersma's theology. For, as Matthias Scheeben's and Karl Rahner's analyses of Aquinas's theology of the beatific vision demonstrate, the blessed's immediate vision of the divine essence brings them into union with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Juan Alfaro's account of how the blessed's vision of the humanity of Christ operates in harmony with their vision of the divine essence provides resources for constructing a thoroughly christological and trinitarian theology of the beatific vision.

Образ мордовского края в творчестве Камиля Тангалычева

the article is devoted to the study of the peculiarities of artistic embodiment of the image of the Mordovian region in the creative work of K. Tangalychev and fits into the complex of studies of domestic literary studies concerning the problem of analyzing the author’s individual style. The subject of analysis is the ways and methods of creating the image of the small homeland in the prose and poetic texts of the author. Objective: to reveal the specificity of representation of the image of the Mordovian region in the artistic heritage of K. Tangalychev. Research materials: poetry collections of K. Tangalychev “The Nearest Village” (2001), “The Tin Century” (2014), “The Pedigree of the Sunset” (2017), and the book of essays “The Return of the Strawberry” (2023). Results and novelty of the research: the creative work of K. Tangalychev, the poet and publicist, occupies a special place in the literary process of Mordovia. Tatar by nationality, living in close proximity to the Mordovian and Russian peoples, he praised the multinational region rich in cultural traditions. A distinctive feature of his artistic works is a dialectical combination of national and international, everyday life, ancient history and modernity. The scientific novelty of the article is due to the fact that it represents the first experience of a comprehensive study of the image of the small homeland in the literary heritage of the author. In the course of the study it was established that K. Tangalychev’s nonfiction works are deeply lyrical, and his poetry is permeated with autobiographical beginning. The central artistic dominant of his works is the image of his small homeland – the native village Akcheevo, which is mythologized into a symbolic image of ancient Greek Hellas – the place of strength and creative inspiration of the poet. The sacredness of this geographical topos is created by the key constants – the image of a mother praying for her son; native nature reflecting the divine essence of the universe; fellow villagers preserving national traditions; the legendary historical past of the Temnikovsky region. The lyrical hero, closely merged with the image of the poet himself, deeply experiences the destruction of human ties with his spiritual Home, hence, the motif of memory as the plot-forming basis of creativity of K. Tangalychev acquires special importance.

Şemseddin Semerkandî’nin (Ö. 722/1322) Filozoflara Yönelik Eleştirisi: Hudûs Teorisi Bağlamında Bir İnceleme

Evrenin hakikati ve kaynağı problemi düşünce tarihi kadar eskidir. İnsanlık, ait olduğu ve her zaman karşı karşıya kaldığı evrensel olguları ve olayları keşfetmek için yoğun zihni faaliyetlerde bulunmuştur. Nitekim evrenin varlığıyla ilgili felsefi sorgulama; insanlık için hayatı daha anlamlı kılabilmek, karşılaşılan problemleri çözüme kavuşturabilmek ve hayatın amacını kavrayabilmek gibi önemli amaçlara hizmet edecektir. İslam düşünce geleneğinde Tanrı-evren ilişkisi ya da evrenin Tanrı aracılığıyla meydana geliş keyfiyetine yönelik çeşitli görüşler ileri sürülmüştür. Bu doğrultuda İslam filozofları, evrenin Tanrı’dan zorunlu olarak türediğini ifade eden sudûr teorisini; Sûfîler, evreni Tanrı’nın mutlak varlığına indirgeyerek Tanrı ile evren arasında birlik tesis eden vahdet-i vücûd nazariyesini; kelâmcılar ise evrenin Allah’ın iradesiyle uzay-zamanda yaratılmış, ilahi zâttan bağışık bir varlık olduğunu ifade eden hudûs delilini tasarlamışlardır. Biz de sözü geçen üç ekol çerçevesinde Tanrı-evren ilişkisini irdeleyeceğiz. İslam düşünce sisteminin önemli bir kurucu unsuru olarak Kelâm geleneği, evreni ve kaynağını keşfetmeye yönelik ciddi düşünsel faaliyetlerde bulunmuştur. Doğa felsefelerinin temeline cevher-araz kuramını yerleştiren kelâmcılar, evreni esasen metafiziksel gayelerine ulaştırması bakımından araştırma konusu yapmışlardır. Cevher-araz kuramı, bir metot olarak birçok kelâmî problemin çözümünde aktif rol oynamıştır. Kelâmcıların cevher-araz metodu sayesinde çözümledikleri problemlerden biri de âlemin hudûsüdür

The Unity, Power and Energy of the Holy Trinity in the Theology of Gregory of Nyssa

The article discusses the problem of the ontological distinction between God’s transcendence and immanence in the theological thought of Gregory of Nyssa, a Church Father of the 4th century. The author presents the main conceptual and terminological apparatuses that Gregory used in his antinomic approach to the complex interpretation of apophatic and kataphatic images of God. He analyzes the main characteristics of these two dimensions of the nature of God. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the Trinitarian approach in answering the question: how can God, who is completely ontologicaly removed from creation, be at the same time actively present in the world and filling it. In this context the author analyzes the key notions, which express the ontological remoteness of the divine essence of the Holy Trinity and God’s active nearness in relation to created being.

God, space and the Spirit of Nature: Morean trialism revisited

ABSTRACT In my paper, I dispute Christian Hengstermann’s analysis of More’s philosophical system as a form of panentheistic panpsychism in which matter is alive by virtue of being the last emanation from God. I show that, in his mature period, More explicitly rejected such an emanationist doctrine and attributed the non-mechanical powers of matter to an outside immaterial principle, the Spirit of Nature. Ultimately, this leads to a system in which divine space, the Spirit of Nature and the spirit of God are representations of various aspects of the divine essence, as it is at work in the world. On the other hand, matter is not part of this triadic structure and can only be said to be alive at the cost of a rather counterintuitive redefinition of the notion of “life”.

PHILOSOPHICAL AND THEOLOGICAL IDEAS ON THE TERRITORY OF UKRAINE IN THE XVI-XVII CENTURIES: A HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS

The article examines the philosophical and theological heritage of the period of the XVI-XVII centuries on the territory of Ukraine. It was concluded that at this time there was a rethinking of philosophical thought, a shift from knowledge of God to emphasizing the importance of knowing a person and recognizing his self-worth. In particular, a school of traditionalism emerged with its roots in the Orthodox Byzantine-Ancient Russian tradition, which acted as an opposition to Latinized Catholicism. The author makes a philosophical analysis of the views of Vasyl Surazky-Malyushytskyi and Ivan Vyshenskyi. The first emphasizes the unattainability of God and emphasizes mystical knowledge, the second sees God in the inner essence of the human soul and defines the path to self-improvement through self-knowledge. Additional concepts are presented by hegumen Jov Pochaivskyi, Jov Kniagynytskyi, Isakiy Boryskovich and Vitaly of Dubno, who emphasize the importance of spiritual development through prayerful silence and an ascetic lifestyle. Stefan Zyzanii expresses rationalist views on eschatology, rejecting the existence of purgatory and other afterlife realities. Kasiyan Sakovich views the soul as an act of the physical body interacting with the divine essence through grace and godlikeness. In general, in the 16th-17th centuries Orthodoxy observed tendencies to preserve the religious-mystical tradition and distinguish the external and internal aspects of a person. The main emphasis was on the vision of the key element of the path to salvation in monastic asceticism.

Platonism as a Path to Palamism

Palamism has long been enormously influential within Eastern Orthodox thought, and in recent years it has been gaining increased attention in non-Orthodox philosophical and theological circles as well. Here I develop an argument for one of Palamism's core commitments (the reality of at least one uncreated divine energy distint from the divine essence) based on platonism about abstract entities.

IMAGES OF THE FIRST PRIMAL FOREFATHERS OF THE HUNNO-BULGARS AND THEIR ETHNOGENETIC TRADITIONS

The purpose of the study is to trace the evolutionary path of the images of the primal forefathers of the Hunno-Bulgars and their descendants.
 
 Materials and methods. Ethnographic data from ancient and later sources were used, an ethnolinguistic and comparative approach to the study was applied. The etymological works of modern linguists-Turkologists are considered.
 
 Results. In this article, the word “primal forefather” refers to the “natural-ancestral divine essence” of Eastern (primarily Chinese) antiquity. The most ancient images of the Hunno-Bulgars’ primal forefathers were formed in the pre-Altai era. They reflected the surrounding world of ancient hunters, primarily the world of wild animals. People concluded an agreement on mutual donation with the ancestral primal forefather *taŋgïrï (“oath”, “deity”). In the era of contacts with the ancestors of the Chinese, the Huns (Xiongnu) began to represent their primal forefather as a celestial inhabitant, setting the world in motion by shifting the masculine and feminine principles. In different epochs of interrelations with the tribes of Eastern Iranians, the culture of the ancestors of the Bulgaro-Chuvash experienced the beneficial effect of their “animal style”. In the early Middle Ages, various narrative texts about the primal forefathers-giants and epic heroes-bogatyrs began to appear in their folk art. The ethnogenetic legends of the Chuvash eventually transformed into legends about the origin of their settlements.
 
 Conclusions. A comparative analysis of the images of the primal forefathers of the ancient ancestors of the Hunno-Bulgars and their descendants showed that these images were constantly evolving, gaining new features. At first they appeared to people in the guise of a sacred animal; a little later, instead of the leading animal, the primal forefather-hunter appears who finds new lands; then the Bulgarian plot of the ethnogenetic legend gradually turns into a narrative about an extraordinary giant hero, surprising with his physique and strength. The Turkic–speaking peoples of the Volga region and the Urals called such a hero Ulap/Alp, and the meadow Mari and the Udmurts – Onar and Alangasar.

The Mystical Dynamics of the Holy Spirit in Moses Nahmanides' Writings

Abstract: This essay explores Nahmanides' teachings concerning the holy spirit. It demonstrates that he elevated the holy spirit to the highest possible gradation in the godhead—conceived as the divine essence that flows through the various gradations of the godhead and into the perfected individual, inducing a variety of revelations: subprophetic, prophetic, and eschatological. The holy spirit in Nahmanides' thought is the driving force behind his conceptualization of the godhead, the community of Israel and its leadership, and the individual Jew—throughout their various phases of self-actualization, that is, becoming spirit. He placed the holy spirit along a spectrum of spirituality—the least spiritual stage is that of people who glimpse the future and those men of the holy spirit, while the most spiritual stage is that of the eschatological state of being, in which the spiritual faculties permanently overtake the corporeal faculties. Furthermore, Nahmanides crafted spaces structured by the spirit in the forms of the Jerusalem temple and contemporary rabbinic courts. This essay concludes by drawing attention to the similarities between Nahmanides' conception of the holy spirit and the common conception of the holy spirit in medieval Christianity, thereby analyzing Nahmanides' conception of the holy spirit in its historical and religious context: situated between mystical, philosophical, and polemical tensions.

Alawici – czciciele Słońca czy Boga Najwyższego?

This article presents that numerous unorthodox syncretic groups, which are composed of the elements of various religions, and emerged from Islam over the centuries. Their distinguishing feature was the exaggerated cult of some personalities, generally Ali Ibn Abi Talib. One of these movements is the Alawis that plays an important political role in Syria nowadays. The originality of the Alawis’ worship and doctrine is expressed by the importance of the sun and the moon, among others things. The light is the essence of God and the sun or the moon is considered God’s dwelling.

What is Evagrian ΓΝΩΣΙΣ?

Abstract: Evagrius famously characterises divine nature as γνῶσις οὐσιώδης, ‘substantial knowledge’. In the Alexandrian, Cappadocian, and other intellectual contexts informed by Platonic, Aristotelian, and Philonic thought, characterisations of God as a noetic or intellectual being are fairly common. However, these traditions concur in using the term νοῦς rather than γνῶσις. How can we explain that Evagrius deviates from the metaphysical mainstream? In this paper, I review this question from an historical and systematic point of view. I propose to examine ancient theories of Mind about the function and structure of the νοῦς, compare them to the Evagrian theory, and identify a possible explanation for the substitution of γνῶσις to the νοῦς. Since God is the key element in Evagrius's metaphysics, a clearer vision of the divine essence will help us appreciate the whole system more fully.

Burrell's Critical Thomism: Aquinas and Kant Revisited

AbstractDavid Burrell's version of Aquinas was written with Kantian parallels in mind. This is the accusation of John Milbank that was questioned by Nicholas Lash and Paul DeHart in a series of articles. ‘Burrell's Critical Thomism’ shows beyond doubt that Milbank's claim is correct: Burrell cites Kant throughout his oeuvre and finds parallels between Aquinas and Kant's philosophies. However, this article also shows that the form of Kantianism promulgated by Burrell is not as dogmatic as Milbank argues, especially in Burrell's later writings. If Milbank's critique holds, it follows that a properly negative theology must be denied. Finally, the relationship between Milbank's participatory theology and Burrell's emphasis on divine simpleness is examined in order to critically evaluate the status of participation in God, arguing that, for Aquinas, it does not make sense to say we participate in the divine essence, only in its likeness. Direct participation in God's essence is rendered incoherent by divine simpleness.

Shri Narayan Guru’s Views on Caste Based Discrimination and Social Equality

This research paper presents the Shri Narayan Guru’s views on caste based discrimination and his effort to end this social evil and to establish equality among all human beings. Caste based discrimination is the curse of Indian Society and social reformerslike Shri Narayan Guru proclaimed that India could not become a powerful and strong country without eradicating it. His views on this issue is totally different from his contemporaries. It is need of present time that we should study critically this concept. Caste based discrimination is totally against the sprit of Advait Vedant ( Non-dualism) philosophy. The practice of untouchability based on caste is totally wrong and it's a crime against humanity as well as God because we believe that everything is created by God. Same essence of divinity is present in all humans we should respect this divinity. We are not going to trace the origin of caste based discriminationin any textsand it’s effectson Indian society. It is nearly impossible to cover all the primary texts related with caste and all the teachings of our contemporary social reformers on caste system, caste discrimination and solutions in one research paper.It is not our purpose to go into the roots of caste system. Our concern here is the evil of inequality and exploitation it engenders across the entire spectrum of the Indian society, and the way Narayan Guru dealt with it. Our objective is to highlights Guru’s commonsensical and spiritual methods for solving this problem.