Patristic Philosophy Research Articles

Apophaticism, Mysticism, and Epoptics in Ancient and Patristic Philosophy: Some Important Examples

This article investigates mystic apophaticism in a set of Greek Patristic theologians, profoundly informed by philosophy, especially imperial Platonism: Clement, Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, and Pseudo-Dionysius. Both the terminology and the argumentative structure will be examined in each author and important connections among themselves and with ‘pagan’ Neoplatonists (including Plotinus, Porphyry, and Proclus) will be drawn. The reciprocal interrelations among epoptics, ἔρως and ἀγάπη, epektasis, and ἐπιστροφή and ἀποκατάστασις will be pointed out. The article will argue for the intended double-reference strategy to both ‘pagan’ and Christian Platonism, as well as Dionysius’ veiled response to Porphyry qua accuser of Origen, and the meaning of the charge, levelled against Dionysius himself, of “making unholy use of Greek things”—which is what ‘pagans’ had already charged Origen with. Dionysius retorted, “it is the Greeks who make unholy use of godly things to attack God!”, and this is again what Origen had responded.

Two Mediterranean Church Mothers: Their Presence and Importance in Patristic Philosophy

There are many debates concerning the existence and possibility of Christian philosophy, as well as Jewish and Islamic philosophy. Starting from the debates in France in the 1930s, some philosophers, such as Bréhier, have argued that Christian philosophy, especially in the patristic era, did not operate through reason, as philosophy requires, for religion is a system full of dogmas, interpretations based on strict approaches and alleged facts. However, patristic philosophers, especially some pro-philosophy apologetic writers, suggested that pagan philosophy, which is assumed to operate through reason, took its doctrines from Christianity and distorted them. Thus, for them, Christianity was the true philosophy. If one takes the patristic philosophers’ view and considers Christianity a philosophy through their writings, one should acknowledge that, at the basis of their views, lies the meaning of φιλοσοφία, that is, the love of wisdom. Our consideration of early Christian philosophy as a way of life is best understood through the lens of the Church mothers since they are portrayed as the best examples among Christians. In this study, we aim to discuss patristic philosophy as the basic form of philosophizing and then go on to specify prominent female Christian philosophers from the Mediterranean Region, the crucible for many long-lasting civilizations, and finally examine the ways they were philosophizing. Our method of research is mainly based on document and content analysis since it is qualitative research in the philosophical literature. Based on the findings of this research, we demonstrate the core endeavor of philosophy as the love of wisdom through the ideas of two of the prominent women in early Christian philosophy.

The Bee and Its Honey

This paper discusses the book of Richard Cross, Communicatio idiomatum: Reformation Christological Debates (Oxford University Press 2019). It basically agrees with Cross's view that Martin Luther develops a new variant of the medieval theory of suppositional union in his Christology. The paper argues that the view put forward by Cross has consequences for the soteriological role of human body. While “Christ present in faith” is a corporeal and supernatural gift, it may not be an instance of deification in the sense that human beings could sustain divine properties. Another issue concerns the sense in which Christ can be called a human “person” in Cross's view. As Christ carries a specific instance of human nature which in turn carries a particular instance of corporeality, one could claim that Christ as human being has a particular personalitas. This view resembles the trajectory of “patristic philosophy,” as recently argued by Johannes Zachhuber.

The Place and Importance of Christianity in The Political Thought of the Medieval Europe: Influence of Patristic Philosophy on the Political Thought

Ortaçağ, Avrupa düzleminde bakıldığında, dini bir öğreti olan Hıristiyanlığın düşünsel, siyasal ve kültürel olarak baskın olduğu bir zaman dilimini bize vermektedir. Erken Ortaçağ’da kültürel ve sosyal bir olgu olarak ortaya çıkan Hıristiyanlığın, doktrinel ve kurumsal olarak oluşumunda temel teşkil eden Patristik felsefe ve onun düşünsel yapılanmasını teşkil eden Kilise babaları, özellikle siyasal ve düşünsel olarak Avrupa’nın bundan sonraki yaklaşık bin yılının ana belirleyicisi olmuşlardır. Kilise babaları arasında da Augustinus’un (354-430) ortaya koymuş olduğu eserler ve görüşlerin, bu etkinin Hıristiyanlık içinde neredeyse Thomas Aquinas’a (1225-1274) sürdürülen teolojik ve siyasal bağlamda oluşan doktrinlerin temel belirleyicisi olduğu genel bir kabuldür. Bu çalışmada, öncelikle Hıristiyanlığın, sonra da Avrupa Ortaçağ düşünce ikliminin temel belirleyicisi olan Patristik felsefenin ne olduğu temsilcileriyle birlikte ortaya konulmakta, daha sonra da bu anlayışın Ortaçağ dünyasının siyasal ve düşünsel anlayışını etkilemesindeki temel parametreler tarihsel ve teorik olarak irdelenmektedir. Çalışmada son olarak da Patristik felsefenin en belirgin figürü olan Augustinus’un düşünsel ve siyasal olarak Hıristiyanlık üzerindeki teolojik ve doktrinel belirleyiciliği ele alınmakta ve çalışma bir “sonuç ve değerlendirme” ile nihayetlendirilmektedir. Çalışmada bir sosyal bilimler metodu olarak “derinlemesine içerik analizi” kullanılmakta, metin konuya dair “dolaylı” ve “birebir” alıntılama yöntemi ile okuyucuya sunulmaktadır. Çalışmanın sınırlılıkları, zamansal olarak Erken Ortaçağ dönemi, coğrafi olarak da Roma üzerinden Avrupa düzlemi olarak belirlenmiştir. Ayrıca Hıristiyanlık düşüncesi içinde Patristik felsefe dışındaki geleneklere metinde değinilmemiştir.

The Rise of Christian Theology and the End of Ancient Metaphysics: Patristic Philosophy from the Cappadocian Fathers to John of Damascus by Johannes Zachhuber

The Rise of Christian Theology and the End of Ancient Metaphysics: Patristic Philosophy from the Cappadocian Fathers to John of Damascus by Johannes Zachhuber

The rise of Christian theology and the end of ancient metaphysics. Patristic philosophy from the Cappadocian Fathers to John of Damascus. By Johannes Zachhuber. Pp. xii + 357. Oxford–New York: Oxford University Press, 2020. £75. 978 0 19 885995 6

The rise of Christian theology and the end of ancient metaphysics. Patristic philosophy from the Cappadocian Fathers to John of Damascus. By Johannes Zachhuber. Pp. xii + 357. Oxford–New York: Oxford University Press, 2020. £75. 978 0 19 885995 6 - Volume 73 Issue 3

The Rise of Christian Theology and the End of Ancient Metaphysics: Patristic Philosophy from the Cappadocian Fathers to John of Damascus. By Johannes Zachuber

<i>The Rise of Christian Theology and the End of Ancient Metaphysics: Patristic Philosophy from the Cappadocian Fathers to John of Damascus</i>. By <scp>Johannes Zachuber</scp>

The Rise of Christian Theology and the End of Classical Metaphysics: Patristic Philosophy from the Cappadocian Fathers to John of Damascus by JohannesZachhuber (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020), xii + 384 pp.

The Rise of Christian Theology and the End of Classical Metaphysics: Patristic Philosophy from the Cappadocian Fathers to John of Damascus by JohannesZachhuber (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020), xii + 384 pp.

Semantic and terminological aspect of rationalism and mysticism (based on the material of Eastern Patristic Philosophy)

Semantic and terminological aspect of rationalism and mysticism (based on the material of Eastern Patristic Philosophy)

Рациональность средневековых авторов в понимании времени

The paper traces formation of temporal, historiosophical and anthropological conceptions in medieval culture. The author justifies the thesis that systematic theology of the Alexandrian school served as a basis for patristic philosophy development. Methodological prerequisites for rational medieval worldview formation are revealed. Scientific originality of the study involves analysing anthropological and temporal conceptions of Saint Augustine and Dionysius the Areopagite who, allegorically interpreting biblical texts, aspired to develop rational understanding of time as a source of existence. The research findings are as follows: the author proves that the Western Father of the Church considers time as a linear concept, within which the place of a human being is strictly determined, whereas the Eastern Father of the Church considers time as an element of existence, where a human seeks to unite with the God as the end of history.

Logos in Philo of Alexandria: Synthesis of two traditions

In this paper, our intention is to present the main aspects of the understanding of the logos in Philo of Alexandria. Philo?s reception of this notion is especially important because his insights significantly influenced the development of patristic philosophy, and these influences, through the mediation of scholasticism, reached the modern age. Philo has a very important role in creating the Judeo-Christian heritage, and represents an important link for understanding the formation of the basic matrices of this worldview. For the first time, a thorough synthesis of Semitic and Hellenic heritage was performed with him. The use of the term logos in that synthesis proves to be one of the key ones, since it is precisely this term, which has never lost its philosophical significance, partly and thanks to Philo, that is identified with the Son of God of the Christian tradition.

The Ways of Patristic Philosophy in the Context of the Arian Disputes of the 4th Century

The Ways of Patristic Philosophy in the Context of the Arian Disputes of the 4th Century

Spanish

What is introduced as metaphysics of light attached to religious connotation, turns out to be one of the most dominant and discussed topics during the medieval period, though more exhaustive addressed during the scholastic period, that is, from the late-ninth century to the middle-fourteenth. Nevertheless, thoughts about the idea of lux began with Neoplatonism, more precisely with the Egyptian Plotinus who championed the idea of revitalizing the doctrine of the Academy, which was founded by Plato. In fact, consideration about light stands out as one of the elements that had repercussions on medieval patristic philosophy, establishing a solid base for formulations of Christian dogma. Bearing this in mind, the purpose of the article is to introduce some meanings of the concept of lux, as developed by Plotinus of Lycopolis, aiming for a better understanding of the symbolic consequences of this idea for theological considerations and arts during the scholastic period.

Analogy and Comparatism: A Response to G.E.R. Lloyd, Fortunes of Analogy

ABSTRACTArgument by analogy a major suppressed question in Plato's republic, analogy acquires an ontological significance in patristic philosophy, analogy is fundamental to law and legal argument, the will to assimilate is very strong, scientific bio-mimicry, the emphasis on mimesis, analogy in Chinese philosophy, analogy of water in chinese philosophy, analogy and difference

Der Wahre Logos des Kelsos: Eine Strukturanalyse. By Johannes Arnold.

The Ἀληθὴς λόγος by the ‘pagan’ Middle Platonist Celsus is only fragmentarily extant in Origen of Alexandria’s Contra Celsum. This was written under Philip the Arab, about 70 years after the composition of the Ἀληθὴς λόγος. The title can mean ‘True Discourse’, ‘Account’, ‘Theory’, or even ‘True Logos’. I suspect, indeed, that Celsus chose a title that could resonate, polemically, with the main epinoia of Christ: Logos. On this hypothesis, Celsus was establishing and supporting ‘the true Logos’ against the false Logos that was said to be Christ. Indeed, Celsus was arguing that the philosophical (Platonist) Logos was incompatible with the Christ-Logos and the logos/discourse/theory of Christianity, whereas Origen argued that the philosophical Logos was in fact the Christ-Logos (αὐτολόγος, fr. 2.31a, Cels. 3.41.6; cf. p. 1, n. 4). Like Porphyry later—and those who still resist the category of patristic philosophy—Celsus claimed that philosophy was incompatible with Christianity. This is why Porphyry denounced Origen’s intellectual figure as an impossible hybrid of a philosopher and a Christian—a great philosopher whose fault was that of living like a Christian while thinking like a Greek and applying Greek philosophical allegoresis to the Jewish–Christian Scriptures (C. Chr. F39). To Porphyry’s mind, as to Celsus’, this operation was an ἀδύνατον, because the Bible did not contain philosophical doctrines to be discovered through allegoresis. The use of allegoresis by Celsus, well pointed out by Arnold, can indeed be inscribed in the wider imperial debate on the legitimacy and applicability of philosophical allegoresis to certain authoritative texts rather than others (see Ilaria Ramelli, ‘The Philosophical Stance of Allegory in Stoicism and its Reception in Platonism’, IJCT 18 [2011], pp. 335–71).

Энергии простоты или простота энергии? Две парадигмы патристической философии

Энергии простоты или простота энергии? Две парадигмы патристической философии

Philosophy, theology and patristic thought

ABSTRACTThe common way of speaking of patristic thought is as theology. Disuse of the appellation ‘patristic philosophy’ is the result of separationist taxonomies in both philosophy and theology. Returning to the meanings of the terms theologia and philosophia in ancient and late ancient thought, this paper argues, with an eye toward Orthodox thought, for the reasonableness of speaking of patristic thought as philosophy.

Ethos and Logos: A Second-Century Debate Between “Pagan” and Christian Philosophers

This essay analyses the most significant sources—some overlooked so far—on the debate on ethos and logos that was lively between “pagan” and Christian philosophers in the second century ce. Epictetus’s attribution of a behaviour based on ethos to the Christians should not be regarded as utterly negative, but should rather be connected with his teacher Musonius’s high appreciation of ethos, even over logos. Marcus Aurelius’s and Celsus’s negative attitude toward Christianity as an obstinate, irrational habit can be explained by the possible influence of Montanism, while the Syriac apology to Marcus ascribed to Melito reacts to anti-Christian accusations of irrationality by attaching logos to the Christians and a behaviour based on a bad ethos to “paganism”—the same as was done by Clement of Alexandria, one of the Christian intellectuals most committed to demonstrating the rationality of Christian belief. Literary problems related to the apology are tackled, and parallels are pointed out with both Justin and Bardaisan, two other Christian Platonists who attempted to construe Christianity as philosophy. Galen’s judgment about the Christians shows interesting parallels with, and differences from, that of Epictetus. For both intellectuals an engagement with Christian doctrines of creation is argued for (this is usually admitted in the case of Galen, but not in that of Epictetus). Another second-century anti-Christian accusation of the lack of logos is the charge of onolatry. Lucian’s attitude toward the Christians is showed to be less simplistic than generally believed: he allowed for the ascription of logos and a certain intellectual development to Christianity and its founder. But for Christians to claim that the Logos was on their side, they had to develop a theology of the Logos, which identified Jesus Christ with God’s Logos. This operation, anticipated by Philo and Hellenistic Judaism, started from the Prologue of John and was continued by Justin, most Valentinians, Clement, and especially Origen, and then by the Patristic philosophy which depended on Origen. Thanks to Origen, who was deeply respected by “pagan” philosophers too, Christianity could no longer be charged with being a religion for irrational people.

Origen the Christian Middle/Neoplatonist: New Arguments for a Possible Identification

ABSTRACTOn the basis of a close analysis of the sources and of new arguments I support the identification of Origen the Christian philosopher-theologian with Origen the Platonist. My thesis is that it is perfectly possible—even if not necessary—to refer all available sources on Origen the Neoplatonist to Origen the Christian, and to hypothesise one and the same author, Origen the Christian Platonist: more specifically, a Christian philosopher between Middle and Neoplatonism. This identification is made more probable by Eusebius' attestation that Origen the Christian was celebrated as a great philosopher even by pagans. This is hopefully an important contribution to research on Origen, Patristic philosophy, and Middle and Neoplatonism.

Notes on Patristic Philosophy

Three eminent scholars, Professors Robert M. Grant, T. A. Burkill, and Cyril C. Richardson, in their reviews of my Religious Philosophy, have raised certain problems touching on topics in Patristic philosophy. The problems are of such importance as to call for further consideration.