Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Dionysius the Areopagite'

Thesis advisor: Stephen F. Brown
Among the varied representations of mystical ascent in the Middle Ages, perhaps none was as original as that of Thomas Gallus (d.1246), an abbot of the Canons Regular at St. Andrea in Vercelli and the so-called "last of the great Victorines." Drawing on the highly-esteemed works of Dionysius the Areopagite, Thomas exegeted the Song of Songs in terms of the soul's ascent to God through both knowledge and love. His differs from earlier Song commentaries because of its Dionysius-inspired contention that the human soul reflects the nine orders of the angelic hierarchy. Through apophatic contemplation and desire for God, the soul ascends through these orders until its intellectual knowledge fails, and it is granted a union of love with through its Seraphic order. However, Thomas, following Gregory the Great and Hugh of St. Victor, argues that love itself is a kind of knowledge, indeed, the highest kind of knowledge, the very "wisdom of Christians." To bridge the gap between the grades of knowledge and of love, and between the intellect and affect, Thomas introduces the notion of the simplification of the soul, an idea that has its roots in the Neoplatonism of Dionysius. Simplification may be defined as the principle by which multiplicity and compositeness are anagogically abandoned in favor of greater unity and simplicity through mystical ascent. It forms the guiding principle of Gallus's mystical thought, and is described in three highly interrelated ways. First, the intellect leaves behind its knowledge of God through sensibilia, sensible knowledge gained through the senses and imagination, in favor of purely invisible contemplative objects or theoriae, which it contemplates first in its own reason and intellect, and then ecstatically and unitively in themselves. Each progressively higher level of contemplation is simpler and contains those below it. Secondly, the affect abandons its lesser desires for temporal and spiritual goods, and instead focuses its desire on the Good, which is the wellspring of all lower goods. Finally, and foundationally, simplification describes the movements of the powers of the soul, which unite as they ascend, increasingly reflecting the divine simplicity. This culminates with the affect's union with God, which undividedly contains within itself all lower forms of knowledge and love. When this fleeting union with God ends, the soul descends, becoming multiplex again, but it carries with it an inflow of graces, both intellectual and affectual, which are distributed to each order of its hierarchy "according to the capacity of each". This refreshment allows for future ascent
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2011
Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Theology

Este trabalho sustenta que o teólogo cristão do início do século VI conhecido como Pseudo Dionísio Areopagita exerce profunda influência no pensamento do teólogo e filósofo medieval Tomás de Aquino (1225-1274). Essa influência se dá principalmente em dois temas fundamentais da filosofia tomasiana: negatividade e participação. Negatividade diz respeito ao caráter de mistério que envolve as essências mais íntimas dos seres desde a natureza visível e o homem até o princípio de todas as coisas, Deus e que, portanto, não são plenamente compreensíveis para o entendimento humano. Participação se refere ao fato de que, por outro lado, o mundo participa do ser de Deus e, por isso, revela traços do divino, ainda que de modo deficiente e remoto. Dada essa influência de Dionísio, Tomás de Aquino não pode ser considerado um pensador racionalista, com respostas definitivas para todos os problemas da existência, como costuma ser visto por epígonos o que constitui uma deturpação do pensamento tomasiano, marcado pela consciência da insuficiência da razão. Para Tomás, não é possível aos homens ter clareza absoluta sobre qualquer assunto, daí, por exemplo, a necessidade de eles se conduzirem segundo a clássica doutrina cristã da prudência a virtude de agir corretamente, com base no límpido conhecimento da situação presente. Tendo em vista a negatividade e a participação, para o acesso às realidades mais profundas impõe-se o uso de metáforas, alegorias e símbolos, capazes de algum modo de se aproximar do que, afinal, é incognoscível. No que se refere ao conhecimento de Deus, a via de acesso é a mística entendida como uma experiência com o Absoluto que se dá num plano além da razão, e não aquém , uma vez que todo discurso racional, afinal, fala mais do homem do que de Deus. Como conclusão, este trabalho propõe que o pensamento negativo do Pseudo Dionísio Areopagita e de Tomás de Aquino precisa ser mais conhecido também por educadores, pois ele permite uma visão diferente da realidade, uma visão menos lógico-racionalista que tantos problemas tem trazido à sociedade contemporânea e mais sensível, lúdica e profunda, portanto, mais humana. No anexo, é apresentada a tradução, direta do original grego, do livro Da teologia mística, do Pseudo Dionísio Areopagita.
This dissertation argues that the Christian theologian of the early sixth century known as Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagite exerts profound influence on the thought of medieval theologian and philosopher Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). This influence is mainly on two major topics of Aquinas philosophy: negativity and participation. Negativity means the character of mystery that involves the most intimate essence of beings from the natural world and man to the cause of all things, God and therefore not fully comprehensible to human understanding. Participation refers to the fact that, on the other hand, the world participates in the being of God and, therefore, shows traces of the divine, even in a poor and remote way. Given the influence of Dionysius, Aquinas can not be regarded as a rationalist thinker, with definitive answers to all problems of existence, as is often seen by followers which is a perversion of Aquinass thought, marked by awareness of the insufficiency of reason. For Aquinas, it is not possible for men to have absolute clarity on any issue, then, for example, requiring them to conduct themselves according to the classical Christian doctrine of prudence the virtue of doing right, based on clear understanding of the current situation. Given the negativity and participation, accessing deeper realities requires the use of metaphors, allegories and symbols, which are able somehow to get closer to that, after all, is unknowable. With regard to knowledge of God, the way of access is the mystique understood as an experience of the Absolute that is given beyond reason, and not short , since all rational discourse, after all, speaks more about man than about God. In conclusion, this study suggests that the negative thought of Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagite and Thomas Aquinas should be more well known by educators, because it allows a different view of reality, less logical-rationalist that has brought many problems to contemporary society and more sensitive, playful and profound, therefore, more human. The annex includes a translation directly from the original Greek of The mystical theology, by Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagite.

The aim of this study is twofold: to identify the theological purpose underlying the depiction of angels at certain key points in the history of their use, and to explore how far that deeper theological rationale can be re-appropriated for our own day. This study first traces the progression of the angelic motif in the Hebrew Scriptures. By examining numerous pericopes in the Pentateuch, major prophets and Daniel, I demonstrate that the metamorphosis of higher-order beings like the angel of the Lord, cherubim and seraphim, is directly related to the writers' desire to enhance God's transcendence. Next, I evaluate pseudo-Denys' hierarchical angelology, which prominent theologians like Luther and Calvin condemned as little more than a Neoplatonic scheme for accessing God through angels. I propose that not only has pseudo-Denys' Neoplatonism been overstated, but that his angelology is particularly noteworthy for the way it accentuates Christ's eucharistic immanence to the Church. Then I maintain that because assessments of Aquinas' angelology are often based upon the Summa Theologiae, his views are wrongly portrayed as overtly philosophical, rather than biblical and exegetical. In his lesser-known biblical commentaries, however, Aquinas pushes the semantic range of the word ‘angel' to include aspects of the physical world, which unveils an imaginative, Christocentric, and scriptural dimension of his angelology that is rarely acknowledged. The conclusion considers how contemporary figures and movements relate to these three angelologies. Barth emphasises the transcendent God but unlike Hebrew Scripture, weakens connections between God and angels. New Ageism affirms the immanent angel but unlike pseudo-Denys, does so at the expense of Christology and ecclesiology. Contemporary ecological discourse generally lacks Aquinas' appreciation for an imaginative, supernatural approach to the world. Finally, I ground the angels' relationship to transcendence, immanence and imagination in an experiential, eucharistic context.

L’ambition de cette thèse, qui se présente en sept chapitres regroupés en trois parties, est de reprendre l’ensemble du Corpus dionysien pour en définir un principe de cohérence : la théologie négative. Dans le sillage des recherches antérieures, souvent centrées sur une des œuvres qui lui sont attribuées ou sur une thématique particulière, on s’est interrogé sur l’histoire et la complexité de plusieurs concepts centraux de l’œuvre : théologie négative, symbole, hiérarchie. Et, en proposant de considérer la Hiérarchie ecclésiastique comme l’achèvement du Corpus – c’est au bref traité de la Théologie mystique qu’on attribuait volontiers cette place – nous montrons comment l’apophase ou la théologie négative s’enrichit, s’approfondit, d’une dimension liturgique, au-delà de l'affirmation et de la négation
The purpose of this thesis, consisting of seven chapters grouped under three sections, is to reconsider the whole dionysian Corpus and to define the principle of its consistency, that is negative theology. Following the previous research, often focusing on one of the treatises or a main theme, we start with the history and the complexity of several key concepts within the Corpus: negative theology, symbol, hierarchy. We suggest that Ecclesiastical Hierarchy should be considered as the final step of Dionysius’ theology (rather than Mystical Theology as usually), and that leads us to study how the apophasis or the negative theology deepens into a liturgical dimension, beyond affirmation and negation

This project traces shifts in understandings of causation from the premodern to the early modern period, focusing on one premodern interpretation of causation as representative of the Neoplatonic period, that of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, and comparing this perspective to several early modern thinkers, especially, Isaac Newton, Rene Descartes, John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Francis Bacon. For Dionysius, formal and final causation have metaphysical superiority over efficient and material causation. By contrast, beginning in the early modern period, efficient causation, the sense that describes how an object acquires a particular shape, begins to be seen as metaphysically supreme. The main historical and philosophical reasons for this shift in perceived supremacy are the affirmation of the primary-secondary quality distinction, and the rejection of Forms and teleology. The primary-secondary quality distinction allows for reality to be completely quantified, and thereby renders superfluous qualitative approaches to reality, such as formal causation. Similarly, the rejection of Forms and teleology leaves formal causation meaningless. After this historical overview, the philosophical hypothesis that Dionysius's premodern understanding of causation is more amenable to those who want to avoid nihilism is defended: purely scientific notions of causation have no means for providing whatness, intelligibility, or determinacy to the world in a rationally defensible manner, and thus, when pressed, a purely scientific view of the world is without whatness, intelligibility, and determinacy, which, by definition, leads to nihilism. By contrast, a world with causes other than solely scientific causes, specifically, a world with formal (and final) causation such as Dionysius's, allows for whatness, intelligibility, and determinacy, and thereby escapes nihilism because whatness requires Form, intelligibility requires Form and teleology, and determinacy requires teleology (which, in turn, is a supplement to Form). As argued, science studies the world of becoming, and therefore cannot provide the grounds for the world of being (which belongs to metaphysics); to live in a world of pure becoming without being is to have a nihilistic worldview. The epilogue draws a significant implication from this conclusion: the premodern approach invites a necessary revival of natural philosophy because the world of becoming is wider than modern science acknowledges.

Abstract The research presented in this dissertation is an examination of the manuscript tradition of John Scottus Eriugena’s Latin translation (the Versio Dionysii) of the Greek works of Dionysius the pseudo-Areopagite. The goal of this project is fourfold: first, to establish the relationship between the extant families of the manuscripts; second, to re-examine the state of Greek studies in the 9th century based on the relationship between the manuscript families; third, to trace the continued use of these recensions through the 12th century; and, finally, to examine Eriugena’s interpretation of the writings of the pseudo-Areopagite based on the Irishman’s translations of certain philosophic ideas. The First chapter establishes the existence of three distinct recensions, rather than two, as previously thought. Two of these recensions represent attempted corrections of the third. All three recensions (together with their corrections) are attributable to Eriugena (whether directly or indirectly). The second chapter examines the level of Eriugena’s understanding of Greek, especially within the context of the state of Greek studies in the 9th century. Special attention is given to the corrections of the later recensions, which suggest an improvement in Eriugena’s Hellenism. The third chapter examines the continued use of the Versio’s during the Middle Ages through the 12th century, with special care to clarify which recensions were known to which readers. The fourth and final chapter presents the originality of Eriugena’s interpretation of the pseudo-Areopagite’s thought. This originality stems in part from his understanding of the Greek text, and in part from his attempts to harmonize his sources.

English annotation - The Negative theology in writings of the Denys the Areopagite In this thesis I am trying to describe the middle way of testifying about God, his presence, his being, about his activity in the soul of men and his activity in the World. This way is known as the apophatic way or the way of negations. For better understanding we need to concern with authors like Platon and his followers. From patristic Fathers I choused the Gregory of Nyssa whom I am using like a bridge to get to the Denys the Areopagite and his teaching. "Modern" influences of Arepagite's teaching I follow in the book The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church written by Russian author Vladimir Lossky. Crucial words: negative theology, negative way, the way of apophasis, testifying about God, Denys the Areaopagite, Platon, the Eastern Church, Vladimir Lossky.

Rozprawa niniejsza poświęcona jest analizie myśli Maksyma Wyznawcy, najwybitniejszego siódmowiecznego przedstawiciela patrystyki greckiej, a nawet (stosując określenie H.-G. Becka) „najbardziej uniwersalnego umysłu” tego stulecia. Wychodząc od paralelnych poszukiwań kontekstu historycznego, biograficznego i doktrynalnego, rozważam jego poglądy pod kątem ich wewnętrznej ewolucji, a także późniejszego oddziaływania. W części pierwszej, zatytułowanej Dziedzictwo, splatam ze sobą analizę wybranych wątków recepcji Maksymowego dorobku w tradycji średniowiecznej (bizantyjskiej oraz łacińskiej) z wybranymi wątkami recepcji dwudziestowiecznej (przyjmując jako swoisty paradygmat współczesnych sporów badawczych głośną polemikę pomiędzy H. U. von Balthasarem i P. Sherwoodem wokół Balthasarowskiego dzieła Kosmische Liturgie). Czynię to z zamiarem ukazania trwałości dziedzictwa Wyznawcy, a zarazem po to, by zilustrować genezę współczesnych sporów badawczych wokół tegoż dziedzictwa. Część pierwszą zamykam metodologicznym wstępem do dalszego ciągu rozprawy. Część druga, zatytułowana Twórczość Maksyma na tle jego żywota, stanowi trzon pracy. Kluczem tematycznym, który ma ułatwić równoległe śledzenie itinerarium vitae i itinerarium mentis myśliciela są jego wędrówki po rozległych obszarach greckiego Wschodu i łacińskiego Zachodu. Rozpoczynając podróż od Palestyny, prawdopodobnego miejsca narodzin i wczesnych lat monastycznej formacji Wyznawcy, stawiam pytanie o jego pierwotne środowisko intelektualne i o źródłową doktrynalną tożsamość (rozdziały pierwszy i drugi części drugiej). Określiwszy zasadniczą przynależność Maksyma do chrystologicznego stronnictwa „neochalcedońskiego”, pytam następnie o stosunek Wyznawcy do tradycji orygenistycznych. Sytuowanie tego ostatniego zagadnienia w kontekście palestyńskim podyktowane jest nie tyle samą chronologią (najważniejsze antyorygenistyczne utwory pisarza powstały w okresie już po opuszczeniu przez niego ojczyzny), ile próbą wpisania owego zagadnienia w sekwencję odzwierciedlającą rozwój myśliciela. W takiej to logice ujmuję następnie Maksymowe zaangażowanie w dyskusje chrystologiczne: nad interpretacją Dionizjańskiego wyrażenia „jedna/nowa teandryczna energia”, nad interpretacją pojęcia woli i wreszcie – źródłowego dla tamtych dwóch – zagadnienia Chrystusowych natur. Owa pierwsza kwestia, związana z działaniem bogoludzkim, która historycznie wywołała spór monoenergetyczny, w sensie geograficznym została po raz pierwszy (w wieku VII) postawiona w związku z próbą zjednoczenia w Aleksandrii współistniejących dwóch hierarchii kościelnych – chalcedońskiej i miafizyckiej. Ów wątek aleksandryjski jest dla mnie przyczynkiem do zbadania ewentualnej obecności i dalszych związków Wyznawcy z tym miastem (rozdział trzeci części drugiej). Analizuję ten biograficzny problem z zamiarem ukazania możliwości kształcenia myśliciela właśnie w Aleksandrii i to kształcenia filozoficznego, kontynuującego w pewnym zakresie tradycję tamtejszej słynnej neoplatońskiej „szkoły”. Wreszcie, odnosząc się do wieloletniego pobytu Maksyma w Afryce Prokonsularnej, wskazuję na jego prawdopodobne kontakty ze szkołą w Nisibis (wynikające z faktu, iż syryjscy mnisi znajdowali w tym regionie azyl) oraz z tradycją łacińską, przede wszystkim Augustyńską (rozdział czwarty części drugiej). Te poszukiwania prowadzą mnie ku analizie późnych losów Wyznawcy: ostatecznego wygnania i męczeństwa, które później – w sposób przedstawiony w pracy w części pierwszej – wpłynęły na kształt recepcji także i jego dziedzictwa intelektualnego. Ten skomplikowany związek wyznania jako męczeństwa i jako konfesji filozoficzno-teologicznej skłania mnie do postawienia w zakończeniu rozprawy pytania o problem przeznaczenia człowieka i myśliciela.
This dissertation is dedicated to the analysis of the thought of Maximus the Confessor, the most important representative of the seventh-century Greek patristics or even, as H.-G. Beck once remarked, «the most universal mind» of that century. Originating from parallel research of the historical, biographical and doctrinal context, I consider his views, their inner evolution, as well as their influence to come. In the first part, entitled The Legacy, I combine the analysis of selected threads of Maximus‘ output in Byzantine and Latin medieval tradition with selected trains of reception in the twentieth century (acknowledging the famous polemic between H. U. von Balthasar and P. Sherwood on Balthasar’s work, Kosmische Liturgie, as a kind of a paradigm in contemporary scholar dispute). This is aimed at emphasizing the durability of Maximus’ legacy, but also to illustrate the genesis of modern day scientific dispute concerning this heritage. A methodological preface of the later course of the thesis encloses the first part. The second part, entitled The work and life of Maximus, constitutes the main part of the dissertation. The philosopher’s journeys through distant areas of Greek East and Latin West serve as a thematic key allowing to trace and simultaneously investigate both his itinerarium vitae and itinerarium mentis. Setting out in Palestine, the probable place of the Confessors’ birth and monastic formation, I raise the question of his original intellectual environment and source doctrinal identity (chapters I and II of the second part). Having determined Maximus’ fundamental affiliation with the christological «neo-Chalcedonian» party, I inquire about his attitude towards various origenist traditions. Location of the last issue in Palestinian context is not dictated by sole chronology (since the most remarkable antiorigenist works of the writter came into being in a period after he departed from his homeland), but rather by an attempt to inscribe that very issue in the thinker’s development sequency. Such logic allows me to carry on by presenting Maximus’ engagement in christological discussions: on interpretation of the Dionisian term « one/ new theandric energy », on the interpretation of the notion of will and finally, the primary for these two - the issue of Christ’s natures. The first question, connected with God-human activity, which