Pseudo-Denys the Areopagite on Divine Unity and Infinity
A Philosophical Analysis of On the Divine Names VIII and X-XII
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21803258 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Miklós Vassányi (0009-0003-2007-1041, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 84-97 |
| Publication date | 2021-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Vallástudományi Szemle (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1786-4062 • E-ISSN: 2939-6336 |
| Publisher | Karoli Gaspar Reformatus Egyetem (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.55193/rs.2021.1.84 |
| OpenAlex | W4213366468 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 2 |
In this paper, I propose to philosophically analyze how Denys conceives especially of divine unity and infinity in some of the closing parts of his major work On the Divine Names. In particular, I will argue that Part VIII understands divine infinity in terms of unbounded creativity; that Part X views God as the principle of cosmic unity; that Part XI points us to God as the source of overwhelming harmony; while Part XII – leading the way to Denys’ ultimate statement on the insufficiency of the divine names – looks at God as “ever receding.” After spelling out in more specific terms what these insights reveal to us of the Areopagite’s philosophical theology, I will try to put that theology into the broader historical context of Denys’ complex relationship with Neoplatonism, hoping in this manner to contribute to a hypothetical reconstruction of his intellectual profile
Art · Creativity · Divine Providence · Epistemology · Infinity · Theology · Classical Philosophy and Thought · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · History · Law · Mathematics · Medieval Philosophy and Theology · Philosophy
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |