In this episode, we tackle one of the most important figures in the history of religion, philosophy, mysticism & the esoteric - the writer calling himself Dionysios, and who would create a synthesis between Neoplatonic philosophy and Christianity in ways the echoed down the centuries.
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Music by:
Filip Holm
Sources/Recomended Reading:
Lossky, Vladimir (1944). "The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church". James Clarke & Co.
Luibheid, Colm (Translated by) (1987). "Pseudo-Dionysius: The Complete Works". Classics of Western Spirituality. Paulist Press International.
McGinn, Bernard. "The Presence of God" Series, in several volumes. Perhaps the best and most comprehensive introduction to Christian mysticism. Published by Crossroad Publishing Co.
McGinn, Bernard (2001). "The Mystical Thought of Meister Eckhart: The Man From Whom God Hid Nothing". Crossroad Publishing Co.
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Entry on Pseudo-Dionysius: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pseudo-dionysius-areopagite/
Earl's section:
Human and celestial hierarchies compared: EH 373AB, 376BC; CH 208BCD; EH 501A-D.
Angelic triads: CH 200D: 3 threefold groups of angels, as taught by Pseudo-D's sacred initiator (i.e. Hierotheos); CH 257C: each angelic triad has Iamblichean-style first and last terms with a necessary median term. Cf. Iamb. De myst. V.8.225.5-8; CH 273C ditto; EH 501A: triads au go-go.
Angelic mediation between humans and god: CH 180A. God never appears without intermendiaries, even to the saints: m180C. Even to Jesus: 181C. Long discussion of Isaiah and the Seraphim: 300B ff.
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:18 Who was Dionysius?
10:38 Writings
12:59 Theology & The Divine Names
26:10 The Mystical Theology
35:29 The Celestial & Ecclesiastical Hierarchy (Earl Fontainelle)
51:12 Legacy
54:59 Conclusions
#dionysius #mysticism #neoplatonism