THE RECEPTION OF DIONYSIUS UP TO MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR

There are various odd features about the initial reception of the Corpus Dionysiacum in the sixth century. The reception was, at first, slow and mainly concerned the few, controversial Christological assertions of the CD. The influence of the CD was mediated through a single edition, complete with introduction, variant readings, and scholia, all furnished by John of Scythopolis. The initial reception of the CD in the Syriac world seems very different: independent (at least to begin with) of Scythopolis’ edition, and deeply Origenistic. Yet, in other ways, the CD reflects the kind of historical interests we find elsewhere in the sixth century.     

THE EARLIEST SYRIAC RECEPTION OF DIONYSIUS1

This essay examines the earliest Syriac reception of the Corpus Dionysiacum in the first decades of the sixth century. This reception is earlier than the standard Greek reception and moves us closer, I hypothesize, to the original text and context of the CD than do the subsequent Greek edition and commentaries of John of Scythopolis. The principal texts associated with the earliest Syriac reception all betray the influence of “Origenism,” which, I argue, reflects the original milieu of the author of the CD. I conclude this essay with some thoughts on how an acknowledgement of the Origenism of the CD complicates our understanding of “orthodoxy” and “heresy” during this period.     

THE RECEPTION OF DIONYSIUS IN TWENTIETH‐CENTURY EASTERN ORTHODOXY

This essay surveys diverse interpretations of the CD by twentieth‐century Eastern Orthodox theologians. This essay argues that the evaluation of Dionysius' contribution crucially depends upon the master narrative within which the CD is considered. For example, for Vladimir Lossky, Dionysius' apophaticism was the “dogmatic ground” of Byzantine mystical theology, whereas according to John Meyendorff, Dionysius' theology was in need of a “Christological corrective” later provided in the theologies of Maximus the Confessor and Gregory Palamas. The points of contact and contrast between Dionysian mystical theology and Russian sophiology are also discussed. Finally, this essay argues that modern Orthodox readings of the CD are characterized by a profound irony: while they are in various degrees indebted to the Western intellectual tradition (as, for example, Christos Yannaras is to Heidegger), Orthodox theologians often use Dionysius to forge an anti‐Western Orthodox theological identity.     

CUSANUS ON DIONYSIUS: THE TURN TO SPECULATIVE THEOLOGY1

Nicholas of Cusa owed a substantial debt to Dionysius the Areopagite. The debt is present in On Learned Ignorance (1440) and intensifies in the later works. This essay explores the nature of the debt, focusing on the way in which Cusanus re‐writes the vision he receives from the Areopagite. One discovers in his reading a certain anticipation of the Hegelian dialectic (with which it is ultimately not identical) and a deep continuity with patristic and medieval authorities in areas such as christology and pneumatology. All in all, Cusanus reads the work of Dionysius as the ideal form of speculative theology.     

TAKING EXCEPTION TO THE GRENZFALL'S RECEPTION: REVISITING KARL BARTH'S ETHICS OF WAR

This article investigates Karl Barth's ethics of war and its reception by placing the discussion within the larger framework of the general ethics of Church Dogmatics II/2 and the special ethics of Church Dogmatics III/4. It gives careful attention to the infamously problematic “exceptional case” to illumine what sort of “exception,” if any, the provocative passages on war entail. The outlines of Barth's ethical framework and the Grenzfall, or borderline case, provide the background for the re‐evaluation of three common interpretations of his views on war.     

HOW TO DEFEAT BELIEF IN THE EXTERNAL WORLD

Abstract:  I defend the view that there is a privileged class of propositions – that there is an external world, among other such 'hinge propositions'– that possess a special epistemic status: justified belief in these propositions is not defeated unless one has sufficient reason to believe their negation. Two arguments are given for this conclusion. Finally, three proposals are offered as morals of the preceding story: first, our justification for hinge propositions must be understood as defeatable, second, antiskeptics must explain our knowledge in the face of 'actual world' skepticism (like dreaming skepticism) as much as in the face of the usual sort (like brain-in-vat skepticism), and, finally, our justification for hinge propositions is basic (i.e. non-inferential).     

HUMANITY IN THE WORLD OF LIFE

Abstract. The position and role of humanity in the world of life is examined in the light of the ontological structure of life itself. This problem is approached by considering the possible units of life representing various modes of life phenomena. I argue that the only meaningful unit of life without interposing some special external conditions is "global life" framed in a star-planet system. Any other possible unit of life exhibited by various kinds of individuals is conditional in the sense that it would leave out an essential part as "co-life." The relationship between human being and the global life should be understood in this general scheme of individual and global life. It is emphasized, however, that human being occupies a unique position in global life in the sense that humanity can promote either a cancerous situation or a healthy higher-order enhancement of the global life.     

DIONYSIUS,PAUL AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PSEUDONYM

This essay interprets the CD through the lens of the pseudonym, Dionysius the Areopagite, and the corresponding influence of Paul. First, this essay argues that the author of the CD writes under the name of Dionysius the Areopagite in order to suggest that, following Paul, he will effect a new rapprochement between the wisdom of pagan Athens and the revelation of God in Christ. Second, this essay demonstrates how crucial Paul is for Dionysius' own “apophatic anthropology,” that is, his view of how the human self that would solicit union with the “unknown God” must also become somehow “unknown.” Finally, this essay hazards a final hypothesis regarding the significance of the pseudonym: that the practice of pseudonymous writing is itself an ecstatic devotional practice in the service of “unknowing” both God and self.     

GOD AND THE WORLD OF SIGNS: INTRODUCTION TO PART 2

We introduce the second part of a two‐part collection of articles exploring a possible new research program in the field of science and religion. At the center of the program lies an attempt to develop a new theology of nature drawing on the philosophy of C. S. Peirce. Our overall idea is that the fundamental structure of the world is exactly that required for the emergence of meaning and truth‐bearing representation. We understand the emergence of a capacity to interpret an environment to be important to the emergence of life, and we see the subsequent history of biological evolution as a story of increasing capacities for meaning‐making and ‐seeking. Theologically, we understand God to be the ground of all such meaning‐making and the ultimate goal of the universe's emerging capacity for interpreting signs. Here we summarize the articles in Part 1, which focused on scientific and philosophical aspects of the research program, and introduce Part 2, which turns to the theological outworking of the project.     

THE PLACE OF FAITH IN A WORLD OF FACT

Abstract. The relation of religion and science is presented in terms of the interrelationship of domains generated within a reflexive real world concept by status assignment. The domain of religion is articulated by the concepts of ultimacy, totality, and eternity, which are boundary conditions on all status assignments. The domain of science is a status assignment, that of determining the facts and constraints of the real world, and is articulated by the concepts of empiricism, objectivity, and order. The interrelationship of domains is illustrated by examining the concepts of order, disorder, entropy, evil, freedom, creation, and resurrection.     

PSYCHOLOGY IN THE CONTEXT OF THIRD WORLD DEVELOPMENT

Unlike other social sciences, psychology has for long remained outside the orbit of social change and national development. Because of the very nature of socio-economic development that is taking place in the Third World countries, psychology has a distinct role. Temporal compression and cacophonic nature of changes have caused conditions of instability that have brought to the fore many socio-psychological problems requiring immediate attention. The role of psychology in this context and the factors underlying the limited impact it has made so far have been discussed. Some robust findings in psychology that have obvious implications for policy formulation and action programme are outlined.