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.     

GOD's PRISONERS: PENAL CONFINEMENT AND THE CREATION OF PURGATORY

This essay explores two events that occurred in the thirteenth century: the decree normalizing the prison as the fundamental disciplinary apparatus in the first universal system of law (canon law) and the formal recognition by the Catholic Church of the existence of Purgatory. It will be suggested that this simultaneity was far from coincidental. The penal colony known as Purgatory reflected in nearly exact detail the contours of the earthly prison. Implications for modern theology will then be discussed.     

NOT EXPLANATION BUT SALVATION: SCIENTIFIC THEOLOGY, CHRISTOLOGY, AND SUFFERING

The view that Christian belief is explanatory is widespread in contemporary theology, apologetics, and philosophy of religion and it has received particular impetus from attempts to correlate science and Christianity. This article proposes an account of explanatory thinking in theology based on the principle that theological explanations should be disciplined by the internal logic of Scripture. Arthur Peacocke's biologically construed Christology and Alister McGrath's argument that suffering is an anomaly in the Christian explanatory scheme are shown to yield theological results which are inconsistent with this principle. This article's theological argument complements philosophical criticisms of the view that religious belief is explanatory.