Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, also known as pseudo-Denys, is the name scholars have given to an anonymous theologian and philosopher of the fifth or sixth century, who wrote a collection of books, the Corpus Areopagiticum, falsely ascribed to Dionysius the Areopagite, a convert of St. Paul from Athens. However, through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, this pseudonym was so convincing that it carried an almost apostolic authority on Neo-Platonism and Christian theological doctrines. Out of the works of Pseudo-Dionysius the Aeropagite, four treatises and ten letters currently survive including the Divine Names, Celestial Hierarchy, Mystical Theology, Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, and various others.
Philosophy
His works are mystical and are characterized by the Neoplatonic tendencies that were developed by the Platonic Academy in Athens. For example he uses Plotinus' well known analogy of a sculptor cutting away that which does not enhance the desired image. He shows familiarity with Proclus, which indicates he wrote no earlier than the 5th century, as well as influence from Saint Clement of Alexandria, the Cappadocian Fathers, Origen, and others.
He also incorporates Christian theology within this Neoplatonic context, which, despite certain tensions that it creates, was a significant mode of philosophy that sought to reconcile pagan and Christian ideas. Signature Neo-Platonic ideas that characterize his works include the idea of hierarchy of celestial (angels) and ecclesiatic authorities who dwell in ordered realms that emanate from God.
Identity
The Florentine humanist Lorenzo Valla (died 1457), in his commentaries on the New Testament, did much to establish that the author of the Corpus Areopagiticum could not have been St Paul's convert, though he was unable to identify the actual historical author. The fictitious literary persona, or literary device, had long been accepted on face value by all its readers, with a couple of exceptions, such as Nicholas of Cusa, who have been singled out by modern historians, but whose reservations went unheard. John Grocyn pursued Valla's lines of text criticism, and Valla's critical viewpoint of the authorship of the highly influential Corpus was accepted and publicized by Erasmus from 1504 onward.
Reference
- Pseudo Dionysius: The Complete Works, 1987, Paulist Press, ISBN 0809128381
See also
- Christian Meditation
- St. Dionysus Institute in Paris
- Vladimir Lossky
External links
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
- Commentary by Clarence Rolt (from 1920) on pseudo-Dionysius's works (available in.pdf, HTML, and.txt format)
Works available online
- Celestial Hierarchy (HTML)
- Mystical Theology (Theologica Mystica) (HTML)
- Works (Corpus Areopagiticum) of pseudo-Dionysius including The Divine Names, Mystical Theology, Celestial Hierarchy, Ecclesiatial Hierarchy, and Letters (available in.pdf, HTML, and.txt format)
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