Light on Creation (eBook)

Cover 1
Preface 6
Table of Contents 10
I. The Middle- and Neoplatonic Tradition 12
Mauro Bonazzi: Middle Platonists on the Eternity of the Universe 14
I. The Old Academics and Middle Platonistson the Eternity of the Universe 15
II. Middle Platonists and the Hellenistic Debate 19
Sarah Klitenic Wear: The Position and Function of the Demiurge in Syrianus’s Cosmos 28
I. Introduction 28
II. Syrianus on the Cosmic Place of the Demiurge 29
III. The Demiurge and the Paradigm 34
IV. The Demiurge and the Hypostasis Soul, World Soul 36
V. The Demiurge and Psychic Life 38
VI. Conclusion 40
Lorenzo Ferroni: Proclus, in Timaeum, II, 340.14–341.24 Diehl. Some Textual Remarks 42
I. Ab Ernesto Diehl, of course, incipiendum 42
II. A Word on the Manuscript Tradition 44
III. An Appreciation of Diehl’s Critical Edition 47
Appendix. An Italian Translationof the Discussed Proclus Passage 58
Gerd Van Riel: How Can the Perceptible World be Perceptible? Proclus on the Causes of Perceptibility 60
II. The Christian Tradition 72
David C. DeMarco: Basil of Caesarea’s Exegesis of the Heavens in Homiliae in hexaemeron 3 74
I. The Structure of Homily 3 75
II. Synthesis 92
Appendix: Outline of Homily 3 95
Volker Henning Drecoll: The Use of Scripture in Basil’s Homilies in Hexaemeron 98
I. The Use of Biblical Quotations – Some Formal Observations 99
II. No Allegory, Please 103
III. The Deeper Sense 108
Samuel Pomeroy: Representing the Jews: John Chrysostom’s Use of Exegetical and Theological Traditions for Gen 1:26a (In Gen. hom. 8) 116
I. Introduction 116
II. Patristic Authors and the ‘Jewish’ Exegesis of Gen 1:26a 119
1. Prooimium and Exegesis in In Gen. hom. 8 119
2. Views Prior to Basil of Caesarea 122
3. Basil’s Hexaemeron 124
4. John Chrysostom, Basil, and the Sources of Pro-Nicene Theology 127
III. Contextual Concerns: Syrian Biblical Exegesis 132
1. Immediate Circle 132
2. Other Texts 133
3. Targumic Circle 134
IV. Conclusion 136
David L. Dusenbury: Judaic Authority in Nemesius of Emesa’s De natura hominis (390 CE) 138
I. Hellenic, Judaic, and Christian Scripturesin De natura hominis § 42 139
II. ‘Words of Moses’ in the De natura hominis 146
1. Moses and the Wisdom of the Demiurge 147
2. Moses and the Shock of Recognition 147
3. Moses and the Harmony of Reason 149
4. Moses and the Generation of Souls – by Way of Eunomius of Cyzicus 150
III. ‘Doctrines of the Hebrews’ in the De natura hominis 151
1. The Hebrews and Bodily Immortality – by Way of Theophilus of Antioch 152
2. ‘A Doctrine of the Hebrews’ – by Way of Psalm 104 156
3. The Hebrews and creatio ex abysso – by Way of Apollinaris of Laodicea 158
4. The Hebrews and True Divination – by Way of Pythagoras Palaestinus 160
IV. Conclusions 166
Benjamin Gleede: Christian Apologetics or Confessional Polemics? Context and Motivation of Philoponus’ De opificio mundi 168
Paul M. Blowers: From Nonbeing to Eternal Well-Being: Creation ex nihilo in the Cosmology and Soteriology of Maximus the Confessor 180
I. Maximus and the Polyvalence of Creation ex nihilo 181
1. First Principles of Creation ex nihilo in Maximus 181
2. The “Nothing” from which the Creator Creates 183
II. Maximus on the Logos and Mythos of Creation ex nihilo 187
1. Making Something of Nothing: Logos and Logoi 187
2. Maximus’s Refreshed Mythos of the “Recapitulation” of Creationin Jesus Christ 190
3. Creatio ex nihilo et continua: The Logos’s Relentless and Enduring Actionin the World 192
III. Conclusion 195
Clement Kuehn: Christ Hero. An Epic Commentary on Creation 198
Introduction 198
I. Lady in Distress 202
II. Sailing 206
III. Strange Lands and Stranger Creatures 209
IV. Offspring and Divine Assistance 213
V. Enemies and Battles 218
VI. The Bride 227
Conclusion 232
Dimitrios Zaganas: The Debate on Gen 1:1–3 According to Anastasius Sinaita’s Hexaemeron 236
I. Debating the Principle(s) 236
1. Greeks and Christians on the Origin of the World (Gen 1:1a) 237
2. Anastasius of Sinai and Michael Psellus: Two Different Accounts of a CommonSource 241
3. The Making of a Fictitious Debate 243
II. Debating the Elements 244
1. Heaven and Earth 244
2. Light and Fire 245
3. Darkness and Light 247
III. Conclusion: Anastasius Between Reportingand Creating Debates and Aporias 250
III. Some Other Voices 252
Gregory E. Sterling: “The Most Perfect Work”: The Role of Matter in Philo of Alexandria 254
I. Two Principles 256
II. A Description of Matter 260
III. Five Presuppositions 265
IV. Conclusion 266
Claudio Moreschini: Calcidius between Creatio Ex Nihilo and Platonism 270
I. Creatio ex nihilo and Christian Thought 270
II. Calcidius 271
III. Calcidius’ Sources 273
IV. Chronology of Calcidius and Hosius 275
V. An Outline of Calcidius’ Platonism 278
VI. The Platonic Christian Calcidius 280
VII. Calcidius’ Christianity 281
VIII. The Platonic and Christian Calcidius 286
Gerard P. Luttikhuizen: Gnostic Views on the Origin and the Nature of the Universe 288
I. The Meta-Cosmic Realm of the True God 289
II. The Origin of the Demiurge and his Demonic World 292
III. The Lower World 296
IV. The Relationship between Greek Philosophicaland Biblical-Jewish Influences 298
Index of Modern Authors 300
Index of Ancient Texts and Authors 306
Index of Biblical References 323
Old Testament 323
New Testament 324