Gregory Palamas’ Metaphysics of Light

Patrícia Calvário is a post-doctoral fellow at the Institut Supérieur de Philosophie of the Université Catholique de Louvain, supported by the “Fonds Spécial de Recherche”. Her current project, (Un)knowable Essence: Beatific Vision in Second Scholasticism, explores the Vision of God in the 17th century. Her research interests include Greek Patristics, Hesychasm, and the Beatific Vision.

Contents


Preface


Acknowledgements


Notes on the Translation of Technical Terms





Introduction


 1 The Problem and Its History


 2 Gregory Palamas


 3 Hesychasm


 4 Monasticism


 5 Controversy with Barlaam of Calabria


 6 The Works of Palamas and the Controversy


 7 Philosophy and Theology


 8 Energeiai


 9 Metaphysics of Light


 10 Questions and Paths to Be Developed





1 The Contemporary Reception of Palamas





2 Genesis of the Palamite Controversy


 1 Procession of the Holy Spirit


 2 The Criticism of the Latin Position on the Procession of the Holy Spirit


 3 The Demonstration in Theology


 4 First Critiques to the Theory of Illumination





3 Light and the Psychophysical Method


 1 Components of the Method


 2 Descriptions of the Method





4 Light and the Place of the Heart


 1 The Natural Center


 2 The Metaphysical Center





5 Light and Corporeality


 1 The Body as the Completeness of the Image of God


 2 Impassibility


 3 Anticipated Eschatology of the Body





6 Light and Deification


 1 The (Super)Natural Character of Deification





7 Light and Vision


 1 Intellectual Perception or Spiritual Senses


 2 Modes of “Perception” of Light


 3 Vision and Epektasis





8 Light and Knowledge


 1 The Faculties of Human Being


 2 Natural Knowledge


 3 Supernatural Knowledge





9 Metaphysics of Light


 1 Transfiguration: from the Light of the Logos to the Hesychast Light


 2 The Nature of Light





Concluding Remarks


Bibliography


Index