an orthodox evaluation of certain teachings of eriugena

8/11/2019 An Orthodox Evaluation of Certain Teachings of Eriugena

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An Orthodox Evaluation of Certain Teachings in the Writingsof John Scotus Eriugena

in Light of the Theology of St Gregory Palamas

y !eacon Geoffrey "eady

http://web.archive.org/web/20031210140924/http://www.nireland.com/orthodox/eriugena.htm

Contents

Introduction

A Brief Life of John Scotus Eriugena

John Scotus Eriugena and St Gregory Palamas on the Doctrine of God

John Scotus Eriugena and St Gregory Palamas on the Doctrine of Man and His

Salvation

onclusion

Endnotes

Bi!liogra"hy

#ntroduction

He ma#es a "athetic and not undignified figure$ this eager$ slightly%!uilt Irishman$&ith his su!tle mind$ his studious ha!its$ his dee"ly reverent s"irit$

his almost fanatical devotion to the &ise men of former days$Pagan or hristian$ &ho had lived in the light of a &ider civilisation'

called u"on to fight the !attles of the (est &ith arms forged in the East$and re"rimanded even in the hour of con)uest for having transgressed the rules of the

field*

Alice Gardner$ Studies in John the Scot*

He deviated from the "ath of the Latins&hile he #e"t his eyes intently fi+ed on the Gree#s,

&herefore he &as re"uted an heretic*

(illiam of Malmes!ury$ de Pontificibus*

John Scotus Eriugena stands as a remar#a!le figure in the s"iritual history of thehristian (est* His native Ireland &as insula sanctorum- the .Isle of the Saints$. &here/rthodo+ hristianity$ "lanted !y Saint P0draig in the fifth century$ had ta#en such rootthat it had created an entire monastic culture and "roduced countless thousands ofglorified saints* By the ninth century$ ho&ever$ the A"ostolic and Patristic 1radition of

glorification &hich had transformed Ireland &as coming under an attac# &hich &ould
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ultimately "rove more devastating than those of the 2i#ings &ho &ere !y no& violentlyraiding monastic settlements along the Irish coasts*

In the arolingian 3ran#ish #ingdoms of (estern Euro"e$ a ne& and very different formof hristianity &as ta#ing sha"e as a result of the 3ran#s4 desire to distance themselvesfrom the centre of /rthodo+ hristianity at onstantino"le%5e& 6ome' the 3ran#s$

re7ecting the East 6omans as .Gree#s. and .heretics. in the infamous Libri Caroliniand atsynods in 3ran#fort and Aachen$ created a ne& 3ranco%Latin church !ased largely u"one+cesses in the theology of Augustine of Hi""o and an ecclesial "olity founded onfeudalism* /ver the follo&ing centuries$ this 3ranco%Latin faith &ould come entirely tosu""lant /rthodo+ hristianity in the (est$ !y ta#e%over 8the Patriarchate of 6ome in the99th century: and invasion 8the 5orman on)uests of 9;et in the mid%ninth century$ /rthodo+y &as far from a""earing as a lost cause in the (est' the3ran#ish innovations &ere o""osed !y Irish monastic foundations throughout thecontinent as &ell as 8&ith the e+ce"tion of during the Schism of Po"e 5icholas I: !y thePatriarchate of /ld 6ome itself$ es"ecially after the Eighth /ecumenical Synod of ?=@*

It is during this "eriod that &e find the Irishman$ John Scotus Eriugena$ coming among

the 3ran#s as schoolmaster at the court of harles the Bald$ the grandson ofharlemagne himself$ and "resenting to them the theology of the Irish monastic tradition&ithin &hich he &as raised* In order to defend the s"iritual e+"erience of glorification8theosis:$ he turned naturally to the East$ reading as much as "ossi!le of the Gree#%s"ea#ing 3athers*9Indeed$ des"ite the "re7udices of the 3ran#ish society in &hich hefound himself$ .all his sym"athies &ere &ith the East*.CAn .enthusiastic student ofByantine hristianity$.Eriugena dedicated himself to .finding the authentic hristiantruth in Gree# sources*.FInevita!ly$ though$ his a""roach and his teaching !rought himinto conflict &ith 3ranco%Latin scholastic theologians$ and he ended u" !eing condemnedfor his .heretical. vie&s*

(hile an e+haustive study of Eriugena from an /rthodo+ "ers"ective is !eyond the sco"e

of this "a"er$ &e shall evaluate certain as"ects of his doctrine of God and of man and hissalvation in light of the theology of an /rthodo+ 3ather$ St Gregory Palamas$ &ith &homhe may !e li#ened in some "rofound &ays* Both &ere .mystical theologians$. ma#ing the"rimary concern of their theology safeguarding the reality of man4s glorification in hrist*Both &ere dee"ly influenced !y the a""adocians$ !y St Ma+imos the onfessor and !ythe Araeo"agite cor"us* Both &ere dra&n reluctantly into controversy to defend /rthodo+s"iritual e+"erience against the s"eculations of scholastic theologians - s"eculationsfounded ultimately$ though neither Eriugena nor Palamas com"letely realised this$ u"onthe errors of Augustinianism*

It may !e o!7ected that$ des"ite these similarities$ an evaluation of Eriugena4s teachingsfrom a Palamite "ers"ective is inherently unfair$ since St Gregory lived and &rote some

four and a half centuries after Eriugena* >et &e should remem!er that$ unli#e the 3ranco%Latin (est$ /rthodo+y #no&s of no doctrinal develo"ment over time* As St GregoryPalamas himself attests$ the fullness of revelation and glorification &as given to theA"ostles at Pentecost, it has !een the res"onsi!ility of each succeeding generation$ notto add to that A"ostolic e+"erience$ !ut to e+"erience ane& the same glorification* (hatmay a""ear$ in the &ritings of the 3athers and the definitions of the /ecumenical Synods$as ne& doctrines$ are sim"ly the defence of this true s"iritual e+"erience against heresies&hich see# to undermine it* 1herefore$ &hat concerns us in our evaluation of theteaching of John Scotus Eriugena is not &hether or not he articulates his theology ine+actly the same terms as St Gregory Palamas - &hich &ould !e im"ossi!le* 6ather$using Palamite theology as a touchstone and summation of the /rthodo+ Patristic1radition$ &e shall attem"t to determine ho& successfully Eriugena is a!le to reclaim that

tradition to defend the e+"erience of glorification in his o&n day and theological conte+t*/n this !asis$ &hat is remar#a!le a!out Eriugena is that$ des"ite his isolation from andlimited access to the Gree#%s"ea#ing 3athers$ his theological .system$. &hile far from
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"erfect$ is sur"risingly harmonious &ith that of the un!ro#en /rthodo+ 1radition inherited!y St Gregory Palamas*

A $rief Life of John Scotus Eriugena

Before &e launch into our evalution of his theology$ it may "rove hel"ful to recall some ofthe im"ortant as"ects of Eriugena4s life* His name literally means John the Scot8i.e.Irishman:$!orn in Ireland 8/ld Irish$ riu, rinn:*


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disseminated or understood$ he esca"ed definite censure for centuries* It &as only in9CC that Po"e Honorius III ordered that all co"ies of the Periphyseonshould !e sent to6ome to !e solemnly !urned* 3ortunately$ this "roved unsuccessful$ allo&ing a fe&"eo"le$ nota!ly 5icolas of usa in the 9th century$ to study Eriugena4s &or#s* In 9


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good$ !ut more%than%&ise$ more%than%good$ and the li#e* He does not even fall under thecategory of bein!$ since He is more%than%!eing*$ctionand sufferin!may in Scri"ture !efre)uently "redicated of God* But such "redication is al&ays in a transferred orsym!olical sense*9?

At the outset of his &or#$ therefore$ Eriugena clearly follo&s the /rthodo+ 3athers in

recognising the limits of s"ea#ing or &riting theology* He states this elo)uently in Boo# IIof the Periphyseon$ &riting' .But all these things are more dee"ly and truly thought thanthey are "ut for&ard in s"eech$ and more dee"ly and truly understood than they arethought$ and they are of a dee"er and truer nature than they are understood to !e, theydefinitely transcend all understanding*.9@

Ex%erience& the #mmanence of God

Both St Gregory Palamas and John Scotus Eriugena "roceed from this realisation thatGod sur"asses all human #no&ledge to the assertion that He has nonetheless chosen toreveal Himself in "art to the &orld$ and es"ecially to those &ith true faith in Him* As &eshall see in the ne+t section$ St Gregory ma#es a distinction in God !et&een Histranscendent and un#no&a!le essence$ and His immanent and communica!le energies*By "artici"ating in these uncreated divine energies$ man attains an immediate #no&ledgeof God Himself 8though not His essence:* St Gregory stresses the e+"eriential andem"irical nature of this #no&ledge of God, #no&ing God is not "ossi!le !y "hiloso"hicals"eculation$ !ut only ac)uired !y an inner e+"erience of the reality$ an e+"eriencederived from "rayerful union &ith hrist &ho unites in Himself God and man*

Li#e Palamas$ Eriugena is an+ious to safeguard the "ossi!ility of real e+"erience of God&ithout undermining His a!solute transcendence* As one commentator e+"lains$ it is"recisely Eriugena4s !elief in the truth of the Bi!lical and Patristic 1radition &hich sets this"arado+ !efore him'

1o Scotus$ as to Dionysios and his "redecessors$ God &as the su"er%essential$ su"er%intellectual "rinci"le !eyond all !eing and thought$ though$ as a thin#ing man$ Scotus&as !ound to find some relation !et&een that "rinci"le and the &orld of nature and ofhumanity, and as a hristian man he &as !ound to !ring his as"iring theologicalconce"tions into some sort of accord &ith the moral and religious teaching of theScri"tures and of the 3athers of the hurch*C;

As he "roceeds to his e+"lanation of ho& it is "ossi!le to #no& the un#no&a!le God$Eriugena continues to follo& the Araeo"agite$ )uoting' .All divine things$ in so far as theyare manifested to us$ are #no&n only !y "artici"ation therein*.C9Li#e Palamas$ then$our Irish scholar insists that any true #no&ledge of God comes from e+"erience and"artici"ation$ not from rational thin#ing a!out Him* >et in descri!ing ho& this"artici"ation is "ossi!le$ Eriugena seems to stray some&hat from the /rthodo+ Patristic1radition$ suggesting that it is founded u"on a )ualitative similarity !et&een God and thehuman soul'

In so far as 8man: "arta#es of divine and heavenly e+istence$ he is not animal$ !utthrough his reason and intellect and his thoughts of the Eternal$ he shares in celestial!eing**** In that "art of him$ then$ is he made in the image of God$ &ith &hich alone Godholds converse in men that are &orthy*CC

In other &ords$ he a""ears to !e saying that it is "ossi!le for man to #no& God .!ecausein his inmost su!stance he is of God*.C

Eriugena clearly struggles &ith this "arado+ !ecause he does not ma#e the distinctionthat Palamas does !et&een God4s essence and energies 8see !elo&:* He #no&s enough$
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ho&ever$ to !ac# a&ay from suggesting that man can #no& God in His essence$ sayingthat this "artici"ation in God is not a vision of the .Invisi!le. 8even in the !eatific visionof the saints:$ !ut rather a vision of the .glory. of God*CFHe develo"s this idea !yusing the Araeo"agite4s teaching on .theo"hanies*. According to Eriugena$ God revealsHis glory in a uni)ue fashion to each angel and man according to the measure he is a!leto receive it*

Here Scotus stri#es more distinctly the note of su!7ectivity &hich mar#s all his system !yma#ing the theo"hany "ro"ortionate to the ca"acity of each mind$ &hether angelic orhuman* He inter"rets the saying .In My 3ather4s house are many mansions. as signifyingthe revelation made to each individual consciousness* As many as are the souls of thesaints$ so many are the divine theo"hanies*C

In Eriugena4s system$ though$ &ithout the essence-energies distinction$ it is never )uiteclear &hether these theo"hanies are sim"ly manifestations of God .through the mediumof creation$. or &hether the .higher manifestations. achieved !y saints are a true"artici"ation in God Himself 8&ithout actually #no&ing the Invisi!le God as %e is:*Cet$ des"ite this confusion$ Eriugena insists that the revelation of the .hidden mysteries.of God ta#es "lace through the God%man$ Jesus hrist* ommenting on the "hrase .InHim &as life, and the life &as the light of men. in the Prologue of John 89'F:$ he &ritesthat hrist is called the .light of men.

!ecause it &as in man that He manifested himself not only to men$ !ut also to angelsand every created thing ca"a!le of "artici"ating in the divine #no&ledge* 3or He revealedHimself to angels not through an angel$ nor to men through an angel$ !ut to men andangels through a man$ not in a""earance$ !ut in true humanity itself$ &hich He too#&holly to Himself in the unity of His .su!stance$. and gave #no&ledge of Himself to thosethat #ne& Him* 1he light of men is$ therefore$ our Lord Jesus hrist$ &ho manifestedHimself in human nature to every rational and intellectual creature and revealed the

hidden mysteries of His divinity !y &hich He is e)ual to the 3ather*C=

In this hristocentric understanding of the revelation of God$ Eriugena is "erfectlyconsistent &ith the /rthodo+ Patristic 1radition*

Essence and Energies

As noted a!ove$ St Gregory Palamas affirms the "ossi!ility of God acting in the &orld andrevealing Himself$ &ithout undermining the fact that He remains un#no&a!le in Hisessence$ !y distinguishing !et&een God4s uncreated essence and uncreated energies* Itis through His uncreated energies$ His uncreated grace and glory$ that God sustains the&orld, and it is in these energies that man can "artici"ate and have communion &ithGod* 3or Palamas$ to !elieve that man can "artici"ate in the divine essence &ould leadeither to "antheism 8all is God: or "olytheism 8all are gods:* 1his crucial distinction!et&een God4s essence and energies is founded u"on the teachings of the HolyScri"tures and all of the 3athers$ though the hurch &ould &ait until the 9Fth century forPalamas to articulate the doctrine in its clearest and final form*

Li#e Palamas$ John Scotus Eriugena also strives to ma#e some #ind of distinction in God!et&een that &hich He reveals to the &orld and that &hich remains un#no&a!le* As &ehave seen$ Eriugena distinguishes !et&een the .Invisi!le. or .God Himself. on the onehand$ and .God4s glory. on the other* Moreover$ he clearly states that man cannot"artici"ate in God Himself$ !ut only in the divine glory* >et Eriugena falls short of the/rthodo+ Patristic 1radition !y failing to teach e+"licitly that this divine glory isuncreated* As much as he tries to !rea# free of it$ he seems im"risoned !y theAugustinian idea$ !y his day dominant in the (est$ that the manifestations of the divine
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glory or .theo"hanies. must ultimately !e considered creations of God$ not really thedirect e+"erience of uncreated energies*C?

Eriugena4s discussion of created and uncreated is a main su!7ect of Boo# I ofthePeriphyseon.He says that the term .nature. a""lies to all things$ .to those that areand those that are not*.C@He goes on to divide nature into four categories' 8i: that

&hich creates and is not created, 8ii: that &hich is created and also creates, 8iii: that&hich is created !ut does not create, and 8iv: that &hich neither creates nor is created*Eriugena e+"lains that categories 8i: and 8iv: a""ly only to God' only God is uncreated$and &e may s"ea# of Him as !oth creating and not creating* 1his does not mean thatthere is a division in God$ !ut only in our thought of God*;1his much accords very&ell &ith Palamas$ for it &ould not !e too much of a stretch to say that Eriugena iss"ea#ing of the uncreated essence 8uncreated and .non%creating.: and the uncreatedenergies 8uncreated and creating: of God* Li#e Palamas$ Eriugena distinguishes these$!ut does not se"arate them* If only Eriugena had held to this$ and taught that man andcreation - that is$ category 8iii:$ created and non%creating - are a!le to share in God4senergies$ !ut not His essence$ &e &ould have no trou!le affirming "erfect agreement&ith Palamite theology*

1he real "ro!lem in Eriugena4s system$ ho&ever$ is category 8ii: - that &hich is !othcreated and creating* 1his category com"rises &hat he calls the ."rimordial causes. orthe .eternal ideas., they are !asically the divine attri!utes$ or in the terminology of theAraeo"agite$ the divine .names*. Eriugena goes on to list some of these' Goodness$E+istence$ Life$ 6eason$ Intelligence$ (isdom$ 2irtue$ Ha""iness$ 1ruth$ Eternity$Greatness$ Love$ Peace$ nity$ and Perfection*9Palamas also #no&s these divine.names$. !ut for him they are manifestations of the uncreated divine energies, he has nose"arate category of created divine ideas or attri!utes* Eriugena himself seems &illing tofollo& this same "ath$ for he insists that in themselves these names really are one$divine$ eternal and uncreated - and thus !elong to category 8i:$ the .uncreated creating.energies of God - &hile it is only &e &ho eperiencethem as multi"le and created*C

3or Eriugena$ &ho is not a!le to come to the "ro"er Palamite distinction !et&een essenceand energies$ "lacing the e+"erience of God4s uncreated energies in the category of.created and creating. is necessary to guard against saying that it is "ossi!le to #no&.&hat God is*. >et the result of having some #ind of created medium !et&een God andman is that it tends to&ards re"lacing the "ersonal God of the Holy Scri"tures$ the Lord&ho encounters man directly &ith no intermediaries$ &ith a mere conce"t or idea of God- something &hich all of the 3athers$ and St Gregory Palamas es"ecially$ strongly re7ect*Eriugena a""ears to realise this dangerous tra7ectory to&ards ma#ing God im"ersonal$and com"ensates for it !y em"hasising the su!7ective and "ersonal nature of the divinetheo"hanies* (hile it is im"ossi!le to #no& .&hat God is$. and His .e+istence andattri!utes can never !e demonstrated$. nevertheless God .can !e found and &orshi""ed

in the innermost shrine of the soul*.

God the Creator

1he sco"e of this "a"er does not admit a full commentary on and evaluation of JohnScotus Eriugena4s doctrine of creation$ !ut it is im"ortant to note that his teachingde"arts from /rthodo+y "recisely &here he fails to recognise one of the "rinci"aldistinctions made !y all of the 3athers$ including St Gregory Palamas* 3or the 3athers$&hile the generation of the Son and the "rocession of the S"irit are from God4s nature8physis: from all eternity$ the creation of the &orld de"ends not on God4s nature !ut onHis &ill 8thelima:* 1herefore$ as 3r John Meyendorff e+"lains$ .this creative action isconceived as optional$ "recisely !ecause it does not involve God4s nature and e+cludes

ontological continuity !et&een God and creation*.F
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Eriugena$ li#e Palamas$ !egins !y insisting that God indeed created the &orld e nihilo$and that He is the cause and "rinci"le of all things* He &rites' .(e hold that all things arefrom God$ and that they have not !een made at all !ut !y Him$ since !y Him and fromHim and in Him are all things made*.>et &ithout a "ro"er essence-energiesdistinction$ once again Eriugena4s a"o"haticism leads him do&n a dangerous road* He"ulls !ac# some&hat$ saying that God cannot literally !e .reator$. for this is sim"ly one

of the divine names*


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intellect &ith .the !rightness of "ure #no&ledge*.F


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Gregory &ould$ for the latter insists that Adam4s fall &as actually his failure to realise histrue "ur"ose of sharing in the divine life* 5evertheless$ !oth are in agreement thatcreation in the image of God means that man4s true life is only to !e found in God*

/ne of the "rinci"al characteristics of St Gregory4s anthro"ology is his re7ection of the"agan Gree# dualistic nature of man* Ado"ting the holistic a""roach of the Holy

Scri"tures$ he "resents the human "erson as a ."sychosomatic !eing$. a unity of !odyand soul$ not a soul im"risoned in a !ody* By contrast$ Eriugena$ dra&ing e+tensivelyfrom St Gregory of 5yssa$ is some&hat less o"timistic a!out the human !ody and thematerial &orld* He agrees &ith Palamas that it is the soul &hich is the governing "rinci"leof man$ that it is the soul &hich is most in the image of God* Palamite theology could alsoadmit his vie& that .the "reference of the material to the s"iritual is at the root of allmischief*.=>et Eriugena then goes on to say that all matter$ including human !odies$is a .concourse of accidents$. &ith no real .su!stance. e+ce"t on the level of intelligi!ility*?In this &ay$ he sometimes a""ears to deny the "ermanent value of .visi!le$historical e+istence$ human achievement and creativity in this&orld*.@In the finalanalysis$ ho&ever$ li#e Palamas$ he is a!le to re7ect "agan Gree# dualism$ and to affirmthe reality of the resurrection of !ody - though$ of course$ this &ill !e a .s"iritual !ody.

8cf. I or* 9'FF:*

In "erfect agreement &ith the /rthodo+ Patristic 1radition re"resented !y St GregoryPalamas$ Eriugena teaches that man4s true destiny is to attain glorification8i.e.deification$ theosis: and share full communion &ith God* Part of !eing created in theimage of God involves the gift of free &ill' Eriugena teaches that free &ill$ .though agreat good$ is ca"a!le of a!use* It errs &hen it turns to itself$ to the out&ard$ and thelo&er$ rather than to God$ to the in&ard$ and the higher*.


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He &ent forth from the 3ather and came into the &orld$ that is$ He too# u"on Him thathuman nature in &hich the &hole &orld su!sists, for there is nothing in the &orld that isnot com"rehended in human nature, and again$ He left the &orld and &ent to the 3ather$that is$ He e+alted that human nature &hich He had received a!ove all things visi!le andinvisi!le$ a!ove all heavenly "o&ers$ a!ove all that can !e said or understood$ uniting itto His deity$ in &hich He is e)ual to the 3ather*


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its entire sim"licity$ and$ in the good man$ adorned &ith the gifts of grace$ !eing glorifiedthrough the contem"lation of the eternal !lessedness$ !eyond every nature$ even itso&n$ and turned into God Himself$ !eing made God$ not !y nature$ !ut !y grace*=C

(hile this is a restoration of man4s true nature$ this e+"erience of glorification of thesaints far e+ceeds the first Paradise$ for they are .to !e deified and !rought to "er"etual

contem"lation of the highest theo"hany$ or "erha"s$ even a!ove it*.=

3rom the &ritings of the /rthodo+ 3athers of the East$ Eriugena also e+"lains that thisrestoration 8apo"atastasis: encom"asses$ not only men$ !ut the &hole of creation*Indeed$ the t&o are intimately lin#ed$ since$ for Eriugena$ man is .the microcosm$. the.e"itome of that thought of God &hich constitutes the &hole creation*.=FHe descri!esthe restoration of the sensi!le &orld as .a return into God and into its "rimordial causes$in &hich it naturally su!sists.=- the ."rimordial causes. !eing$ as &e remar#eda!ove$ Eriugena4s 8some&hat defective: conce"tion of the uncreated divine energies&hich sustain the &hole created &orld* 3urthermore$ in #ee"ing &ith the holistic vie& ofthe created &orld of the Irish /rthodo+ saints$ Eriugena reserves a s"ecial "lace foranimals in this restoration of all things$ as one commentator e+"lains'

Scotus has a nota!le tenderness for the animal creation$ and refuses to acce"t thoseteachers &ho &ould deny an immortal soul to !easts* He is inclined to thin# that theintelligence and the social )ualities of the no!ler animals are due to some measure of"artici"ation in the divine life$ &hich they cannot eternally lose*=


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>et Eriugena himself is careful to guard against any #ind of "antheistic or monisticinter"retations of &hat he calls the .resolution of all things into their original elements$.as another modern &riter$ Alice Gardner e+"lains'

A""lied to man$ the resolution of all things signifies the return of his !eing into God*But since$ for man$ to "artici"ate in God is to live in "er"etual contem"lation of the divine

glory$ and since the substancei.e. hypostaseis of all things is eternal$ the vision of the!eatified universe &ith &hich Scotus "resents us is not that of a vast sea in &hich the"eculiar )ualities of all things are a!sor!ed in a never%ending monotony$ !ut of a"erfectly harmonious com"osition in &hich all creatures live in unity yet &ithoutconfusion of individual !eing*?;

5ot only is there to !e no confusion of individual !eing in the restoration 8apo"atastasis:$!ut the distinction !et&een created and uncreated &ill still hold$ as Eriugena &rites'.(hat difference !et&een God Himself and the one &ho is li#e Him &ill there !e for us tocontem"late 1his$ that the /ne is not created$ &hile the other su!sists throughcreation*.?9

Another criticism levelled at Eriugena4s theology of restoration !y modern &riters is thathe a""ears sometimes to suggest that the "artici"ation of man and creation in the divinelife can !e attained a"art from the Incarnation and salvific acts of hrist*?C5evertheless$ no matter ho& far he &anders$ Eriugena does al&ays come !ac# tothe Patristic em"hasis on the hristological foundation of glorification 8theosis:* In Boo# 2of the Periphyseon,for instance$ he s"ecifically e+"lains that the unity of the finalrestoration is accom"lished in hrist'

And thus ineffa!ly and su"ernaturally is the harmony of our Head ada"ted$ to &hich allHis mem!ers$ !eing united &ith each other$ shall return$ &hen they .shall come togetherinto the "erfect man in the fullness of the age of hrist$. and He shall !e and shalla""ear /ne in all$ and all shall !e and shall a""ear one in the /ne*?

Moreover$ Eriugena insists that the deification of man can only !e ."erfected in hrist andthrough hrist$ &ho is the end and consummation of our nature*.?F

Conclusion

1he sco"e of this short study has not afforded us the o""ortunity to com"lete a thoroughevaluation of the &or#s of John Scotus Eriugena in light of the /rthodo+ Patristic theologyarticulated !y St Gregory Palamas* (ith more s"ace$ for instance$ &e &ould surelycriticise his e"istemology$ es"ecially his inheritance from the Augustinian tradition of asome&hat .rational a""roach to&ards the o!7ect of faith$ the "ossi!ility of understandingthe latter more "rofoundly through the light of reason*.?1he corrective to this #ind of"hiloso"hical rationalism is the clear distinction made !y Palamas !et&een the #ind of&isdom or #no&ledge &hich leads to salvation and the #ind &hich does not$ hel"fulthough it may for e+"loring creation and im"roving the human condition*

Still$ our !rief e+"loration of Eriugena4s thought has sho&n the remar#a!le fact that thisninth%century Irish mystical theologian$ in the midst of an hostile 3ranco%Augustinianenvironment$ &as a!le to muster su!stantial resources from /rthodo+ Patristic theologyto guard the s"iritual tradition of the Irish saints &hich he inherited* (e have heldEriugena u" to the highest of Patristic standards$ com"aring him to that .light of/rthodo+y$. the ."illar and teacher of the hurch$ adornment of monastics$ and invinci!lecham"ion of theologians$.?


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language than Palamas$ and although there are &ea#nesses in his theological system -something &hich he himself readily admits - there can !e no dou!t that these t&o greattheologians are e+"ressing &ithin the limits of human language essentially the sametruth and e+"erience of the uncreated glory of God*

(here John Scotus Eriugena has erred in his thoughts and &ords$ !efore 7udging him too

harshly$ &e must remem!er his isolation$ that he is indeed the .loneliest figure in thehistory of Euro"ean thought*.?=(hat he needed - and &hat he in fact longed for -&as the immediate guidance of the /rthodo+ 3athers to correct his e+"lanations of hiss"iritual e+"erience* Most es"ecially$ he &ould have "rofited from access to the monasticliterature &hich e+isted side !y side in the hristian East &ith those Patristic theologicaltreatises couched in .5eo"latonic. language$ some of &hich he read and translated*(ithout such s"iritual guidance$ he ended u" to a certain e+tent fitting St Ma+imos theonfessor$ the Araeo"agite and some other Gree#%s"ea#ing 3athers into his .o&n original"hiloso"hical system$. rather than follo&ing them into the fullness of the /rthodo+Patristic 1radition*??1hus$ 3r John Meyendorff comments'

If #no&ledge of that tradition had !een more &ides"read$ Eriugena could have easily

given a more .atholic$. or more ./rthodo+. sha"e to his system$ &ithout a!andoning&hat is so "recious in it' his .theocentric anthro"ology. and his understanding of s"irituallife as a free ascent to theosis*?@

5evertheless$ none of Eriugena4s .errors. or .&ea#nesses. is enough to undermine theessential /rthodo+y of his theological vision* Even &hen he misses an o""ortunity toe+"ress a crucial as"ect of /rthodo+ theology$ such as the distinction !et&een God4sessence and energies$ he #no&s enough to resort to s"ea#ing "arado+ically in order to"ull !ac# from the !rin# of heresy*

During a "eriod in &hich it &ould have !een commenda!le enough for him sim"ly to loo#des"erately to the East for sources of truth$ John Scotus Eriugena managed to

accom"lish so much for /rthodo+ hristianity in the (est$ and he truly deserves to !ecommemorated as the last great (estern /rthodo+ theologian and confessor@;!eforethe 3ranco%Latin ascendancy and Great Schism* 3or the (est itself$ his life and &or#re"resent an enormous missed o""ortunity$ for .if the intellect and the devotion of theMiddle Ages had follo&ed the lines of John Scotus$ there &ould have !een noscholasticism$. and .&e should have found$ among mediaeval thin#ers$ less an+iety todefine the indefina!le$. and .more "atient ac)uiescence in the limitations of humanfaculties*.@9A!ove all$ had the (est follo&ed our !eloved Irish scholar$ it could neverhave se"arated itself from the A"ostolic and Patristic 3aith of the /rthodo+ hurch* In theconte+t of today4s ecumenical dialogue$ therefore$ it is im"ortant for (estern hristiansto recover Eriugena and ma#e him their o&n$ not necessarily as a teacher &ith all of theans&ers$ !ut as a devout hristian theologian and true mystic$ &ho$ in the midst of the

Dar# Ages of 3ranco%Latin Euro"e$ turned to&ards the Light*

Endnotes

9 (hile very fe& "eo"le in (estern ontinental Euro"e could read or s"ea# Gree# !ythis time$ there is .a!undant. evidence for fairly &ides"read #no&ledge of Gree# inIreland* Moreover$ .that #no&ledge of Gree# &as concerned not &ith Homer !ut &ithDionysios the Araeo"agite, not &ith grammar$ !ut &ith the Psalter, not &ith classicalGreece !ut &ith the Byantine Em"ire, not &ith the Attic !ut &ith the Holy S"irit*. John J*/4Meara$'riu!ena8/+ford' larendon Press$ 9@??:$ ?* 6eturn

C Henry Bett$Johannes Scotus 'ri!ena8re"rinted 5e& >or#' 6ussell K 6ussell$ 9@


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Dermot Moran$ (he Philosophy of John Scottus 'riu!ena8am!ridge niversity Press$9@?@:$ F* 6eturn

F John Meyendorff$ .6emar#s on Eastern Patristic 1hought in John Scottus Eriugena$.in'riu!ena) 'ast and *est$ Eds* B* McGinn and (* /tten 8niversity of 5otre DamePress$ 9@@F:$ F* 6eturn

It &as only later that Scotusreferred s"ecifically to the elts of today4s Scotland*Ireland 8%ibernia: &as also #no&n as Scotia +aor* 6eturn


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C Ibid.$ * -.v. Periphyseon,Boo# I$ ?%9;* 6eturn

C


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F Gardner$ 99C* 6eturn

F


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=; Gardner$


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'riu!ena) 'ast and *est) Papers of the 'i!hth International Collo#uium of the Society forthe Promotion of 'riu!enian Studies 0Chica!o and Notre Dame, 387:6 ;ctober34431.Eds* Bernard McGinn and (illemien /tten* 5otre Dame' niversity of 5otre DamePress$ 9@@F*

Gardner$ Alice* Studies in John the Scot 0'ri!ena1, a Philosopher of the Dar" $!es* /+fordniversity Press$ 9@;;, re"rinted Bristol' 1hoemmes Press$ 9@@*

Moran$ Dermot* (he Philosophy of John Scottus 'riu!ena) $ Study of Idealism in the+iddle $!es.am!ridge' am!ridge niversity Press$ 9@?@*

/4Meara$ John J* 'riu!ena. /+ford' larendon Press$ 9@??*

/tten$ (illemien* (he $nthropolo!y of Johannes Scottus 'riu!ena* 5e& >or#' E*J* Brill$9@@9*

VEZI

https://archive.org/details/studiesinjohnsc01gardgoog

The Works of Eriugena: Editions andTranslations

EXTANT WORKS OF ERIUGENA !a" #$$%#&' ( !a" #))* IN+,RONO-OGI+A- OR.ER

An updated and detailed examination of the manuscripts and editions can befound in the following essay (in Italian): Ernesto Sergio Mainoldi.Iohannes

Scottus Eriugena. InLa trasmissione dei testi latini del medioevo / MediaevalLatin Texts and their Transmission.Edited by hiesa !aolo and astaldi "ucia.#iren$e: SISME" % Edi$ioni del &allu$$o '* pp. +,-%'-.

1. De diuinae praedestinatione(/n di0ine predestination) (ca. ,%,+)

2. In Priscianum1also 2nown as Glosa Prisciani3 (ca. ,)

3. Annotationes in Marcianum(ca. ,%,)

4. Glosae Martiani(ca. ,%,)5. Glossae divinae historiae(,%,-)
https://archive.org/details/studiesinjohnsc01gardgooghttps://archive.org/details/studiesinjohnsc01gardgoog


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6. ersio operum sancti Dion!sii Areopagitae(translation of the wor2s of!seudo%4ionysius the Areopagite) (before ,-%,-)5 re0ised (,-%,--)

. ersio sancti Gregorii "isseni Sermonis de imagine(translation of&regory of 6yssa7s #n the Image o$ Man) (,-'%,-)

!. ersio sancti Maximi %on$essoris Am&igua ad lohannem(translation ofMaximus the onfessor7sAm&igua to 'ohn) (,-'%,-)

". ersio sancti Maximi %on$essoris (uaestiones ad Thalassium(translationof Maximus the onfessor7s (uestions to Thalassius) (,-%,--)

10.Periph!seon(oncerning 6ature) (,-'%,--)

11.Expositiones in Ierarchiam %oelestem(Exposition on the %elestial)ierarch!of !seudo%4ionysius the Areopagite) (,-%,8)

12.ox spiritualis a*uilae(9omily on the !rologue to St. ohn7s &ospel) (,8%,8')

13.%ommentarius in Iohannem(ommentary on St. ohn7s &ospel) (,8%,88)

14.%armina(!oems) (,%,88)

+,.Epistola -Domine ini&erte...-

WORKS OF IN+ERTAIN ATTRI/UTION

1. Tractatus in Matheum: &usta0o !iemonte attributed to Eriugena twosections of this lost wor2 that are found in the #pus imper$ectum in

Matthaeum* a commentary on the &ospel of Matthew attributed to ohn

hrysostom. ersio Prisciani L!dii Solutiones ad %hosroem regem

0. De$loratio de li&ro Am&rosii Macro&ii Theodosii De di$$erentiis etsocietati&us graeci latini*ue ver&i

WORKS -OST

1. ;ranslation of theAncoratusof Epiphanius of Salamis

. Tractatus de uisione Dei

an orthodox evaluation of certain teachings of eriugena

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