New Evidence of the Controversy About Whether the Humanity of Christ Can Contemplate His Divinity

Authors

  • Kalinin Maksim G. Moscow Theological Academy, Saints Cyril and Methodius Institute for Postgraduate Studies

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31802/2500-1450-2019-34-247-261

Keywords:

Christology, Church of the East, East Syriac mystical tradition, rabban Aphnīmāran

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to introduce new data concerning the polemic that took place in the VIII century C.E. and was related to the mystical movement in the Church of the East. This data are provided by an anonymous commentary on «Chapters on the Knowledge» which belong to rabban Aphnīmāran, an 7th century mystical writer. Among the problems the aforementioned polemic was related to, was the question on whether the humanity of Christ can see His divinity. For the positive answer on this question, John of Dalyāthā, a prominent mystical writer of the 8th century, was condemned by Catholicos Timatheos. In the commentary on the 90th chapter of rabban Aphnīmāran, an anonymous interpreter claims that the vision of God is the knowledge of God. As rabban Aphnīmāran calls the human nature of Christ «knowing» (yaddūʕtānā), the humanity of Christ inevitably knows His divinity, the author of the commentary concludes. In the present article, the text of this commentary is published and analyzed. One may see that the thesis on Jesus’ ability to contemplate the divine nature was not a particular opinion of John of Dalyāthā. This opinion was representative of East Syriac mystical movement (or at least of one of monastic traditions within this movement).

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Author Biography

Kalinin Maksim G., Moscow Theological Academy, Saints Cyril and Methodius Institute for Postgraduate Studies

MA in Theology, Senior Teacher of the Biblical Studies Department of Moscow Theological Academy Research Assistant of SS Cyril and Methodius School for Post-Graduate and Doctoral Studies

4/2, bld 1, Pyatnitskaya st., Moscow 115035, Russia

References

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Published

2021-02-01

How to Cite

(1)
Kalinin М. Г. New Evidence of the Controversy About Whether the Humanity of Christ Can Contemplate His Divinity. БВ 2021, 247-261.

Issue

Section

Eastern Christian literature

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