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Durham E-Theses Union and distinction in the thought of St Maximus The Confessor To?? ro?? nen, Mika Kalevi How to cite: To?? ro?? nen, Mika Kalevi (2002) Union and distinction in the thought of St Maximus The Confessor, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/1087/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk Union and Distinction in the Thought of St Maximus the Confessor Mika Kalevi Tbr5nen The Graduate Society A copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. PhD Thesis University of Durham Department of Theology 2002 NOV2033, a-, -7 -- ý Abstract MIKA TORONEN UNION AND DISTINCTION IN THE THOUGHT OF ST MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR PhD, 2002 The present study examines the principle of simultaneous unity and differentiation in the thought of St Maximus the Confessor (580-662). This principle pervades every areaof Maximus' theology, and can be summarizedin the following way: things uniited remain distinct and without confusion in an inseparableunion. Part one introduces the logical tools and the -metaphors by means of which Maximus presentshis thought. Parts two and three examinethe way in which Maximus views unity and difference in the Trinity and in Christ. The distinction between the universal and the particular, expressedin terms of essence(or nature) and hypostasis (or person), proves fundamental for a correct interpretation of Maximus' theology. Maximus' dyophysite Christology includes topics on natural difference and number, composite hypostasis, will and activity, and culminatesin the notions of 'unlion without confusion' and 'perichoresis'. In part four, the common denominator is that God is the principle of unity behind the multiplicity in the universe, Scripture and the Church. The contingent functions as a prism which makes the divine accessible to human beings. There is movement, in a perspectiveof eschatologicalfulfilment, from and through the multiplicity of the visible things to the unity of the invisible. Finally, part five discusses Maximus' understanding of unity of virtue and commandmentsunder the all-embracing generic virtue of love, and how breaking or keeping the twofold commandmentof love affects the unity of humanity. Spiritual love, which results from the mind's detachmentfrom the realm of sense-perceptionand its ascent to God, functions as an antidote to self-love (which is confounding and fragmenting) and effects unification both at the level of the individual and at the level of the humanity as a whole, a unification which is the realization of the twofold commandmentof love. Table Of Contents Table Contents 1 of ................................................... Statementof Copyright and Declaration Concerning the Use Previously SubmittedMaterial 5 of ....................... Acknowledgements 6 ................................................ The Works St Maximus 7 of ........................................ Abbreviations 8 ....................................................... Introduction 10 ......................................................... Part II LOGIC 1. Tools 18 ............................................................. Background 18 ................................................. Genus Species 21 and ......................................... The Universal the Particular 25 and .......................... Aoyo, Tp6vos 26 - and ................................ Union Distinction 27 and ...................................... One Many 30 and .............................................. Whole Parts 31 and ............................................ 2. Metaphors 34 ..................................................... Fire Light 34 and ............................................... Body Soul 37 and ............................................. Circle, Centre Radii 38 and ................................... Stone Colours 39 and ......................................... Part 11 TRINITY 3. Monad Triad 40 and ............................................. The Principles 40 ............................................... Hypostasis 45 .................................................. Can Mouse Be Person? 46 a a ................................ 2 Two Problems 53 .............................................. Person-Nature Dichotomy 53 ..................... Person Individual 55 and ............................ Monad Triad Triad Monad 57 in and in ..................... Deviations 60 ................................................... Today 61 ........................................................ 4. Trinity Activity 65 and ........................................ Essential Activity the Persons 65 and ....................... Energeia: Activity Actuality? 75 or .......................... 5. Knowing the Trinity 80 ....................................... Moving from Monad to Triad 80 .............................. Natural Contemplation the Trinity 84 of .................... The Way to the Vision: 'Why did Abraham see three but Lot two? . 85 angels only ................................. The Image the Archetype 88 of ............................... Part III CHRIST 6. Nature, Difference Number 92 and ........................ Introduction: Developing thought reflects the changing the Byzantium 92 world of seventh-century ................ Natural Difference Number 96 and .......................... A Sixth-century Controversy over Natural Difference 100 Composite Nature Composite Hypostasis? 103 or .......... 'EvvTr6GTCtTOV 107 ................................................ 7. Activities Wills 111 and ......................................... Activities III .................................................... Wills 115 ......................................................... 8. Union 119 ............................................................ Union Confusion 119 without ................................. Porphyry 119 ............................................ Cyril Alexandria 121 of ................................ 3 Maximus 124 ............................................ Perichoresis 125 ................................................. Part IV UNIVERSE, SCRIPTURE, CHURCH 9. The Creation Song 128 .......................................... The Logos the Logoi 128 and .................................. Proclus 128 .............................................. Aslan' Maximus 129 and ........................... Plotinus 134 ............................................. Harmonious Universe 135 ...................................... Judgetnent Providence 138 and ....................... The Universe the Tree Porphyry 141 and of ................. 10. Transparent Words 145 ........................................ Unity Scnpture 145 of .......................................... The Word the Age to Come 149 of ............................ 11. Spiritual Hierarchy 157 ....................................... Introduction 157 ................................................. Gifts Ranks 158 and ............................................ Diversity Members 164 of ...................................... The Temple 165 .................................................. Part V SPIRITUAL LIFE AND HUMAN ARCHITECTURE 12. The Twofold Commandment Love 167 of ............... Love: The Most Generic of the Commandments and Virtues 168 Logos Tropos Commandments 172 and of ................... The Purpose the Incarnation 174 of ........................... 13. Confusion Fragmentation 177 and ......................... Human Architecture 177 ........................................ 4 Fall 179 ........................................................... Gnome 182 ....................................................... 14. Distinction Unification 186 and ............................ Distinction 186 ................................................... Unification 190 .................................................. Unity Humanity 193 of ......................................... Bibliography 196 ......................................................... Copyright Statement The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without their prior written consentand information derived from it should be acknowledged. Declaration concerning the use of previously submitted material In chapters 4,8 and 9 of the thesis, I have made use of a very limited amount of material drawn from a dissertation (max. 10.000 words) submitted in this University in partial fulfilment of the requirementsfor the degree of Master of Arts in Theological Research. A cj. Signed: lo"ýý ........... ............... Nfika Tbr6nen 6 Acknowledge ments The present study has been madepossible by the financial and moral support of the following institutions