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Sophia (wisdom) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_(wisdom) Sophia (wisdom) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Sophia (Σοφíα, Greek for "wisdom") is a central term in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism, Gnosticism, Orthodox Christianity, Esoteric Christianity, as well as Christian mysticism. Sophiology is a philosophical concept regarding wisdom, as well as a theological concept regarding the wisdom of God. Contents 1 In Platonism 2 In Hebrew texts 2.1 Philo and the Logos 3 In Christianity Personification of w isdom (in 3.1 In the New Testament Greek, "Σοφία" or "Sophia") at 3.2 Eastern Orthodoxy the Celsus Library in Ephesus, 3.3 Roman Catholic mysticism Turkey. 3.4 Protestant mysticism 4 In Gnosticism 4.1 Book of Proverbs 4.2 Descent 4.3 Mythos of the soul 4.4 Syrian Gnosis 4.5 Prunikos 4.6 Mētra 4.7 Achamōth 4.8 Baruch-Gnosis 4.9 Barbeliotae 4.10 Ophites 4.11 Bardesanes 4.12 Acts of Thomas 4.13 Simon Magus 4.14 Valentinus 4.15 Ptolemaeus 4.16 Pistis Sophia 4.17 Nag Hammadi 4.18 Manichaeism 4.19 Mythology 1 of 21 03/12/2010 07:28 PM Sophia (wisdom) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_(wisdom) 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External links In Platonism Plato, following his teacher, Socrates (and, it is likely, the older tradition of Pythagoras), understands philosophy as philo-sophia, or, literally, the love of Wisdom. This understanding of philosophia permeates Plato's dialogues, especially the Republic. In that work, the leaders of the proposed utopia are to be philosopher kings: rulers who love sophia, Wisdom. Sofya is one of the four cardinal virtues of Plato's Protagoras. The Pythian Oracle (Oracle of Delphi) reportedly answered the question of "who is the wisest man of Greece?" with "Socrates!" Socrates defends this verdict in his Apology to the effect that he, at least, knows that he knows nothing. As is evident in Plato's portrayals of Socrates, this does not mean Socrates' wisdom was the same as knowing nothing; but rather that his skepticism towards his own self-made constructions of knowledge left him free to receive true Wisdom as a spontaneous insight or inspiration. This contrasted with the attitude of contemporaneous Greek Sophists, who claimed to be wise and offered to teach wisdom for pay. In Hebrew texts Further information: Chokhmah ,Ḥokmot. In Judaism תומכח Sophia is adopted as the term in the Septuagint for Hebrew Chokhmah appears alongside the Shekhinah, 'the Glory of God', a figure who plays a key role in the cosmology of the Kabbalists as an expression of the feminine aspect of God. It is a central topic in the "sapiential" books (i.e., Proverbs, Psalms, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, and to some extent Baruch (the last three are Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament.) Philo and the Logos Further information: Logos Philo, a Hellenized Jew writing in Alexandria, attempted to harmonize Platonic philosophy and Jewish scripture. Also influenced by Stoic philosophical concepts, he used the term Logos for the role and function of Wisdom, a concept later adapted by the author of the Gospel of John in the opening verses and applied to Jesus Christ as the eternal Word 2 of 21 03/12/2010 07:28 PM Sophia (wisdom) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_(wisdom) (Logos) of God the Father.[1] In Christianity Further information: Holy Wisdom and Sophiology In Christian theology, "wisdom" (Hebrew: Chokhmah, Greek: Sophia, Latin: Sapientia) describes an aspect of God, or the theological concept regarding the wisdom of God. In the New Testament St. Paul refers to the concept, notably in 1 Corinthians, but obscurely, deconstructing worldly wisdom: Where is the w ise? w here is the scribe? w here is the disputer of this w orld? hath not God made foolish the w isdom of this w orld? —1 Corinthians 1:20 Paul sets worldly wisdom against a higher wisdom of God: Russian Icon, Sophia, the Holy Wisdom, 1812. But w e speak the w isdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden w isdom, w hich God ordained before the w orld unto our glory. —1 Corinthians 2:7 The Epistle of James (James 3:13-18; cf. James 1:5) distinguishes between two kinds of wisdom. One is a false wisdom, which is characterized as "earthly, sensual, devilish" and is associated with strife and contention. The other is the 'wisdom that comes from above': But the w isdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, w ithout partiality, and w ithout hypocrisy. —James 3:17 Eastern Orthodoxy In the mystical theology of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Holy Wisdom is understood as the Divine Logos who became incarnate as Jesus Christ,[2] this belief being sometimes also expressed in some Eastern Orthodox icons.[3] In Eastern Orthodoxy humility is the highest wisdom and is to be sought more than any other virtue. It is humility that cultivates not only the Holy Wisdom, but humility (in contrast to knowledge) is the defining quality that grants people salvation and entrance into Heaven.[4] The Hagia Sophia or Holy Wisdom church in Constantinople was the religious center of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly a thousand years. 3 of 21 03/12/2010 07:28 PM Sophia (wisdom) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_(wisdom) In the liturgy of the Orthodox Church, the exclamation Sophia! or in English Wisdom! will be proclaimed by the deacon or priest at certain moments, especially before the reading of scripture, to draw the congregation's attention to sacred teaching. The concept of Sophia has been championed as a key part of the Godhead by some Eastern Orthodox religious thinkers. These included Vladimir Solovyov, Pavel Florensky, Nikolai Berdyaev, and Sergei Bulgakov whose Exterior view of the Hagia Sophia book Sophia: The Wisdom of God is in many ways the or the Holy Wisdom, 2004. apotheosis of Sophiology. For Bulgakov, the Sophia is co-existent with the Trinity, operating as the feminine aspect of God in concert with the three masculine principles of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Vladimir Lossky rejects Solovyev and Bulgakov's teachings as error. Lossky states that Wisdom as an energy of God (just as love, faith and grace are also energies of God) is not to be ascribed to be the true essence of God, to do so is to deny the apophatic and incomprehensibility of God as God's essence.[5] This is contrary to the official view of the Orthodox Church, and Bulgakov's work was denounced by the Russian Orthodox authorities as heretical.[2][6] Roman Catholic mysticism In Roman Catholic mysticism, Hildegard of Bingen celebrated Sophia as a cosmic figure in both her writing and her art.[7] Protestant mysticism Hildegard of Bingen's art depicting Ecclesia and Sophia. 4 of 21 03/12/2010 07:28 PM Sophia (wisdom) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_(wisdom) Within the Protestant tradition in England, Jane Leade, 17th-century Christian mystic, Universalist, and founder of the Philadelphian Society, wrote copious descriptions of her visions and dialogues with the "Virgin Sophia" who, she said, revealed to her the spiritual workings of the Universe.[8] Leade was hugely influenced by the theosophical writings of 16th Century German Christian mystic Jakob Böhme, who also speaks of the Sophia in works such as The Way to Christ.[9] Jakob Böhme was very Virgin Sophia design on a influential to a number of Christian mystics and religious Harmony Society doorw ay in leaders, including George Rapp and the Harmony Harmony, Pennsylvania, carved [10] Society. by Frederick Reichert Rapp in 1809. Sophia can be described as the wisdom of God, and, at times, as a pure virgin spirit which emanates from God. The Sophia is seen as being expressed in all creation and the natural world as well as, for some of the Christian mystics mentioned above, integral to the spiritual well-being of humankind, the church, and the cosmos. The Virgin is seen as outside creation but compassionately interceding on behalf of humanity to alleviate its suffering by illuminating true spiritual seekers with wisdom and the love of God. The main difference between the concept of Sophia found in most traditional forms of Christian mysticism and the one more aligned with the Gnostic view of Sophia is that to many Christian mystics she is not seen as fallen or in need of redemption. Conversely, she is not as central in most forms of established Christianity as she is in Gnosticism, but to some Christian mystics the Sophia is a very important concept. An interfaith spiritual community currently has its center at what it calls Sancta Sophia Seminary located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.[11] In Gnosticism In Gnostic tradition, Sophia is a feminine figure, analogous to the human soul but also simultaneously Gnosticism one of the feminine aspects of God. Gnostics held that she was the syzygy of Jesus Christ (i.e. the Bride of Christ), and Holy Spirit of the Trinity. She is occasionally referred to by the Hebrew equivalent of Achamōth This article is part of a series on Gnosticism (Ἀχαμώθ) and as Prunikos (Προύνικος). In the Nag Hammadi texts, Sophia is the lowest Aeon, or anthropic expression of the emanation of the light of God. She is History of Gnosticism considered to have fallen from grace in some way, in Early Gnosticism so doing creating or helping to create the material 5 of 21 03/12/2010 07:28 PM Sophia (wisdom) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_(wisdom) world.
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