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Christian Platonists and Christian Neoplatonists

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Christian Platonists and Christian Neoplatonists Christian Platonism and Christian Neoplatonism Christian Platonists and Platonizing Christians in History The following is a list of Christian philosophers, theologians, and writers with Platonist/Neoplatonist interests or influences. Their main works, and especially those relevant to the topic of Christian Platonism, are also shown. "Platonic influence" is broadly defined here; a writer may be both influenced by Plato and at the same time very critical of specific Platonic or Neoplatonic tenets. Note the literal explosion of interest in Christian Platonism during the Renaissance, followed by a striking absence from 1700 until the 20th century. The latter reflects several factors: the Reformation, the Age of Reason, the Industrial Revolution, and the modern empiricist- materialistic worldview. In a post-modern world we may expect to see Renaissance humanism and mysticism re-emerge, and along with them Platonism and Christian Platonism. See also: Islamic Platonists and Neoplatonists. Contents Part 1: 60 AD - 700 AD Apostolic age Patristic era Alexandrian Latin tradition Late Greek Timeline figure (100 - 700 AD) Part 2: 701 AD - present Islamic Middle East Middle Ages (East) Middle Ages (West) Renaissance Christian mysticism Christian esotericism Cambridge Platonists Transcendentalists and Unitarians Modern Acknowledgments Bibliography Part 1: 60 AD - 700 AD Apostolic Age Possible Platonic influence on St. Paul, Gospel of John (e.g., John 1), James, Hebrews (influenced by Philo Judaeus?), Epistle of Barnabas Patristic Era St. Justin Martyr (100 - 165) - Dialogue with Trypho - On the Soul - Discourse to the Greeks St. Theophilus of Antioch (? - c. 185) - Apologia ad Autolycum St. Irenaeus of Lyons (d. c. 200) - Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies) St. Hippolytus of Rome (d. 235) - Refutation of all Heresies Marcus Minucius Felix? (3rd century) St. Methodius of Olympus (d. c. 311) St. Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 263 - c. 339) Arnobius of Sicca (fl. c. 300; North African) Lactantius (c. 250 -c. 325; North African; student of Arnobius; Platonist, Epicurean, Stoic influences) [more] Alexander of Lycopolis (fl. c. 300; Egyptian) - Against the Manicheans (PG 18 409-448) Alexandrian Christianity Athenagoras of Athens (c. 133 - 190) - Apology or Embassy for the Christians - Treatise on the Resurrection St. Clement of Alexandria (c. 150 - c. 215) - Stromata (Miscellanies) - Protrepticus (Exhortation to the Greeks) Ammonius Saccas? (d. c. 240; possible Christian; see St. Jerome, On Illustrious Men 55) Origen (c. 185 - 254; heard Ammonius Saccas?; knew Plotinus?) [IEP] - On First Principles (de Principiis) - Against Celsus (Contra Celsum) - Commentary on the Song of Songs Heraclas (associate of Origen; auditor of Ammonius Saccas?) St. Athanasius (c. 293 - 373; Bishop of Alexandria) - Contra Gentes (Against the Heathen) - De Incarnatione Verbe (On the Incarnation) - Orationes contra Arianos (Against the Arians) Didymus the Blind (Didymus Caecus; c. 313 - c.398) Cappadocian Fathers (next three) ST. GREGORY OF NYSSA (c. 335 - c. 394) - Life of Moses - Commentary on the Song of Songs St. Basil of Caesarea (c. 329 - 379) - On the Hexaemeron (the Six Days of Creation) St. Gregory of Nazianzus (the Theologian; c. 330 - c. 389) Evagrius Ponticus (345 - 399) [Dysinger] [Prodromos] - On the Thoughts - Praktikos - Gnostikos - Kephalaia Gnostica Synesius of Cyrene (c. 373 - c. 414; bishop; pupil of Hypatia) - The Egyptian Tale (Aegyptus sive de providentia) - On Dreams Nemesius of Emesa (4th century) - De Natura Hominis (On Human Nature) St. Theodoret of Cyrus (c. 393 - c. 457; bishop) Latin Christian Neoplatonists Calcidius/Chalcidius? (4th century) - Translated the Timaeus Firmicus Maternus (fl. c. 346) - De errore profanarum religionum Marius Victorinus (c.300 - c.370; translated Porphry; Trinitarian theories) [ Migne Patrologia Latina] St. Simplician (Simplicianus; ? - 400; friend/mentor of St. Augustine and St. Ambrose) St. Ambrose of Milan (c. 338 - 397) - De Spiritu Sancto (On the Holy Spirit) - De mysteriis (On the Mysteries) - On Virginity ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (354 - 430) [Stanford] - Confessions - De Trinitate (On the Trinity) - De civitate Dei (The City of God) - De doctrina Christiana (On Christian Doctrine) Flavius Mallius Theodorus (fl. 399; friend of St. Augustine; Roman consul) Favonius Eulogius (fl. 380-400?; taught rhetoric in Carthage) - Disputatio de somnio Scipionis Boethius (St. Severinus Boethius; c. 470 - 524) - Consolation of Philosophy - Commentary on the Isagoge Late Greek/Eastern Era Christian Neoplatonists [Note: compare with Proclus (412 - 485; not Christian)] School of Gaza Aeneas of Gaza (d. c. 518; student of Neoplatonist Hierocles; founder of Gaza school) - Theophrastus (On the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body; PG 85) Procopius of Gaza (c. 465 - c. 538; sophist) - Commentary on Genesis - lost work against Proclus Zacharias Scholasticus ('of Rhetor'; c. 465 - c. 536; bishop; brother of Procopius; student of Neoplatonist Ammonius) - Ammonius (On the Creation of the World) Choricius of Gaza (fl. c. 510) Leontius of Byzantium ('the Hermit'; 475 - 543) Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (450? - 530?; Syrian?) [Stanford] - On the Divine Names - Mystical Theology - On the Celestial Hierarchy John of Scythopolis (fl. 540; bishop; early commentator on Pseudo-Dionysius) Theodore Askidas (or Ascidas; fl. c. 550; archbishop of Caesarea in Cappodocia; Origenst) Domitian of Ancyra (6th century; Origenist) Stephen bar Sudaili (fl. 500; Syrian; Origenest; is often associated with Ps.-Dionysius) John Philoponus (490 - c. 570; Alexandrian/Byzantine; pupil of Neoplatonist Ammonius) [Stanford] [UVA] - De opificio mundi - De Aeternitate Mundi Elias (fl. 575?; Alexandrian; pupil of Neoplatonist Olympiodorus) David (fl. 575?; Alexandrian) Stephanus of Alexandria (fl. 630?) St. Maximus the Confessor (c. 580 - 662; influenced by Pseudo-Dionysius) Theodorus of Raithu (7th century; friend of St. Maximus) Anastasius Sinaita (7th century) Note: y-axis does not correspond strictly to pagan/Christian distinction; e.g., Origen (Christian) is placed amongst other Alexandrians; Macrobius (non-Christian?) with other Latins, etc. Part 2: 701 AD - present Islamic Middle East St. John of Damascus (John Damascene; c. 676 - 749) - The Fountain of Wisdom Theodore Ab Qurrah (750 - 820; disciple of St. John of Damascus) Catholicos Timothy I (Timothy of Bagdhad; 728 - 823; Nestorian) Al-Bitriq (8th century; Melkite; translated the Timaeus) Hunayn ibn Ishaq (808 - 837; Nestorian) -- translated the Timaeus -- That which ought to be read before Plato's works School of Baghdad Peripatetics (c. 870 - c. 1023). Muslim and Christian members. Abu Bishr Matta (d. 940; Nestorian; founded School of Baghdad) Yahya Ibn 'Adi (893 - 974; Jacobite; studied with al-Farabi) - Tahdhib al-akhlaq (Refinement of Character) - Maqala fi at-tawhid (Essay on Unity) Ibn al-Tayyib (1000 - 1050; Nestorian; numerous commentaries on the Bible) Severus ibn al-Muqaffa (d. 987; Coptic bishop) - Lamp of the Intellect - Affliction's Physic and the Cure of Sorrows Middle Ages (East) Leo the Mathematician (c. 790 - after 869) Photius (Photios; c. 810 - c. 893; Patriarch of Constantinople) - Bibliotecha (Myriobiblon); c. 837/838 - Lexeon synagoge - Amphilochia - Diegesis peri tes manichaion anablasteseos (Dissertation Concerning the Reappearance of the Manichæans) Arethas of Caesarea (c. 860 - c. 944; Arethas of Patras; archbishop of Caesarea; disciple of Photius) - commentaries/scholia on Plato's works John Mauropus (11th century; Constantinople; teacher of Psellus; later metropolitan of Euchaita; wrote poems beseeching God's mercy on Plato and Plutarch, "because both of them in word and character adhere closely to your laws." [Wilson, Scholars of Byzantium, p. 151]) Michael Psellus (11th century; Byzantine; re-introduced Plato; admired Proclus; commented on Aristotle) - Explanation of the Platonic Chariot-driving of Souls in the Phaedrus - De Operatione Daemonum - writings on the Chaldean Oracles John Italus (Byzantine; student of Psellus) Eustratius of Nicaea (c. 1060 - 1120; Byzantine; Metropolitan of Nicaea; pupil of Italus; Neoplatonic influenced; commentator on Aristotle) [Stanford] Michael of Ephesus (12th century; Byzantine; Neoplatonic influenced; commentator on Aristotle) [Stanford] Theodore Metochites (1270 - 1332; Byzantine) Nicephoros Gregoras (c. 1295 - 1360; Byzantine; student of Metochites) St. Gregory Palamas (1296 - 1359; parts of Platonic/Neoplatonic asceticism, via Origen, the Desert and Cappadocian Fathers, Pseudo-Dionysius, etc. becomes absorbed into Hesychasm?) Middle Ages (West) John Scotus Eriugena (c. 815 - 877; translated Pseudo-Dionysius) [Stanford] St. Anselm of Canterbury (Augustinian; 1033 - 1109) [Stanford] [Hopkins] William of Champeaux (c. 1070 - 1122; studied with St. Anselm) [Stanford] Peter Abelard (1079 - 1142) [Stanford] [IEP] Suger of Saint Denis (1081 - 1151; studied Ps.-Dionysius; influenced Gothic cathedral architecture) Hugh of Balma (12th century) [Hopkins] - Mystical Theology School of Chartres Bernard of Chartres (d. before 1124?; Neoplatonist) - studied the Timaeus - De Mundi Universitate Thierry of Chartres (d. c. 1150; brother of Bernard?) - In Hexaemeron (a Genesis commentary with reference to the Timaeus) Gilbert of Poitiers (Gilbert de la Porrée; 1070 – 1154; student of Bernard) William of Conches (c. 1090 - after 1154) John of Salisbury (c. 1115 - 1176; bishop; student of Gilbert of Poitiers) [Stanford] Bernard Silvesters
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