Episode 5: Epistemological Presuppositions, "St. Gregory Palamas: An Introduction."

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Series: Mystical Theology
Unit 14: Gregory Palamas
Episode 5: Epistemological Presuppositions

The fifth episode in our series discusses the philosophical background to the debate between St. Gregory Palamas and Nicephorus Gregoras, which took place at the 1351 Council of Constantinople.

Themes covered in this episode include the influence of Greek philosophy (particularly that of Plato and Aristotle) on the anti-Hesychasts of the 14th century, the relevance of the debate between Nominalists and Realists in the western Middle Ages, and the experiential, non-philosophical and non-dialectical "essence-energies" distinction in the ascetic tradition of the Orthodox Church.

Q&As related to Episode 5 available in The Professor’s Blog.

Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022).

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Background to the debates

01:24 Question of “Universals”

02:16 Real subsistence of Divine Energies

03:35 Realism and Nominalism

04:24 Realism

10:07 Greek Philosophy: Plato

14:34 Aristotle 

16:14 No essence without energy

17:00 Porphyry and Boethius

17:48 Porphyry’s 3 questions

18:53 Boethius and “Universals”

20:06 Three Schools in West: (1) Realist

21:45 (2) Nominalist School 

22:58 (3) Moderate-Realist School

24:15 Nominalism of Gregoras

27:36 Gregory of Nyssa 

32:21 Cause and caused

32:35 Philotheos Kokkinos

33:28 “Theotes”

35:36 The “twofoldness” of God

36:22 Real knowledge of God

37:36 “Energemata” - analogical assent

38:59 Energies God Himself

It is hoped that these presentations will help the enquirer discern the profound interrelationship between Orthodox theology and the Orthodox Christian life, and to identify the ascetic and pastoral significance of the Orthodox ethos contained therein. 

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Dr. Christopher Veniamin D.Phil. (Oxon.)