The concept of spiritual perception in Gregory Palamas first Triad

26 Pages·1999·0.923 MB·English

by  R. E. Sinkewicz

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СОДЕРЖАНИЕ
От Редакционной коллегии и Редакционного совета ix
Учреждение журнала «Христианский Восток» при Российской Академии
Наук. Записка В. Н. БЕНЕШЕВИЧА, Н. Я. МАРРА И Б. А. ТУРАЕВА xi
СТАТЬИ
3. АЛЕКСИДЗЕ (Тбилиси). Новые памятники письменности Кавказской Албании 3
С. А. СТАРОСТИН (Москва^ Фонетический комментарий к статье 3. Н. Алексидзе ... 13
Д. Е. АФИНОГЕНОВ (Москва). «Обличение и опровержение»
патриарха Никифора как источник хроники Георгия Амартола 15
A. DESREUMAUX (Paris). Textes nouveaux extraits de manuscrits syriaques
du Kerala (partie I) 26
M. VAN ESBROECK (Munich). Le discours dogmatique de Gregoire Vkayaser ... 38
E. HISAMATSU (Nagoya). Zur Anthropologie des Gregorios Sinaites 58
S. KAPLAN (Jerusalem). The literature of the Beta Israel (Falasha):
a survey of a Biblical-Hebraic tradition 99
M. E. SHIRINIAN (Erevan), G. MURADIAN (Erevan). The Armenian collection
of the ecclesiastical canons 124
A. LAATO (Abo). The idea of kipper in the Judaisms of late antiquity 155
A. MURAVIEV (Moscow). The Syriac Julian Romance and its place
in the literary history 194
J. С VANDERKAM (Notre Dame, IN, USA). Calendars and Calendrical
Information in the Dead Sea Scrolls 207
С. Б. ЧЕРНЕЦОВ (С-Петербург). «Книга повествования о вейзаро Бафане
Вальда Микаэль» — первой жене Me нелика II 234
СООБЩЕНИЯ И ЗАМЕТКИ
Н. АПЦИАУРИ (Тбилиси). К вопросу о миссионерской деятельности
св. Григория Просветителя 289
A. CAMPLANI (Rome). Did Athanasius know Antony? A Response
to Leslie D. Barnard 296
M. КАСРАДЗЕ (Тбилиси), А. МУРАВЬЕВ (Москва). Чудо об открытии церкви
из жития св. Василия Великого (BHG 256) в византийской
и древнегрузинской традициях 302
B. М. ЛУРЬЕ (С-Петербург). Авва Георгий из Саглы и история юл нанизма
в Эфиопии 317
П. М. МУРАДЯН (Ереван). Идея конфессиональной толерантности
и межнационального согласия в армянской книжности XII-XIII веков .. 359
R. E. SINKEWICZ (Toronto). The Concept of Spiritual Perception
in Gregory Palamas' First Triad in Defense of the Holy Hesychasts 374
A. ЧАНТЛАДЗЕ (Тбилиси). «Вопросоответы к Фалассию» преп. Максима
Исповедника в древнегрузинских переводах 391
ИЗ ИСТОРИИ НАУКИ
Архимандрит АВГУСТИН (НИКИТИН) (С.-Петербург). Синай и Россия.
Обзор церковно-литературных связей 399
Б. А. ТУРАЕВЪ. Евангел!е ДЪтства Христа въ эеюпской письменности.
Публикация С, Б. Чернецова (С.-Петербург) 434
B. М. ЛУРЬЕ (С.-Петер6ург). К истории появления заметки Б. А. Тураева.. 448
РЕЦЕНЗИИ И БИБЛИОГРАФИЧЕСКИЕ АННОТАЦИИ
Catalogue of Syriac Fragments (New Finds) in the Library of the Monastery
of St. Catherine, Mount Sinai (А. В. МУРАВЬЕВ) 453
S. P. BROCK, Studies in Syriac Christianity. History, Literature and Theology
(В. М. ЛУРЬЕ) 455
From Byzantium to Iran. Armenian Studies in Honor of Nina Garsomn
(А. В. МУРАВЬЕВ) 463
F. MALASPINI,L'AKA0I2TO2 (А. В. МУРАВЬЕВ) 471
H. Я. МАРР, Кавказский культурный мир и Армения (В. А АРУПОНОВА-ФИДАЯЯН) .. 477
Богословие «египтствующих умом»: монофизитская триадология между
тритеизмом и дамианизмом (Petri Callinicensis patriarchae Antiocheni,
Tractatus contra Damianum) (В. М. ЛУРЬЕ) 479
G. LUSINI, Studi sul monachesimo eustaziano (secoli XIV-XV) (В. М. ЛУРЬЕ) 488
Th. DASNABEDIAN, Le Panegyrique de la sainte Mere de Dieu de Grigor
Narekac6i(B. OUTTIER) 439
П. B. IIASXOS, Aytot oi 91X01 TOO 0eou (А. В. МУРАВЬЕВ) 502
R. W. THOMSON, Rewriting Caucasian History. The medieval Armenian
Adaptation of the Georgian Chronicles (А. В. МУРАВЬЕВ) 505
A Digest of Russian Books on the Christian Orient and Related Matters 508
Список сокращений 512
CONTENTS
From the Editoral Board and the Editorial Council ix
Memorandum on the establishment of the journal «The Christian East»
under the auspices of the Russian Academy of Sciences
(V. N. BENESHEVICH, N. Ya. MARR, B. A. TURAEV) xi
ARTICLES
Z. ALEKSIDZE (Tbilisi). Some newly discovered texts of Caucasian Albania 3
B. A. STAROSTIN (MOSCOW). Phonological notes to Z. Alexidze's article 13
D. E. AFINOGENOV (MOSCOW). Refutatio et Eversio by Patriarch Nicephoros
as a source of George the Monk 15
A. DESREUMAUX (Paris). Textes nouveaux extraits de manuscrits syriaques
du Kerala (partie I) 26
M. VAN ESBROECK (Munich). Le discours dogmatique de Gregoire Vkayaser ... 38
E. HISAMATSU (Nagoya). Zur Anthropologie des Gregorios Sinaites 58
S. KAPLAN (Jerusalem). The literature of the Beta Israel (Falasha):
a survey of a Biblical-Hebraic tradition 99
M. E. SHIRINIAN (Erevan), G. MURADIAN (Erevan). The Armenian collection
of the ecclesiastical canons 124
A. LAATO (Abo). The idea of kipper in the Judaisms of late antiquity 155
A. MURAVIEV (Moscow). The Syriac Julian Romance and its place
in the literary history .194
J. С VANDERKAM (Notre Dame, IN, USA). Calendars and Calendrical
Information in the Dead Sea Scrolls 207
S. B. CHERNETSOV (St. Petersburg). «Book narrating about weizaro Bafana
Walda Mikaeb, the first wife of Menelik II 234
NOTES AND REPORTS
N. APTSIAURI (Tbilisi). A note about the missionary activity
of St. Gregory the Enlightener 289
A. CAMPLANI (Rome). Did Athanasius know Antony? A Response
to Leslie D. Barnard 296
M. KASRADZE (Tbilisi), A. MURAVIEV (MOSCOW). A miracle about opening
of a church from the Vita of St. Basil the Great (EHG 256) in the Byzantine
and Old Georgian traditions 302
B. LOURIE (St. Petersburg). Abbas Giyorgis Saglawi and the history
of the Julianism in Ethiopia 317
P. M. MURADIAN (Erevan). The idea of the inter-confessional tolerance
and the international concord in the Armenian literature of the XHth
and XHIth centuries 359
R. E. SINKEWICZ (Toronto). The Concept of Spiritual Perception
in Gregory Palamas' First Triad in Defense of the Holy Hesychasts 374
A. CHANTLADZE (Tbilisi). Erotapokriseis to Thalassius of St. Maximus
the Confessor in Old Georgian translations 391
FROM THE HISTORY OF SCHOLARSHIP
Archimandrite AUGUSTINE (NIKITIN) (St. Petersburg). Mt. Sinai and Russia.
A survey of ecclesiastical and literary contacts 399
B. A. TuRAEV. The Infancy Gospel in the Ethiopian literature. Prepared
for publication by S. B. Chernetsov (St. Petersburg) 434
В. М. LOURIE (St. Petersburg). On the history of Turaev's paper 448
REVIEWS AND BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ANNOTATIONS
Catalogue of Syriac Fragments (New Finds) in the Library of the Monastery
of St. Catherine, Mount Sinai (A. V. MURAVIEV) 453
S. P BROCK, Studies in Syriac Christianity. History, Literature and Theology
(В. М. LOURIE) 455
From Byzantium to Iran. Armenian Studies in Honor of Nina Garsomn
(A. V. MURAVIEV) 463
F. MALASPINI, U AKA0ISTOS (A. Y. MURAVIEV) 471
N. Ya. MARR , Caucasian cultural world and Armenia (V. A. ARUTIUNOVA -FIDANIAN) 477
The theology of the «Egyptizing minds»: the Monophysite Triadology between
Tritheism and Damianism (Petri Callinicensis patriarchae Antiocheni,
Tractatus contra Damianum)(B. M. LOURIE) 479
G. LUSINI, Studi sul monachesimo eustaziano (secoli XIV-XV) (В. М. LOURIE) 488
Th. DASNABEDIAN, Le Bmegyrique de la sainte Mere de Dieu de Grigor
Narekac'i(B. OUTTIER) 499
П. В. ПАГХОЕ, Aytot oi 91X01 TOO Oeoo (A. Y. MURAVIEV) 502
R. W. THOMSON, Rewriting Caucasian History. The medieval Armenian
Adaptation of the Georgian Chronicles (A. Y. MURAVIEV) 505
A Digest of Russian Books on the Christian Orient and Related Matters 508
Abbreviations 513
Robert E. Sinkewicz
THE CONCEPT OF SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION
IN GREGORY PALAMAS' CTRST TRIAD
IN DEFENCE OF THE HOLY HESYCHASTS
Introduction
Spiritual perception can be defined in general terms as the means
whereby the human person experiences God or spiritual realities. More
specifically, in the controversy between Gregory Palamas and Barlaara
the Calabrian, it is the means whereby the human person knows God. The
historical context of this fourteenth-century discussion has been treated
in detail by John Meyendorf f, Antonio Rigo and myself1. Rigo in particular
has elucidated the specific sources of Barlaam's criticisms of hesychast
practice and experience: principally, Nikephoros the Monk, On
Watchfulness and the Guarding of the Heart, the «Methodos» (The Three
Methods of Prayer) ascribed to Symeon the New Theologian (in fact, a
late thirteenth-century text), and the writings of Gregory of Sinai2.
In the first phase of his controversy with Barlaam, Gregory Palamas
resorted to the notion of spiritual perception in a particularly interesting
way. Afterwards he dropped the topic and the term disappears from the
controversy. The problem originated with an extreme emphasis on God's
aseity in Barlaam's early writings. Because of the inexpressible and
indemonstrable character of the Godhead, it could not be confined with
the categories of apodictic demonstrations. Such knowledge of God is
inaccessible to the powers of human reason. Dialectical reasoning alone
can be used in theology. Human beings have no direct contact with or
knowledge of God. The only knowledge available is limited to knowledge
of God from creation or the ascent by negations. Illumination, whether it
be a case of the prophets and saints of old or the saints of the present, is a
phenomenon of the intellect: it relates to the gifts of wisdom, knowledge
1 J. MEYENDORFF, Introduction a l'etude de Gregoire Palamas (Paris, 1959);
A. RIGO, Monaci esicasti e monaci bogomili //(Florence, 1989) (Orientalia venetiana 2);
R. STNKEWICZ, The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God in the Early Writings of
Barlaam // Mediaeval Studies 44 (1982) 181-242.
2 RIGO, Monaci esicasti,.., p. 43-103.
R. E. Sinkewicz 375
and reason. Unfortunately, Barlaam is never clear about distinguishing a
gift of knowledge and knowledge attained by natural human effort. For
the most part, Barlaam appears to have denied any divine gift or charism
of knowledge, as well as any divinizing transformation of the human
faculties that would have allowed for a spiritual perception of divine
realities. In reply, Gregory Palamas insisted on the activity of grace in
transforming the human faculties of perception that like may be known
by like3.
The last section of this work, like the other two, begins with a question
posed by a hesychast monk in which certain criticisms of the opponents
(i.e., Barlaam) are set forth. These provide the immediate context and
general outline for the discussion which follows. Four points are raised in
the question4. First, according to the opponents, the illumination which
the hesychasts experience and call divine is in fact sensible. The implication
is that it cannot thus be divine in itself. And further, since it is sensible, it
would not be true illumination, which must be intellectual. Sensible
illuminations are also to be considered suspicious because of their
susceptibility to demonic deception. Second, the opponents hold that the
Old Testament instances of illumination are symbolic. On the basis of the
ensuing discussion, this seems to imply that a symbol merely communicates
knowledge of a reality without in any way embodying that reality or being
of any significance in itself. The New Testament illuminations on Mount
Thabor and at Pentecost are sensible, which is another way of saying that
they are symbolic. Being sensible, they must be created effects and also
inferior to the direct communication of knowledge. The third contention
of the opponents follows logically: knowledge is the only true supersensorу
illumination. Only knowledge can be the goal of contemplation. Andfourth,
the hesychast practices and experiences must fall under condemnation,
because they involve a pursuit of sensory experience, which leaves the
individual open to demonic illusions. The hesychast monks would also have
everyone disregard what is most important in the human search for God,
namely, intellectual knowledge. Everything here leads Palamas to conclude
that Barlaam considers the nature of the human encounter with God to be
accessible through the natural intellectual faculties.
3 See SINKEWICZ, The Doctrine...
4 Triad 1.3.q (102-105). TpriYoptou той ПосХа^бс Еиуура^атос / Ed. P. K. CHRES-
тои, V. 1 (Thessalonica, 1962). In brackets I give the page and line numbers of the
Meyendorff edition.
376 Христианский Восток I (VII) (i999)
Spiritual Perception
In his reply, Palamas noted that these opponents had apparently
misinterpreted the patristic terminology of illumination. They were taking
the terms «intellectual illumination», «intellectual light», light of
knowledge, and interpreting them as though there were no distinction
between the vision of Light (or illumination) and knowledge. In appealing
to patristic authority, they had given their opinions a mask of truth5.
Palamas was quick to point out their error. Knowledge is referred to as
light only because it is an effect of the presence of the divine Light6. This
Light bestows upon the individual a mystical and ineffable knowledge of
the mysteries of God; this is a knowledge proportionate to our power to
receive it7. Therefore, the divine Light can be called knowledge only
metaphorically, and knowledge can be called light only derivatively8.
The object of contemplation and that by which human beings are
illumined is not knowledge but God himself. The Light which is seen in
contemplation and by illumination is truly divine and is God himself, though
not in his substance9. The vision cannot be a sensible one (ouSev OCIOGTITOV
octStov); rather, God illumines spiritually (voepco^) and accommodates
himself in such a way that he can be seen as a spiritual light (фсо£ voepov)10.
Even so, God remains truly unknown and hidden11. He is invisible and
incomprehensible in himself; his manifestation and operation remain
mystical12. The vision of God or of the divine Light is not accessible to the
unaided human faculties, whether visual or intellectual. In speaking of
the vision of Stephen the Protomartyr, Palamas pointed out that it was
not experienced through the sense faculties or sensibly, nor was it
perceived intellectually by negation or apophaticism, nor through cause
or analogy. On the contrary, the divine apparitions appear by another
5 Triad 1.3.1 (107.12-13).
6 Triad 1.3.3 (111.9—11)-
7 Triad 1.3.10 (131.5-9).
8 Triad 1.3.3(113.21); 1.3.7(125.1).
9 The visions are supernatural and ineffable. Triad 1.3.5 (ll7-$Y* tne
illumined by the divine Light, 1.3.7 (123Л4); the pure in heart see God who is light,
1.3.9 (127.20-22); the Light is divine and is called divinity (GeotTjc), 1323 (159.17-18);
there is no vision of the substance of God, 1.3.4 (113.29).
10 Triad 1.3.27(169.20); 1.3.8 (125.15-20).
11 Triad 1.3.<£ (115.1-2).
12 Triad 1.3.8(125.14); 1.3.15 (141.9-10); 1.3.12 (133.30).
R. E. Sinkewicz 377
law besides that of divine and human nature: that is, the divinity does not
appear as it is in itself, nor can human nature as it is perceive the divinity.
Although the apostles saw the Light of the transfigured Christ on Tabor
with their bodily eyes, this took place not naturally but by the mediation
of some other power, since the Taboric Light was ineffable and invisible
to the natural faculties of perception. The vision of Stephen was likewise
mediated «by some ineffable power», «spiritually», and «by revelation».
The vision of God is thus received through the agency of a special charism
of grace. In Triad 1.3.20 Palamas decided that this power or faculty should
be called «spiritual perception», just as Solomon called it «a spiritual and
divine perception»13. The conjunction of the two terms voepa and а1а9г)ак;?
is meant to indicate that the faculty in question is something other than
either intellection or sense perception alone.
Palamas noted that spiritual perception has two elements, one
which is within our power and another which is beyond us14. The first
might be understood as a receptivity or openness to receive the divinely
graced element of this faculty. The mind functions as the contemplative
faculty of the soul; it is the eye of the soul, working on the analogy of
physical vision. They eye possesses a visual faculty which cannot operate
unless it is acted upon by light from the outside. Thus the mind has a
faculty or potentiality called spiritual perception, which is only
actualized by the presence of the divine element15. Elsewhere, Palamas
will explain that there is a light ray naturally present in the eyes, which
attains actualization as light and sees sensible things when it is united to
the sunk rays16. Spiritual perception operates in a similar fashion. The
same language of potentiality and actualization is again used here.
Palamas also insists that without the divine Light no mind can see with
its faculty of spiritual perception, just as the bodily eye cannot see
without sensible light17.
13 Prov 2:5. Palamas appears to be following here the same exegetical tradition
asOrigen in Contra Celsum 1.48 (ed. KOETSCHAU 98.9-12: PG 11:749 AB): see also Gregory
of Nyssa, In Canticum canticorum oratio 1.3 (ed. LANGERBECK 34.1-6); PG 44:780c).
This interpretation would justify the translation of the adjective as «spiritual» rather
than «intellectual». See also Triad 1.3.21 (155.3). ocibSrptv
14 Triad 1.3.4 (115.5-6).
15 Triad 1.39.
16 Triad 1.3.17.
17 Triad 1.3.46 (211.27-29).