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4 results

  • Chapter 3 - ‘Revelation’ for Christians and Pagans and Its Philosophical Allegoresis

  • from Part I - Philosophical Perspectives on Divination, Revelation, and Prophecy
  • Edited by Elsa Giovanna Simonetti, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, Claire Hall, University of Durham
  • Book:
    Divination and Revelation in Later Antiquity
    Published online:
    19 October 2023
    Print publication:
    02 November 2023, pp 49-72

  • Summary

    This chapter first investigates the meaning of ‘revelation’ in ancient Christianity and ancient non-Jewish and non-Christian religions, especially in ‘pagan’ Platonism of the early imperial period. ‘Revelation’ was characterised by the stress on authoritative sources of revealed knowledge (e.g., the Bible, the Chaldaean Oracles). The objective is to argue that ‘pagan’ Platonists faithful to Plato (and commenting just on Plato) cannot be simplistically opposed to Jewish or Christian Platonists faithful to the Bible (and commenting exclusively on the Bible). The chapter examines how philosophical allegoresis was applied by Stoics and Platonists – ‘pagan’, Jewish, and Christian Platonists – to their authoritative texts and revelations. This study provides an accurate examination of the conceptual and methodological intersections between the works of ‘pagan’ and Christian Platonists, and points to cases that break the binary between ‘pagan’ commentaries on ‘pagan’ authoritative texts and Christian commentaries on Scripture. It will also suggest that Amelius commented on the Prologue of John in light of his previous knowledge of Origen’s Commentary.

  • 9 - The Chaldaean Oracles

  • from I - Philosophy in the later Roman Empire
  • Edited by Lloyd P. Gerson, University of Toronto
  • Book:
    The Cambridge History of Philosophy in Late Antiquity
    Published online:
    28 May 2011
    Print publication:
    01 January 2000, pp 161-173

  • Summary

    The doctrines and rituals presented by the Oracles were vital to those who called themselves theurgists. These include cosmogonical, metaphysical and theological information, and instructions for rituals that would help the theurgists to learn more about the cosmos and the gods, and to purify their souls, eventually causing them to rise to the heavens. Philosophically, the doctrines are heavily indebted to Middle Platonism. The Chaldaean metaphysical hierarchy is a variation of the Middle-Platonic schema. It is necessary to consider a host of other, minor deities who, having a special role in magic and ritual, are placed within and are essential to the Chaldaean philosophical structure. These divinities include Eros, Iynges and the Connectors. In the ritual system of the theurgists once can see a determination to put into effect what were, for other Middle Platonists, philosophical concepts only to be thought about. The Oracles had a long life in Late Platonism.

  • 29 - Synesius of Cyrene

  • from V - The second encounter of Christianity with ancient Greek philosophy
  • Edited by Lloyd P. Gerson, University of Toronto
  • Book:
    The Cambridge History of Philosophy in Late Antiquity
    Published online:
    28 May 2011
    Print publication:
    01 January 2000, pp 520-537

  • Summary

    After his schooling, Synesius returned to Cyrene, where he established his reputation as a leading member of the local council. The works of Synesius include the Hymns, metaphysical poems written in the style of Greek lyric. They syncretistically include Hellenic and Christian ideas. The background and context of the Hymns is difficult to reconstruct. Their syncretistic Christian elements must be juxtaposed with the apparently pure religious Hellenism of his contemporaneous prose works; given this, there remains a certain ambiguity of religious outlook. Nevertheless, it is possible to delineate his essential position, which was based on a philosophical understanding of religion. The Hymns of Synesius are later Platonic metaphysical poems. Hymn 1, a paean to the intelligible world in which he expresses modes of thought and experience characteristic of Hellenic later Platonism, depends on imagery from the Chaldaean Oracles. In later hymns, Synesius harmonizes Hellenic religious thought and imagery with Christian doctrines such as the Trinity.