In this dissertation, I claim that Gregory Palamas' teaching on the uncreated light of the transfigured Christ is best understood when interpreted through the category of theophany, namely, the appearance or vision of God. For Palamas, the Transfiguration is the theophany which manifests the full implications of the hypostatic union. As a revelation of the uncreated divinity of Christ (the vision of God), the Transfiguration anticipates, makes present, and partially effects the eschatological deification that takes place fully in the face to face vision of God. Palamas' teaching on the Transfiguration as theophany synthesizes insights from the Eastern patristic tradition regarding theology of revelation, deification, and eschatology. Palamas' theology of the Transfiguration and theophany presupposes a theophanic and therefore Christocentric economy of salvation which sees the Son of God as the theophanic mediator between God and man beginning with creation, through the theophanies of the Old Testament, and culminating in his Incarnation and the face to face vision of God in the fully glorified Christ in the eschaton. Palamas' theology of revelation (essence and energies), deification, and eschatology cannot be properly understood without taking into account their theophanic foundation. Furthermore, I claim that Palamas' synthesis of the Eastern patristic tradition concerning the Transfiguration and theophany can aid Roman Catholic theology in recovering a series of insights concerning the Transfiguration as the vision of God in this life contained in its shared patristic heritage with the Christian East. Central to this claim is that Thomas Aquinas' teaching on the Transfiguration and theophany is inadequate for the task of such a retrieval (his view of theophany does not permit it) and that Palamas' synthesis can show Roman Catholic theology the way back to its theophanic Eastern patristic heritage. / McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts; / Theology / PhD; / Dissertation;

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:13:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Roberto Penedo.pdf: 694235 bytes, checksum: 5a232f017314f97cadefac19e7dbe8cc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-09-06 / This thesis is within the Research Line: Culture and Educational Processes. The object of study referred here is the literary work Grande Sertão: Veredas (2001), by João Guimarães Rosa. The fundamental aims of this thesis are: to present a theophanical dimension as the symbolic essential matter of Rosean´s major work and to defend a perspective of a pedagogy of the symbols or spiritual as a compulsory formative demand for human and mundane living in modern times. The theoretical background of this research is supported by the hermeneuthic of the symbols of the French thinker Gilbert Durand. The procedure was of a hermeneuthical exercise of the symbolic fountain present in Grande Sertão: Veredas, confronting it with the religious Judaic-Christian canon of the Holy Bible. The main contribution of this thesis is in the affirmation that, for the exercise of an authentic symbolic experience in our times, it is necessary to problematize the univocity of the racionalist and scientificist discourse of modern pedagogy, in favor of a pedagogy of the symbols or spiritual, which leads us again to the direction of the re-living of our Imago Dei. Towards that, the fundamental importance of the search of the intimacy with the symbolic dimension, epiphany and theophany, present in literary works and, above all, in the Holy Book. / Esta tese inclui-se na Linha de Pesquisa: Cultura e Processos Educacionais. O objeto de estudo aqui referenciado é a obra literária Grande Sertão: Veredas (2001), de João Guimarães Rosa. Os objetivos fundamentais deste trabalho são: apresentar a dimensão teofânica como a matéria vertente simbólica essencial da obra maior rosiana e defender a perspectiva de uma pedagogia dos símbolos ou espiritual como uma exigência formativa para o vivenciar humano e mundano dos tempos hodiernos. O referencial teórico desta pesquisa tem na hermenêutica dos símbolos do pensador francês Gilbert Durand a sua fundamentação. O procedimento realizado foi o de um exercício hermenêutico do manancial simbólico presente em Grande Sertão: Veredas, cotejando-o com o cânone religioso judaico-cristão da Bíblia Sagrada. A principal contribuição trazida por esta tese está na afirmação de que, para o exercício de experiências simbólicas autênticas no tempo em que vivemos, é necessário problematizar a univocidade do discurso racionalista e cientificista da pedagogia moderna, em favor de uma pedagogia dos símbolos ou espiritual, que nos reenvie em direção da revivescência de nossa Imago Dei. Para tanto, a fundamental importância da busca da intimidade com a dimensão simbólica, epifânica e teofânica, presente nas obras literárias e, sobretudo, no Livro Sagrado.

Cette thèse propose la traduction et le commentaire de la Riyāḍa et de l’Adab al-nafs d’al-Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī, mystique sunnite khorasanien des 9ème et 10ème siècles de l’ère commune, connu pour l’impact qu’a eu son Kitāb khatm al-awliyā’ sur la pensée postérieure, celle d’Ibn ‘Arabī (m. 638/1240) en particulier. Ce sont deux manuels fondamentaux d’anthropologie spirituelle qui témoignent d’une mystique philosophique islamique ancienne assimilant des éléments de la pensée néoplatonicienne et de traditions religieuses orientales telles que le manichéisme et le bouddhisme. La systématisation du concept de sainteté (walāya) caractérise cette pensée que l’on pourrait qualifier de théosophique : dans la Riyāḍa et l’Adab sont ainsi exposées les règles de l’éducation de l’égo en vue de rétablir l’ascendant du cœur sur ce dernier, transformant le croyant en saint (walī). L’éthique de Tirmidhī se rapproche du principe bouddhiste selon lequel des actes apparemment identiques proviennent soit d’une motivation désintéressée soit d’une motivation égoïste. Le cœur, organe cognitif et organe de l’action, produit des actes conformes à la connaissance divine, tandis que l’âme s’approprie les actes pour satisfaire sa passion égoïste. L’anthropologie du Sage de Termez possède une dimension cosmologique, caractéristique elle aussi de la théosophie mystique : le saint, libéré de l’égo, voit apparaître en son cœur l’ordre divin régissant les mondes et devient ainsi lieutenant de Dieu, l’instrument d’une manifestation divine qui établit au sein de la communauté des croyants et dans le monde l’ordre de l’unicité et de la Loi que le culte de l’égo transgresse et corrompt. Les caractéristiques du saint chez Tirmidhī – sa connaissance et son pouvoir théophaniques – possèdent des correspondances évidentes avec celles attribuées à l’imam dans le shi‘isme. / This thesis proposes the translation of and commentary on the Riyāḍa and the Adab al-nafs of al-Ḥakīm al-Tirmidhī, a Khorasanian Sunni mystic from the 9th and 10th centuries of the Common Era, known for the impact that his Kitāb khatm al-awliyā' had on posterior thought, that of Ibn 'Arabī (638/1240) in particular. These are two fundamental textbooks of spiritual anthropology that testify to an ancient Islamic philosophical mysticism assimilating elements of Neoplatonic thought and Eastern religious traditions such as Manichaeism and Buddhism. The systematization of the concept of holiness (walāya) characterizes this thought that could be described as theosophical: in the Riyāḍa and the Adab are thus exposed the rules of the education of the ego in order to restore the ascendancy of the heart on the latter, transforming the believer into a saint (walī). Tirmidhī's ethic is similar to the Buddhist principle that seemingly identical acts come either from selfless motivation or from a selfish motivation. The heart, the cognitive organ and the organ of action, produces acts in accordance with the knowledge of the Law and divine attributes, while the soul appropriates acts to satisfy its selfish passion. The anthropology of the sage of Termez has a cosmological dimension, also characteristic of mystical theosophy: the saint, freed from the ego, sees appearing in his heart the divine order governing the worlds and thus becomes a lieutenant of God, the instrument of a divine manifestation which establishes within the community of believers and in the world the order of Oneness (tawḥīd) and Law that the cult of the ego transgresses and corrupts. The characteristics of the saint in Tirmidhī - his theophanic knowledge and power - have obvious correspondences with those attributed to the imam in Shi'ism.

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Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / Opsomming In hierdie verhandeling word die ontologie van Eriugena in oënskou geneem, met spesifieke verwysing na sy negatiewe ontologie, oftewel sy opvatting van nie-syn. Ter inleiding word daar na die Latynse en Griekse agtergrond van sy ontologie verwys. Dit word opgevolg deur `n bespreking van die verskillende wyses van syn en nie-syn waarvan Eriugena in die Periphyseon gebruik maak. Klem word geplaas op sy negatiewe ontologie, wat meer gevorderd is as enigiets in die Westerse denke tot heelwat na sy leeftyd. Die historiese konteks van Eriugena se lewe en denke word geskets, met inbegrip van die invloede wat op hom ingewerk het en sy eie nawerking. Sy viervoudige verdeling van die werklikheid word vervolgens bespreek, met aanduiding hoedat die ganse werklikheid gesien kan word as `n wisselwerking tussen syn en nie-syn. `n Dinamiese ontologie word dus deur Eriugena voorgehou, eerder as die statiese ontologie wat kenmerkend van veel Judaïsties-Christelike denke is. Summary In this dissertation the ontology of Eriugena is reviewed, with specific reference to his negative ontology, in other words his concept of non-being. By way of introduction the Latin and Greek background of his ontology is pointed out. It is followed by a discussion of the various modes of being and non-being that Eriugena employs in the Periphyseon. Emphasis is placed on his negative ontology, which is more advanced than anything in Western thought until much later than his time. The historical context of Eriugena's life and thought is sketched, including the influences acting on him and the influence he exerted on others. His fourfold division of reality is then discussed, indicating how the whole of reality can be viewed as an interaction between being and non-being. Eriugena thus postulates a dynamic ontology, rather than the static ontology that is characteristic of much of Judaistic-Christian thought. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

Text in German with German and English summaries / In times of global crisis, eschatological questions gain relevance. The Old Testament concept of HàWH:J moWJ has primary bearing on Christian eschatological expectations. This study examines the discourse of the Day of Yahweh of Amos and Isaiah in the context of their message. Concept and origin of this discourse are controversial. A review of research shows that the current understandings do not adequately answer questions about the origin of this discourse. Both the definitions of “Day of Yahweh” passages and the certitude that HàWH:J moWJ is a technical term seem problematic. Analysis of Amos 5:18-20 shows that, contrary to commonly accepted understanding, a nontechnical understanding of the phrase HàWH:J moWJ is sufficient for interpreting the passage. Linguistically similar phrases in Isaiah also merely relate Yahweh’s historical intervention, and do not refer to an established concept. Only later did a tradition complex arise from this prophetic proclamation. / In Zeiten globaler Krisen gewinnen eschatologische Fragestellungen an Aktualität. Zentrale Bedeutung für die christliche Zukunftserwartung hat der Tag des Herrn, dessen alttestamentlicher Wurzelgrund der HàWH:J moWJ ist. Die Studie untersucht die Rede vom Tag Jahwes bei den Schriftpropheten Amos und Jesaja im Kontext ihrer Verkündigung. Konzept und Herkunft dieser Rede sind umstritten. Ein Forschungsüberblick zeigt, dass die gängigen Erklärungsmodelle die Frage nach der Herkunft dieser Rede nicht ausreichend beantworten. Als problematisch erscheinen die Definitionen von Tag Jahwes-Belegen und die Sicherheit, mit der man die Wendung HàWH:J moWJ als Terminus technicus bezeichnet. Die Untersuchung zu Am 5,18-20 erweist, dass, entgegen dem Common sense der Forschung, ein formales Verständnis der Wendung HàWH:J moWJ zur Interpretation der Rede ausreicht. Ähnliche sprachliche Wendungen bei Jesaja paraphrasieren ebenfalls nur das geschichtliche Eingreifen Jahwes und verweisen nicht auf eine Auseinandersetzung mit einem bestehenden Konzept. Ein Traditionskomplex namens Tag Jahwes erwuchs erst später aus dieser prophetischen Verkündigung. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. Th. (Old Testament)

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / Opsomming In hierdie verhandeling word die ontologie van Eriugena in oënskou geneem, met spesifieke verwysing na sy negatiewe ontologie, oftewel sy opvatting van nie-syn. Ter inleiding word daar na die Latynse en Griekse agtergrond van sy ontologie verwys. Dit word opgevolg deur `n bespreking van die verskillende wyses van syn en nie-syn waarvan Eriugena in die Periphyseon gebruik maak. Klem word geplaas op sy negatiewe ontologie, wat meer gevorderd is as enigiets in die Westerse denke tot heelwat na sy leeftyd. Die historiese konteks van Eriugena se lewe en denke word geskets, met inbegrip van die invloede wat op hom ingewerk het en sy eie nawerking. Sy viervoudige verdeling van die werklikheid word vervolgens bespreek, met aanduiding hoedat die ganse werklikheid gesien kan word as `n wisselwerking tussen syn en nie-syn. `n Dinamiese ontologie word dus deur Eriugena voorgehou, eerder as die statiese ontologie wat kenmerkend van veel Judaïsties-Christelike denke is. Summary In this dissertation the ontology of Eriugena is reviewed, with specific reference to his negative ontology, in other words his concept of non-being. By way of introduction the Latin and Greek background of his ontology is pointed out. It is followed by a discussion of the various modes of being and non-being that Eriugena employs in the Periphyseon. Emphasis is placed on his negative ontology, which is more advanced than anything in Western thought until much later than his time. The historical context of Eriugena's life and thought is sketched, including the influences acting on him and the influence he exerted on others. His fourfold division of reality is then discussed, indicating how the whole of reality can be viewed as an interaction between being and non-being. Eriugena thus postulates a dynamic ontology, rather than the static ontology that is characteristic of much of Judaistic-Christian thought. / Religious Studies and Arabic / M.A. (Religious Studies)

Text in German with German and English summaries / In times of global crisis, eschatological questions gain relevance. The Old Testament concept of HàWH:J moWJ has primary bearing on Christian eschatological expectations. This study examines the discourse of the Day of Yahweh of Amos and Isaiah in the context of their message. Concept and origin of this discourse are controversial. A review of research shows that the current understandings do not adequately answer questions about the origin of this discourse. Both the definitions of “Day of Yahweh” passages and the certitude that HàWH:J moWJ is a technical term seem problematic. Analysis of Amos 5:18-20 shows that, contrary to commonly accepted understanding, a nontechnical understanding of the phrase HàWH:J moWJ is sufficient for interpreting the passage. Linguistically similar phrases in Isaiah also merely relate Yahweh’s historical intervention, and do not refer to an established concept. Only later did a tradition complex arise from this prophetic proclamation. / In Zeiten globaler Krisen gewinnen eschatologische Fragestellungen an Aktualität. Zentrale Bedeutung für die christliche Zukunftserwartung hat der Tag des Herrn, dessen alttestamentlicher Wurzelgrund der HàWH:J moWJ ist. Die Studie untersucht die Rede vom Tag Jahwes bei den Schriftpropheten Amos und Jesaja im Kontext ihrer Verkündigung. Konzept und Herkunft dieser Rede sind umstritten. Ein Forschungsüberblick zeigt, dass die gängigen Erklärungsmodelle die Frage nach der Herkunft dieser Rede nicht ausreichend beantworten. Als problematisch erscheinen die Definitionen von Tag Jahwes-Belegen und die Sicherheit, mit der man die Wendung HàWH:J moWJ als Terminus technicus bezeichnet. Die Untersuchung zu Am 5,18-20 erweist, dass, entgegen dem Common sense der Forschung, ein formales Verständnis der Wendung HàWH:J moWJ zur Interpretation der Rede ausreicht. Ähnliche sprachliche Wendungen bei Jesaja paraphrasieren ebenfalls nur das geschichtliche Eingreifen Jahwes und verweisen nicht auf eine Auseinandersetzung mit einem bestehenden Konzept. Ein Traditionskomplex namens Tag Jahwes erwuchs erst später aus dieser prophetischen Verkündigung. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. Th. (Old Testament)

This thesis contends that the image of fire is a multivalent and theologically valuable image for application in British Christian communities. My research offers an original contribution by contextualising the image of fire for Christian practice in Britain, and combining critical observation of several contemporary fire rites with theological analysis. In addition, I conduct original case studies of three Scottish fire rituals: the Stonehaven Fireball Ceremony, the Beltane Fire Festival, and Up-Helly-Aa in Lerwick, Shetland. The potential contribution of fire imagery to Christian practice has been overlooked by modern theological scholarship, social anthropologists, and Christian practitioners. Since the multivalence of the image has not been fully recognised, fire imagery has often been reduced to a binary of ‘positive' and ‘negative' associations. Through my study of non-faith fire rituals and existing Christian fire practices, I explore the interplay between multivalence, multiplicity, and liminality in fire imagery. I demonstrate that deeper theological engagement with the image of fire can enhance participation, transformation, and reflection in transitional ritual experience. I argue that engaging with the multivalence of the image of fire could allow faith communities to move beyond dominant interpretive frameworks and apply the image within their own specific context. First, I orientate the discussion by examining the multivalence of biblical fire imagery and establishing the character of fire within the British social imagination. Second, I use critical observation of community fire practices in non-faith contexts to build a new contextual framework for the analysis of fire imagery. Finally, I apply my findings to a contextual analysis of existing Christian fire practices in Britain. Throughout, I argue that sensory and imaginative interaction with the image of fire provides a way to communicate and interact with theological ideas; experience personal and communal change; and mediate experience of the sacred.