Mystagogy

Alexander Golitzin is professor emeritus of patristics at Marquette University and a bishop of the Orthodox Church in America. A specialist in the origins of Eastern Christian ascetical and mystical tradition, he is the author of 'Et introibo ad altare Dei': The Mystagogy of Dionysius Areopagita (Thessaloniki, 1994); Saint Symeon the New Theologian on the Mystical Life: The Ethical Discourses, 3 vols.(Saint Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1995-97); and New Light from the Holy Mountain (Saint Tikhon's Seminary Press, 1996), as well as several studies collected in The Theophaneia School: Jewish Roots of Christian Mysticism, ed. A. Orlov and B. Lurie (Gorgias Press, 2009).

• ContentsAuthor’s Note   xiiiList of Abbreviations   xvIntroduction   xix1. A Controversial Figure: A Brief Look at Dionysius’ Ecclesial and Scholarly Reception   xixExcursus: A Word on Conspiracy Theories   xxviii2. The Corpus Dionysiacum: Christian Mysticism and Monastic Mystagogy   xxxiiiChapter 1: The Christian Mysticism of Dionysius Areopagita   11. Epistle X, “To the Apostle John at Patmos,” as an Introduction to the Corpus Dionysiacum: A Response to Apocalyptic Literature and Visionary Practices Directed to a Monastic Audience   12. The Celestial Hierarchy: Coordination between Heaven, the Liturgy, and the Soul—A Theme from the Ascetical Literature of Early Syrian Christianity   153. The “Architecture” of the Church at Worship in the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy: “Bracketing” All of Christian Life   254. The Divine Names: Notes of Eschatological Anticipation and “Spiritual Fatherhood” as Illustration of the Trinity   295. The Mystical Theology: Ascending the “Mountain of the Church” to Approach the Light of Christ, the Shekinah   346. Completing the Context of the Mystical Theology: Epistles I–V and Christ the “Sudden”   417. A Reply to the Critics: The Revealed “Pattern” of Public Worship and Private Prayer   508. A Closing Illustration: The Mosaic of the Transfiguration at Saint Catherine’s, Sinai   57Chapter 2: The Mystery of God: Transcendence and Presence   591. Reciprocal Ecstasies: A Preface   602. The One and the Many in God: The Divine Differences   652.1. God in se: The One and the Three   682.2. God ad extra: The Divine Differences and Immanence   732.2.1. Procession: a lesser God?   732.2.2. Δύναμις and ἐνέργεια   792.3. Πρόνοια: God’s Love in Motion   832.3.1. The divine ἔρως   892.3.2. Κίνησις   913. The Names: Notional Icons, Resonances of God as Providence   944. Summary   100Chapter 3: The Mystery of the Creature: Toward the Divine Likeness and Union   103Introduction   1031. God the Creator   1051.1. Emanationism?   1051.2. The Divine λόγοι   1132. The Reason-Endowed Creature as the Mirror or Analog of God’s Energies   1172.1. “Proper Degree”: The Creature’s ἀναλογία   1172.1.1. Στάσις: ever-moving repose   1192.1.2. Κίνησις   1212.1.2.1. Angelic motion   1232.1.2.2. Human motion   1292.2. The Power of Love: ἔρως   1322.3. Θεοειδής and θεομίμησις: Potential and Realization   1352.3.1. Δύναμις and ἐνέργεια   1372.3.2. Πρόοδος and πρόνοια: procession and providence   1402.3.3. Γνῶσις   1433. ῞Ενωσις: the Creature ἐν ἐκστάσει   1463.1. ᾽Αϕαίρεσις - ἀπόϕασις: Impelling Force   1523.2. Παθὼν τὰ θεῖα: The Discovery of a Presence   1533.3. ῞Ενωσις: Present Reality and Future Hope   1553.3.1. In the likeness of the divine ἔκστασις   1563.3.2. The divine energies and ἓνωσις as our capax Dei   1563.3.3. The promise   1584. Summary   159Chapter 4: The Mystery of the Worlds: Hierarchy and the Hierarchies   161Introduction   1611. The Definition of Hierarchy   1631.1. A Sacred Order: Hierarchy as τάξις   1641.1.1. The analog of providence and the reality of the created worlds   1641.1.2. By command of God: a question of law   1681.1.3. ᾽Εικών: hierarchy as revelation and saving presence   1721.2. The Gift of Light: Hierarchy as Sanctified Knowledge (ἐπιστήμη)   1761.2.1. The knowledge of creation: the true ϕυσιολογία   1761.2.2. The mind of Christ   1791.2.3. The apportionment of knowledge: a difficulty   1811.2.4. Knowledge as cooperation and ascent   1821.3. The Sacred ἐνέργεια: Hierarchy as the Process of Conformity to Providence   1831.3.1. Hierarchy = θέωσις: a share in God’s energies   1831.3.2. Θεομίμησις   1861.3.3. Purification—illumination—perfection   1882. The Hierarchies   1912.1. The Celestial Hierarchy   1912.1.1. The Dionysian “intelligible world”   1912.1.2. A perfected creation: our models for the life in God   1952.1.3. Our photagogues   1982.2. The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy   2002.2.1. The veils   2002.2.1.1. Matter   2012.2.1.2. Motion   2032.2.1.3. Word   2052.2.2. Our symbols and their apprehension   2082.2.3. The icon and the ascent: ministers and ministered   2102.2.3.1. Clergy and laity: a spatial and spiritual ordering   2102.2.3.2. Altar to doors: the church at prayer, an icon of providence   2132.2.4. A Gnostic vision?   2172.2.4.1. The revelation of a divinized cosmos   2172.2.4.2. The reflection and revelation of Jesus   2193. Summary   221Chapter 5: The Mystery and the Mysteries: Christ and the Sacraments as Revelation and Communication of True God and True Man   225Introduction   2251. Sinai: The Image of the Ascent and Type of the Church   2272. The Mystery: God’s Dispensation in Christ   2382.1. Outside the Doors: The Fall and the Devil   2382.2. The Incarnation: The Restoration of Our Being in Jesus and the Ground of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy   2443. The Mysteries: From the Doors to the Altar   2503.1. Baptism: The Mystery of Entry and First Stage of the Ascent   2523.1.1. The rite   2533.1.2. Θεωρία and a word on the νοητά   2543.1.3. The contemplation: a triple reality and revelation   2583.1.3.1. The soul: direct motion   2583.1.3.2. Christ   2593.1.3.3. Icon of providence   2613.2. The Eucharist: Illumination and the “Sacrament of Sacraments”  2613.2.1. The central mystery  2613.2.2. The recapitulation of Providence, of Christ, and of humanity   2633.2.3. The rite   2653.2.4. ‘Υπ´ ὅψιν: recognition of a real presence   2673.2.5.The spiral motion   2713.3. The Sacred Chrism: Union   2723.3.1. The circular mode   2723.3.2. The threefold ascents of the clergy   2733.3.3. The mirror of the angels   2763.3.4. Jesus, our bond and consecration   2774. From the Altar to the Doors   2784.1. Ministers and Ministered   2784.1.1. The structure   2784.1.2. Clericalism or charismaticism?   2794.1.2.1. Arguments for a clerical/charismatic interpretation   2804.1.2.2. Arguments against a clerical/charismatic interpretation   2824.1.2.3. An abiding ambiguity   2844.2. The Mystery of Burial: Once Again outside the Doors; Dionysius’ Eschatology   2874.2.1. Formally correct   2874.2.2. Consistent with the EH   2884.2.3. Consistent with the CD as a whole   2904.2.4. A reply to the problems of law and grace: the nature of an icon   2914.2.5. The resurrection as fulfillment of the icon   2925. Summary of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy and the Corpus Dionysiacum   2945.1. A Series of Icons   2945.2. Jesus: The Presence of the “Sudden”   2985.3. The Unity of the Corpus Dionysiacum in the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy   3005.4. A Christian Vision   302Chapter 6: Dionysius’ Predecessors: Evagrius and Macarius   305Introduction   3051. Dionysius and the Egyptian Desert   3052. Dionysius and Evagrius Ponticus   3092.1. The Corpus Dionysiacum: A “Neoplatonized Origenism”?   3102.2. Dionysius and Evagrius on the Nature of Essential Knowledge: ἔκστασις vs. κατάστασις?   3142.3. Eschatology or Ecstasy? Dionysius and Evagrius on the Experience of God   3162.4. The Mystery of the Church: Eternal Worship   3212.5. Dionysius and the Origenism of Syria-Palestine   3243. Dionysius’ Sources in the Syrian Ascetic Tradition   3293.1. “Singles,” “Sons of the Covenant,” and “Messalians”   3293.2. The Liber Graduum   3363.3. The Macarian Homilies   3393.4. Between Macarius and the Corpus Dionysiacum: Fifth- and Sixth-Century Notices of the “Little Church”   355Summary   361Final Summary and Concluding Remarks   3651. Recognition of the Church: the Corpus Dionysiacum’s Reception   3652. The Elements of the Dionysian Synthesis   3693. The Icon of the Mystery   3713.1. Transfiguration of the Sensible   3713.2. An “Open” Cycle   3723.3. Christ the Infinite Center   3734. An Inherited Inadequacy   3745. A Prevailing Fidelity     3756. An Enduring Influence 3776.1. On Piety and Ascetic Literature: A Sketch of the Dionysian Trajectory 3796.2. On the Self-Identity of the Christian Oikoumene   3977. A Last Word and a Little Speculation 399Bibliography   407Primary Sources   407Secondary Sources   410Biblical Index   435Dionysius Index   438Bibliographic Index   451