Category Archives: Byzantine theology

Marcus Plested on St Gregory Palamas and the Hesychast Controversy

Posted on 27 March 2021 by Fr Aidan Kimel

“To conclude, there is no sense in [St Gregory’s] theology which may justifiably be characterized as a defeat of reason (against Podskalsky) or as the triumph of an anti-scholastic mystical theology (against Lossky or others), or indeed in any way … Continue reading →

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Did the Fifth Ecumenical Council Condemn Universal Salvation?

Posted on 31 May 2020 by Fr Aidan Kimel

When first presented with the universalist hope, many Orthodox and Roman Catholics imme­diately invoke the authority of the Fifth Ecumenical Council (A.D. 553), citing the famous fifteen anti-Origenist anathemas: “Apokatastasis has been dogmatically defined by the Church as heresy—see canon … Continue reading →

Posted in Byzantine theology, Eschatology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Theosis and the Palamite Distinction: Questions & Concerns

Posted on 2 October 2017 by Fr Aidan Kimel

by Fr Aidan Kimel That there exists in God a real distinction between his essence and his energies, theologians assure us, is an irreformable dogma of the Orthodox Church. If so, it is a curious dogma, originating in a question … Continue reading →

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Searching for St Dionysios the Areopagite

Posted on 21 May 2017 by Fr Aidan Kimel

Bishop Alexander shares how he came to an understanding of the theology of St Dionysios, over against established academic opinion, through immersion in the liturgical life of Mt Athos. This lecture highlights that which I have long believed: the necessity … Continue reading →

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The Essence/Energies Distinction in the Theology of St Gennadius Scholarios

Posted on 18 October 2016 by Fr Aidan Kimel

by Fr Christiaan Kappes In today’s installment, I hope to fully accede to Fr. Kimel’s request; namely, to figure out what the real Scholarios believes! Well, historically, there have been many “Scholarii” (viz., Scholarioses) to contend with (up to three!). … Continue reading →

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The Essence/Energies Distinction and the Myth of Byzantine Illogic

Posted on 27 June 2016 by Fr Aidan Kimel

by Fr Christiaan Kappes First of all, I heartily thank Fr. Aidan Kimel for inviting me to write a guest column on Palamism. Although, in the essence of the argument, it should not make a difference, I will start by … Continue reading →

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St Mark Eugenicus and the Immaculate Burning Bush

Posted on 14 September 2015 by Fr Aidan Kimel

We jump from St Gregory the Theologian in the 4th century to two Byzantine theologians in the 15th century—Joseph Bryennius, a vigorous supporter of hesychastic theology, and St Mark Eugenicus, the unwavering voice of Orthodoxy at the Council of Florence. … Continue reading →

Posted in Byzantine theology, Theotokos | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments