Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite

Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and Pseudo-Dionysius is an unknown Christian author of the early sixth century. He used as his pseudonym the name " Dionysius the Areopagite " ( according to Acts 17,34 ).

The author

The apocryphal (hidden ) Author is the author of a collection of writings that claim falsely to be from the mentioned in Acts 17:34 ELB Dionysius the Areopagite. It is an early Christian personality that has been converted by the Apostle Paul ( speech at the Areopagus in Athens ).

The actual identity of the author is unknown. Both the literary dependency of his writings and quotes in his work have the Antiochian space as the origin. His striking awkward Greek can be justified by the practiced at that time there bilingualism. Presumably it was a Syrian monk. Maybe he was close to the theological- philosophical school of Caesarea.

In his works, Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite suggested the then popular doctrine of salvation as Neoplatonism to Christian. Numerous traces of the Neo-Platonist Proclus are particularly detectable. In addition, the author is under the influence of Clement of Alexandria, the "Three Cappadocians " and Origen.

For the time of composition of the corpus Dionysiacum is the earliest date the year 476, as Dionysius presupposes elements in worship, which were only recorded at the time of Peter the Fuller in the liturgy. The latest time for the emergence of the works is the year 510, are demonstrated for the quotations in Severus of Antioch.

Writings

• Peri mystikes theologias / De mystica theologia ( The Mystical Theology) (MT )
• Peri theion onomaton / De divinis nominibus ( The Divine Name ) ( DN)
• Peri tes ekklestiastikes hierarchias / De ecclesiastica hierarchia ( The Church hierarchy ) ( EH )
• Peri tes ouranias hierarchias / De caelesti hierarchia ( The Celestial Hierarchy ) (CH )
• And 10 letters

The writings were repeatedly translated, from Hilduin, John Scotus Eriugena, Johannes Sarracenus, Robert Grosseteste in the 13th century and Ambrogio Traversari in the 15th century. Important comments submitted, inter alia, of Maximus the Confessor, John Scotus Eriugena, Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas.

Question of authenticity and performance history

The authenticity of the Areopagite writings has indeed already been questioned by Bishop Hypatius of Ephesus in the year 532, but then came you - ( for so in Gregory the Great [† 604 ] ) quickly agree to recognize the authenticity - especially in the west of the Mediterranean. Between 536 and 543/553 the corpus Dionysiacum by Bishop John of Scythopolis or by a circle of scholars was edited by him and published. This edition with an edge comment ( scholia ) and a prologue is the starting point of a broad historical impact of the work. A well-known commentary on the writings comes after that of Maximus the Confessor († 662). In the following period the areopagitische literature was because of his alleged early Christian origin almost as canonical and had the medieval theology of both the Eastern and the Western Church also great influence. There are authors keep the Dionysius looking back at the last half-millennium history of theology for the most influential theological author according to the biblical writings.

From the 9th century the Areopagite by Abt Hilduins Post Beatam ac Salutiferam was also known as Areopagitica, then equated even with the early Christian martyr St. Dionysius of Paris, after the Abbey of St. Denis, near Paris, is named. Thus, the Greek-speaking theologian was frankisiert, and a Latin version of the texts became widespread. Presumably, the abbey was for the merger of the three bearers of the name, so the mentioned in the Bible Dionysius the Martyr and even the author of the Areopagite writings, responsible.

After returning to St. Denis, 1121 Peter Abelard already noticed in his studies on the history of the patron the various people of the name " Dionysius ". The abbey also had a good Greek edition of the works of Pseudo- Dionysius, a gift from Charles the Bald, which was translated into Latin by John Scotus Erigena in the 9th century. This translation made ​​widely known both Neoplatonism and the angelology of Pseudo- Dionysius. For the entire Middle Ages, the design of Platonism, mysticism, cosmic emanation and ( moderate ) Monophysitism should be a system of unique fascination as particularly in the negative theology of the most important mystic Meister Eckhart and his pupil Henry Suso.

After a rise of criticism as to the authenticity of the writings Peter Abelard then had to leave the convent, so that only found in Laurentius Valla and Erasmus of Rotterdam in the 15th and 16th century documents for the next serious doubts again. The proof of inauthenticity could but only by philological research in the 19th century by Hugo Koch ( 1869-1940 ) and Joseph Stiglmayr ( 1851-1934 ) are rendered. Since it is not disputed that the converted Paul Dionysius of Areopagus can not be the author of the writings attributed to him.

Effect History Dionysius is as a theorist of the ecclesiastical hierarchy of importance. Both in theology proper ( the doctrine of the Trinity) and in the angelology ( doctrine of angels ) he is seeking to legitimize the holiness of the Church's power and its temporal structure of spiritual direction theologically. For this reason, the " Celestial Hierarchy" and the " Ecclesiastical Hierarchy" are closely linked: Due to its mystification, church ministry is sacralized.

It also remains to his Mystical Theology with the two paths of the knowledge of God and the Christian Aneigung of Neoplatonism in the corpus Dionysiacum fundamental to the theology of the coming centuries.

Theology

When Dionysius God cause, beginning, being and life of all things. God is the One and perfect beyond all being ( hyperousios ) that is never reached, but over - recognizable ( hyperagnostos ) remains. The knowledge of God leads by way of analogy to the cause of everything, without God, however, to recognize its nature. God settle properties ( theologia positiva kataphatike, ) must come from the biblical revelation of God. Deny God attributes ( theologia negativa, apophatike ) is an attempt to make the ineffability of God identified. About cleaning ( catharsis ) and enlightenment ( photismos ) can be an accomplishment ( teleiosis ) reached in a non recognized in the normal sense knowledge.

Text output

Greek or Latin editions

• Dionysiaca: Recueil donnant l' ensemble des traductions latines of ouvrages attribués au Denys de l' areopagi et la valeur de synopsis marquant citations presque innombrables allant seules depuis trop long temps dans leur remises enfin au moyen d'une contexte nome, Bruges: Desclée de Brouwer 1937 (of which several reprints ).
• Corpus Dionysiacum. Volume 1: De divinis nominibus, Berlin / New York 1990.
• Corpus Dionysiacum. Volume 2: De coelesti hierarchia / De ecclesiastica hierarchia / De mystica theologia / Epistulae. Hg Günter Heil, Berlin / New York 1991.

German editions

• Dionysius the Areopagite, Mystical theology. Translated, with introduction and commentary provided by Walther Tritsch. Munich -Planegg. Barth: 1956 (Series: Wisdom Books of mankind ).
• About the heavenly hierarchy. About the ecclesiastical hierarchy. Introduced, translated and annotated by Günter Heil, Stuttgart: Hiersemann, 1986 ( Library of Greek literature Volume 22: . Dept. Patristics ).
• About the mystical theology and letters. Initiated, trans. provided and by appointment of Adolf Martin Ritter, Stuttgart: Hiersemann, 1994 ( Library of Greek Literature Vol 40: . Department Patristics ).
• Of St. Dionysus the Areopagite alleged writings. From the Greek translated by Josef Stiglmayr. ( Library of the Fathers, 1st Series, Volume 2 and 2nd row, Volume 2 ) Munich 1911/1931. (online)