The book investigates how the concept of time was understood in the
period between the second and the seventh centuries. It also
focuses in chapter 8 on the manner in which this notion was
reconsidered by some modern and contemporary scholars, in
particular Paul Tillich, because from among them he elaborated in
most detail on these concepts.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1. Textual sources that inspired the Patristic authors who
lived before the eighth century
1.1. Notable pagan sources concerning the notion of time
1.2. The main source used by the Patristic authors: The Bible
Chapter 2. The concept of time in the writings of Origen and
Cyprian of Carthage
2. 1. Kairos and chronos. Cyclicity and linearity
2. 1 a) Origen about the notion of time
2. 1 b) Cyprian of Carthage about the notion of time
Conclusion
Chapter 3. The Cappadocian School and John Chrysostom on the notion
of time
3. 1. Basil the Great/of Caesarea
3. 2. Gregory of Nyssa
3. 3. Gregory of Nazianzus
3. 4. John Chrysostom
Chapter 4. Augustine about the notion of time
Chapter 5. Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite about the concept of
time
5. 1. Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite about the notion of time
5.2. How some authors understood the concept of time within the
Corpus Dionysiacum
5. 3. Conclusions
Chapter 6. Maximus the Confessor on the notion of time
Chapter 7. The 'Creation of the world' in the texts of Byzantine
and Patristic authors: The Cappadocian School and Augustine
7. 1. The seeds of creation - logoi spermatikoi
7. 1.1. The Stoics
7. 1.2. The Neoplatonists
7. 2. Early Christianity on the concept of logoi spermatikoi
7. 2. 1. The Cappadocians
7. 1. a) Basil of Caesarea
7. 2. 1. b) Gregory of Nyssa
7. 2. 1. c) Augustine
7. 2. 1. d) Maximus the Confessor
Chapter 8. Later usages of the ancient differentiation
'chronos-kairos'
8. 1. Introduction
8. 2. Paul Tillich about time (and history). His view on the
distinction
8. 2.2. Human Freedom
8. 2. 3. History as humankind's maturing process
9. 2. 4. Eschatology
Chapter 9. Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
Contents 4
Abbreviations 7
Acknowledgments 10
Introduction 13
Chapter 1. Textual sources that inspired the Patristic authors who
lived before the eighth century 16
1.1. Notable pagan sources concerning the notion of time 16
1.2. The main source used by the Patristic authors: The Bible
18
Chapter 2. The concept of time in the writings of Origen and
Cyprian of Carthage 20
2. 1. Kairos and chronos. Cyclicity and linearity 20
2. 1. a) Origen about the notion of time 20
2. 1. b) Cyprian of Carthage about the notion of time 27
2. 1. c) Conclusion 30
Chapter 3. The Cappadocian School and John Chrysostom on the notion
of time 31
3.1. Basil the Great/of Caesarea 31
3.2. Gregory of Nyssa 36
3.3. Gregory of Nazianzus 49
3.4. John Chrysostom 55
Chapter 4. Augustine about the notion of time 58
Chapter 5. Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite about the concept of
time 66
5.1. Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite about the notion of time
66
5.2. How some authors understood the concept of time within the
Corpus Dionysiacum 75
5.3. Conclusion 80
Chapter 6. Maximus the Confessor on the notion of time 81
Chapter 7. The 'Creation of the world' in the texts of Byzantine
and Patristic authors: The Cappadocian School and Augustine 90
7. 1. The seeds of creation - logoi spermatikoi 91
7. 1. 1. The Stoics 91
7. 1. 2. The Neoplatonists 94
7. 2. Early Christianity on the concept of logoi spermatikoi 98
7. 2. 1. The Cappadocians 98
7. 2. 1. a) Basil of Caesarea 99
7. 2. 1. b) Gregory of Nyssa 105
7. 2. 1. c) Augustine 108
7. 2. 1. d) Maximus the Confessor 111
Chapter 8. Later usages of the ancient differentiation
'chronos-kairos' 114
8. 1. Introduction 114
8. 2. Paul Tillich about time (and history). His view on the
distinction 120
8. 2. 2. Human Freedom 122
8. 2. 3. History as humankind's maturing process 124
8. 2. 4. Eschatology 128
Chapter 9. Conclusion 133
Bibliography 138
Index 165
Elena Ene D-Vasilescu is a Professor of Byzantine and Medieval
Studies. She teaches and researches in the fields of Byzantine
culture (Philosophy, iconography) for the University of Oxford and
also independently. Her work focuses, inter alia, on the texts of
Gregory Nazianzen, Gregory of Nyssa, and Pseudo-Dionysius the
Areopagite. Among her latest books are Michelangelo, the
Byzantines, and Plato (2021), Glimpses into Byzantium. Its
Philosophy and arts (2021); Heavenly sustenance in Patristic Texts
and Byzantine iconography, Palgrave, 2018, Visions of God and ideas
on deification in Patristic Thought (co-ed. Mark Edwards);
Routledge/Taylor & Francis, 2017, and Devotion to St. Anne from
Byzantium to the Middle Ages (ed.), Palgrave, 2018.
Dr. Vasilescu has also published chapters in collective volumes;
some of those are as follows: "The Last Wonderful thing. The icon
of the Heavenly Ladder", in James and A. Eastmond (eds.), Wonderful
Things. Byzantium through its Art, Farnham: Ashgate, 2013, "Gregory
of Nyssa" entry in Ph. Esler (ed.), The Early Christian World,
Routledge, 2017.
Her articles feature in leading journals as, for instance,
Byzantinoslavica, The Journal of Theological Studies, Revue des
Etudes Sud-Est Europeennes, Studia Patristica, Journal of Early
Christian History, and Akropolis. Dr. Vasilescu is a frequent
speaker at national and international conferences.
This volume marks an intriguing and fresh approach to the question of how Christian theologians across the centuries have understood the concepts of time and the creation of the world. Dr Vasilescu draws on her extensive knowledge of Patristic sources to explore how the Church Fathers grappled with issues such as the notion of the logoi spermatikoi. At the core of her investigation is the relationship between chronos and kairos, which she explains retained their principal sense across almost two thousand years from the Romans to twentieth-century theologians such as Paul Tillich and John Marsh. This volume is likely to be of interest and relevance to many scholars and students of Patristics, the theology of creation, and Tillich. Matthew Niblett
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