Gregory Palamas’ Cosmology in the Context of Ancient Greek Philosophy
Gregory Palamas’ Cosmology in the Context of Ancient Greek Philosophy

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to methodically present the cosmological views found in the corpus of Gregory Palamas’ extant works, and second, to situate them in the context of ancient Greek philosophy. Palamas’ cosmology is shown to be ordered and hierarchical, aligning with the fundamental principles of the ancient Greek worldview and Christian doctrine. The Palamite universe comprises two distinct worlds: the intelligible and the material. The former encompasses the realm of angels, while the latter extends from the heavens to the earth, passing through the intermediate elemental spheres of fire, air, and water. The human being, as the preeminent inhabitant of the universe, is regarded as a microcosm reflecting the diverse aspects of the world through its natural constitution. In most of his views, Palamas is portrayed as a faithful follower of the ancient Greek cosmological tradition originating with Aristotle.

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