The One and Many: Reception of the Neoplatonic Notion of Hierarchy in 14th and 15th Century
The One and Many: Reception of the Neoplatonic Notion of Hierarchy in 14th and 15th Century
Author(s): Vladimir Cvetković
Subject(s): History, Cultural history, Philosophy of Middle Ages, Philosophy of Religion, 13th to 14th Centuries, 15th Century, The Ottoman Empire
Published by: Institut za filozofiju i društvenu teoriju
Keywords: Neoplatonism in the Balkans; Christian Hesychasm; Palamism; Bektashi Sufism; Ottoman Balkans; Byzantine art; ecclesiastical hierarchy; Renaissance Neoplatonism; South Slavic culture; 14th–15th century Balkan intellectual history
Summary/Abstract: The One and Many: Reception of the Neoplatonic Notion of Hierarchy in 14 th and 15 th Century Balkans is a volume that explores the reception of Neoplatonic ideas of hierarchy in the religious, philosophical, and cultural practices of the Balkans in the 14 th and 15 th centuries. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the collected texts examine how concepts such as the One and the Many, unity and difference, as well as participation shaped theological, artistic, and scientific practices in Byzantine-Christian and Islamic traditions. The volume highlights the influence of Dionysius the Areopagite, Maximus the Confessor, and Gregory Palamas on Orthodox thought, as well as previously underexplored layers of medieval Slavic reception. It also includes studies on iconography, architecture, and medical terminology, demonstrating how Neoplatonism permeated both intellectual and material culture. This publication offers new perspectives on the philosophical and theological connections between Christianity and Islam in the medieval Balkans.
- Print-ISBN-13: 978-86-6190-023-5
- Page Count: 314
- Publication Year: 2025
- Language: English
Monism, Apophaticism, and the Emergence of Relational Ontology
Monism, Apophaticism, and the Emergence of Relational Ontology
(Monism, Apophaticism, and the Emergence of Relational Ontology)
- Author(s):Aleksandar Đakovac, Aleksandar Dobrijević
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Philosophy, Philosophical Traditions, Philosophy of Religion, Ontology
- Page Range:29-56
- No. of Pages:28
- Summary/Abstract:Scholars have varied perspectives on the interaction between Christianity and Hellenistic philosophy. While some perceive it as the Hellenization of Christianity, others view it as the Christianization of Greek thought. This study aims to explore the dynamics of this encounter within the realm of ontology. Despite numerous parallels, notable distinctions exist in the conclusions drawn by Christian theologians and Hellenic, particularly Neoplatonic, philosophers. Our examination commences with a brief overview of Plotinus’ metaphysical monism, highlighting the role of apophaticism in establishing divergent ontological frameworks. Through a series of intermediate steps, we will delve into the evolution of what we term “relational ontology.”
Gregory Palamas аnd the Question of One and Many: An Ontological Questioning of Essence/Energies Distinction
Gregory Palamas аnd the Question of One and Many: An Ontological Questioning of Essence/Energies Distinction
(Gregory Palamas аnd the Question of One and Many: An Ontological Questioning of Essence/Energies Distinction)
- Author(s):Romilo Aleksandar Knežević
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Philosophy, Philosophical Traditions, Philosophy of Middle Ages, Ontology
- Page Range:57-93
- No. of Pages:37
- Summary/Abstract:In this paper, I shall argue that to be properly evaluated, the dialectical pair of notions of essence/energies, introduced by Gregory Palamas, the renowned Orthodox metropolitan and theologian of the 14th century, needs to be positioned within the wider Neoplatonic framework of the age-old problem of the One and the Many. Palamas is undoubtedly not particularly fond of using Neoplatonic vocabulary, especially this syntagma. This is probably why his work so far has not been approached from this angle.
The One and Many: Pagans and Their Influence on St. Gregory Palamas
The One and Many: Pagans and Their Influence on St. Gregory Palamas
(The One and Many: Pagans and Their Influence on St. Gregory Palamas)
- Author(s):Tamara Plećaš
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History, Philosophy, Philosophy of Middle Ages
- Page Range:94-125
- No. of Pages:32
- Summary/Abstract:Byzantine philosophy refers to the examination and teaching of conventional philosophical subjects conducted in the Greek language during the period from approximately 730 to 1453.3 Among the philosophers of Byzantium, at least two lines of thought can be identified: one that primarily looked to Latin philosophy, and another that continued the Greek philosophical tradition, influenced to varying degrees by the Christian Neoplatonists.
Reception of the Dionysian Notion of Hierarchy in 14th-Century Serbia
Reception of the Dionysian Notion of Hierarchy in 14th-Century Serbia
(Reception of the Dionysian Notion of Hierarchy in 14th-Century Serbia)
- Author(s):Vladimir Cvetković
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History, Philosophy, Philosophy of Middle Ages, 13th to 14th Centuries
- Page Range:126-162
- No. of Pages:37
- Summary/Abstract:In order to comprehend specific concepts, it is imperative to consider not only their inherent nature and significance within the context in which they originated, but also their subsequent reception and the supplementary meanings ascribed to them. Certainly, this holds true for the concept of hierarchy. The concept of hierarchy found scarce usage in Christian terminology prior to Dionysius the Areopagite, who introduced and elaborated upon it within the Christian context, notably applying it to the Church. The term underwent a dramatic afterlife, with its meaning often shaped in the interplay between church power dynamics and foundational ecclesiological doctrines.
Hierarchy in the Grave: The Multi-Compartment Layout of Byzantine Monastic Ossuaries
Hierarchy in the Grave: The Multi-Compartment Layout of Byzantine Monastic Ossuaries
(Hierarchy in the Grave: The Multi-Compartment Layout of Byzantine Monastic Ossuaries)
- Author(s):Nebojša P. Stanković
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History, Archaeology, Architecture, Eastern Orthodoxy
- Page Range:165-197
- No. of Pages:33
- Summary/Abstract:Byzantine monastic ossuaries—sometimes referred to as ossuary chapels, cemetery chapels, or charnel houses—represent an interesting architectural phenomenon, in both their form and function (Figs. 5.1, 5.2). They draw one’s attention as being significantly different from the standard Byzantine ecclesiastic architecture. However, the ossuaries have rarely been studied by either art historians or liturgists, and a comprehensive explanation of their use and meaning is still a desideratum. Regarding their function, they have been usually considered a variant of funerary chapels. At the same time—in terms of their form and structure—they have been studied as a part of the corpus of unusual two-storied churches.
Political Ideology and the Neoplatonic Hierarchy in Image: The Case of 14th Century Serbia
Political Ideology and the Neoplatonic Hierarchy in Image: The Case of 14th Century Serbia
(Political Ideology and the Neoplatonic Hierarchy in Image: The Case of 14th Century Serbia)
- Author(s):Nikola Piperski
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Political history, 13th to 14th Centuries, Eastern Orthodoxy, History of Art
- Page Range:198-237
- No. of Pages:40
- Summary/Abstract:The system of wall painting in the Byzantine churches of the middle and late periods was organized according to a strictly defined hierarchy. The intention was to portray the earthly church as a reflection of the heavenly church as faithfully as possible. “The idea that earthly reality is a reflection of heavenly reality was part of the Neoplatonic ideas that Byzantium inherited from late antiquity.” The analogy of heavenly and ecclesiastical service was established early on: Ignatius of Antioch, around 100 AD, already referred to the bishop presiding over the assembly of his priests as the equivalent of Christ in the company of the apostles, but the strongest ideological basis which illustrate the ideological possibilities of pairing an earthly order with a heavenly counterpart can be found in the 6th century in the work of Dionysius, The Heavenly Hierarchy and The Church Hierarchy. The Corpus Dionysicum Areopagiticum stems from philosophical Neoplatonic writings attributed to Dionysius the Areopagite—an Athenian convert under Paul, the “first intellectual” Apostle who himself was concerned mostly with debatable questions about what it means to be Christian (Acts 17:16-34).
The Mystical Path from Ashiq to the One: Bektashi Islam in 14th and 15th Century in the Balkans and the Neoplatonic Hierarchy
The Mystical Path from Ashiq to the One: Bektashi Islam in 14th and 15th Century in the Balkans and the Neoplatonic Hierarchy
(The Mystical Path from Ashiq to the One: Bektashi Islam in 14th and 15th Century in the Balkans and the Neoplatonic Hierarchy)
- Author(s):Jelena Rosic
- Language:English
- Subject(s):Islam studies, Philosophy of Middle Ages, The Ottoman Empire
- Page Range:241-284
- No. of Pages:44
- Summary/Abstract:The exponential increase in the number of Muslims and the geographical and cultural expansion of Islam since the 7th century speak for themselves in terms of the importance of studies in this filed, especially today, when the still predominantly Christian or non-Muslim world tends to justify its own actions in the context of radical Islam and vice versa, Islamic studies and research have the task of promoting a transparent and objective approach and creating a scientific and knowledge-based environment for conflict resolution and dialogue.
Venēnum Narcissus: An Insight into the Realm of Poison through the Neoplatonist Keyhole for Identifying Venēnum in 15th Century Balkan/South-Slavic Nomenclature(s)
Venēnum Narcissus: An Insight into the Realm of Poison through the Neoplatonist Keyhole for Identifying Venēnum in 15th Century Balkan/South-Slavic Nomenclature(s)
(Venēnum Narcissus: An Insight into the Realm of Poison through the Neoplatonist Keyhole for Identifying Venēnum in 15th Century Balkan/South-Slavic Nomenclature(s))
- Author(s):Maja Kalezić
- Language:English
- Subject(s):History, Philosophy, Philosophy of Middle Ages, 15th Century
- Page Range:285-308
- No. of Pages:24
- Summary/Abstract:This research paper, or rather this unique expanded essay, delves into our evaluation and argument regarding the previously explored interpretation of the origin of the mythonym Narcissus and its role within the framework of ancient Greek and broader Balkan beliefs. We identify a reshaping of fundamental Neoplatonic elements, almost in reverse, within this system, particularly concerning the Neoplatonic hierarchy.
