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Platonism and Mystical Theology: The Spiritual Doctrine of St Gregory of Nyssa
Platonism and Mystical The Spiritual Doctrine of St Gregory of Nyssa
Jean Daniélou
In this seminal and classic work, Jean Daniélou examines the spiritual or mystical theology of St Gregory of Nyssa and its relationship to non-Christian, especially Platonic, thought. He strikes a balanced view, asserting that Gregory’s vision is fundamentally Christian, though he articulates himself in Platonic terminology and categories. In fact, Nyssen turns many classical Greek notions on their head, and posits a dynamic and inspiring vision of the spiritual life as an infinite pursuit of the infinite God.
Jean Daniélou (1905–1974) was a world-renowned patristics scholar, theologian, and historian. Platonism and Mystical Theology was his first published book, a reworking of his doctoral dissertation. He is the founder of the Sources Chrétiennes series, which today numbers over four hundred volumes.
Jean Daniélou
In this seminal and classic work, Jean Daniélou examines the spiritual or mystical theology of St Gregory of Nyssa and its relationship to non-Christian, especially Platonic, thought. He strikes a balanced view, asserting that Gregory’s vision is fundamentally Christian, though he articulates himself in Platonic terminology and categories. In fact, Nyssen turns many classical Greek notions on their head, and posits a dynamic and inspiring vision of the spiritual life as an infinite pursuit of the infinite God.
Jean Daniélou (1905–1974) was a world-renowned patristics scholar, theologian, and historian. Platonism and Mystical Theology was his first published book, a reworking of his doctoral dissertation. He is the founder of the Sources Chrétiennes series, which today numbers over four hundred volumes.
- GenresReligionPhilosophy
565 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 1, 2023
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About the author
Jean Daniélou
126 books42 followersJean Daniélou S.J. (1905–1974) was a theologian, historian, cardinal and a member of the Académie Française.
Jean-Guenolé-Marie Daniélou was born at Neuilly-sur-Seine, son of Charles and Madeleine (née Clamorgan). His father was an anticlerical politician, several times minister, and his mother an educator and founder of institutions for women's education. His brother Alain (1907–1964) was a noted Indologist.
Daniélou studied at the Sorbonne, and passed his agrégation in Grammar in 1927. He joined the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1929, becoming an educator, initially at a boys' school in Poitiers. He subsequently studied theology at Fourvière in Lyon under Henri de Lubac, who introduced him to patristics, the study of the Fathers of the Church. He was ordained in 1938.
During World War II, he served with the Armée de l'Air (Air Force) in 1939–1940. He was demobilised and returned to civilian life. He received his doctorate in theology in 1942 and was appointed chaplain to the ENSJF, the female section of the École Normale Supérieure, at Sèvres. It was at this time that he began his own writings on patristics. He was one of the founders of the Sources Chrétiennes collection. In 1944 he was made Professor of Early Christian History at the Institut Catholique de Paris, and later became dean. Beginning in the 1950s, he produced several historical studies, including The Bible and the Liturgy, The Lord of History, and From Shadows to Reality, that provided a major impetus to the development of Covenantal Theology.
At the request of Pope John XXIII, he served as an expert to the Second Vatican Council, and in 1969 was consecrated as a bishop and made a cardinal by Pope Paul VI. He was elected to the Académie Française on 9 November 1972, to succeed Cardinal Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Tisserant.
His unexpected death in 1974, in the home of a prostitute, was very diversely interpreted. He died on the stairs of a brothel that he was visiting. It turned out he was bringing her money to pay for the bail of her lover. Thanks to a group including Henri Marrou, his reputation was cleared.
Jean-Guenolé-Marie Daniélou was born at Neuilly-sur-Seine, son of Charles and Madeleine (née Clamorgan). His father was an anticlerical politician, several times minister, and his mother an educator and founder of institutions for women's education. His brother Alain (1907–1964) was a noted Indologist.
Daniélou studied at the Sorbonne, and passed his agrégation in Grammar in 1927. He joined the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1929, becoming an educator, initially at a boys' school in Poitiers. He subsequently studied theology at Fourvière in Lyon under Henri de Lubac, who introduced him to patristics, the study of the Fathers of the Church. He was ordained in 1938.
During World War II, he served with the Armée de l'Air (Air Force) in 1939–1940. He was demobilised and returned to civilian life. He received his doctorate in theology in 1942 and was appointed chaplain to the ENSJF, the female section of the École Normale Supérieure, at Sèvres. It was at this time that he began his own writings on patristics. He was one of the founders of the Sources Chrétiennes collection. In 1944 he was made Professor of Early Christian History at the Institut Catholique de Paris, and later became dean. Beginning in the 1950s, he produced several historical studies, including The Bible and the Liturgy, The Lord of History, and From Shadows to Reality, that provided a major impetus to the development of Covenantal Theology.
At the request of Pope John XXIII, he served as an expert to the Second Vatican Council, and in 1969 was consecrated as a bishop and made a cardinal by Pope Paul VI. He was elected to the Académie Française on 9 November 1972, to succeed Cardinal Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent Tisserant.
His unexpected death in 1974, in the home of a prostitute, was very diversely interpreted. He died on the stairs of a brothel that he was visiting. It turned out he was bringing her money to pay for the bail of her lover. Thanks to a group including Henri Marrou, his reputation was cleared.
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