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The Celestial and Ecclesiastical Hierarchy of Dionysius the Areopagite
Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ECCLESIASTICAL HIERARCHY. CAPUT I. To My Fellow Presbyter Timothy. DlONYSIUS THE PRESBYTER. What is the traditional view of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, and what is its scope ? ]E must, then, demonstrate, most pious of pious sons, that ours is a Hierarchy of the inspired and Divine and Deifying science, and energy and perfection. This we will do, from the celestial and most sacred oracles?for those who have been initiated with the initiation of the sacred revelation derived from the hierarchical mysteries and traditions. But see that you do not put to scorn the things the most holy. Take good heed, and you will then guard the honour of the hidden things of God by intellectual and obscure definitions, carefully guarding them from the participation and defilement of the profane, and communicating them reverently only to persons the most holy. For thus, as the Word of God has taught us who feast at His Banquet, even Jesus Himself?the supremely Divine and superessential Mind, the Head and Being, and most supremely Divine Power of every Hierarchy and Sanctification and Divine operation?illuminates the blessed Beings who are superior to us, in a manner more clear, and at the same time more fresh, and assimilates them to His own Light in proportion to their ability to receive. As for ourselves, by the love of things beautiful, elevated to Himself, and elevating us, He folds together our many diversities, and by making them into an unified and Divine life, suitable to a sacred vocation both as to habit and action, He Himself bequeaths the power of the Divine Priesthood, from which, by approaching to the holy exercise of the priestly office, we become nearer to the Beings above us, by assimilation, according to our power, to the stability and unchangeableness of their steadfa...
- GenresReligion
82 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 490
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About the author
Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
60 books86 followersAlso known as Pseudo-Denys, was a Christian theologian and philosopher of the Neoplatonist school during the late 5th to early 6th century.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 23, 2018
First, the translation. This is a Victorian translation. I found it, by and large, fluid, but I suspect many will not. I do question some of his choices, and some things do not work in current English. One problem that is not John Parker's fault is the fact that I kept on wanting to know what the Greek of the terminology was. When Dionysius talks about what Parker translates as nature in relation to Christ, is it actually physis? Given that the Areopagite is popular both sides of the Chalcedonian divide, this is a question of moment.
Second, Parker's introduction. He does a good job of ... introducing the pseudonymous author. And then he gives the circumstantial arguments for the authenticity of the Dionysian corpus. I would like to say that it should not detract from the potency and truth of a document such as this if it turns out to be a forgery (which I think it is). But I am not writing in 1894.
Third, the actual text. Ps-Dionysius has written two treatises translated here, 'The Celestial Hierarchy' and 'The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy'. They go together. The second, in particular, makes no sense without the first, and you really do need the definition of hierarchy the first treatises provides. Moreover, the first treatise is of less moment for the Christian community without the second.
'The Celestial Hierarchy' divides the celestial beings into three orders and explains their functions. Here we see a deft affirmation of the transcendent God, totally Other from His creation, alongside the Neo-Platonic idea of divinity being communicated through what Plotinus would call 'emanations.' Each order of angelic beings helps the order below it fulfil its destiny and function in the hierarchy, a main part of which is coming to as full a knowledge of God as each nature was designed to have. While those at the top have the fullest knowledge, those at the bottom are able to comprehend and contemplate as much of the divine majesty as they can due to the ministrations of the intervening orders. It is a harmonious whole, working together.
This translates into the second treatise. 'The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy' is a meditation on the liturgical rites of the Byzantine church in relation to those who perform them. Once again, from the bishop to the excommunicated, the grace of God is communicated through the sacraments, the Scriptures, the preaching, and the communal worship. Each order, clerical, lay, and monastic, has its own special role and place in the apprehension and contemplation of God, and all depend upon each other to fulfil their role.
It is easy to say of the first treatise, 'Sure, sounds good to me,' but the idea that, by virtue of his consecration, my bishop is closer to God than I am -- that idea is hard to stomach, especially when you consider how many evil men and women, heretics and heterodox, have had hands laid on them. Yet somehow, we lay people are to find peace in resting in our place within the hierarchy. I do wonder what this looks like in practical terms beyond attentively listening to preaching and receiving the sacraments at the hands of the clerics at our churches.
Finally, the whole corpus of Ps-Dionysius is highly influential in both the eastern church and the western church. It is probably worth getting to know, although I think less worth your time than, say, Anselm of Canterbury.
Second, Parker's introduction. He does a good job of ... introducing the pseudonymous author. And then he gives the circumstantial arguments for the authenticity of the Dionysian corpus. I would like to say that it should not detract from the potency and truth of a document such as this if it turns out to be a forgery (which I think it is). But I am not writing in 1894.
Third, the actual text. Ps-Dionysius has written two treatises translated here, 'The Celestial Hierarchy' and 'The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy'. They go together. The second, in particular, makes no sense without the first, and you really do need the definition of hierarchy the first treatises provides. Moreover, the first treatise is of less moment for the Christian community without the second.
'The Celestial Hierarchy' divides the celestial beings into three orders and explains their functions. Here we see a deft affirmation of the transcendent God, totally Other from His creation, alongside the Neo-Platonic idea of divinity being communicated through what Plotinus would call 'emanations.' Each order of angelic beings helps the order below it fulfil its destiny and function in the hierarchy, a main part of which is coming to as full a knowledge of God as each nature was designed to have. While those at the top have the fullest knowledge, those at the bottom are able to comprehend and contemplate as much of the divine majesty as they can due to the ministrations of the intervening orders. It is a harmonious whole, working together.
This translates into the second treatise. 'The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy' is a meditation on the liturgical rites of the Byzantine church in relation to those who perform them. Once again, from the bishop to the excommunicated, the grace of God is communicated through the sacraments, the Scriptures, the preaching, and the communal worship. Each order, clerical, lay, and monastic, has its own special role and place in the apprehension and contemplation of God, and all depend upon each other to fulfil their role.
It is easy to say of the first treatise, 'Sure, sounds good to me,' but the idea that, by virtue of his consecration, my bishop is closer to God than I am -- that idea is hard to stomach, especially when you consider how many evil men and women, heretics and heterodox, have had hands laid on them. Yet somehow, we lay people are to find peace in resting in our place within the hierarchy. I do wonder what this looks like in practical terms beyond attentively listening to preaching and receiving the sacraments at the hands of the clerics at our churches.
Finally, the whole corpus of Ps-Dionysius is highly influential in both the eastern church and the western church. It is probably worth getting to know, although I think less worth your time than, say, Anselm of Canterbury.
January 10, 2022
A profoundly influential book, not only on mystical Christianity, but on philosophy, art and architecture. It is fascinating the way something which is cobbled together from a variety of sources becomes so important to so many.
December 19, 2023
Important for you to read and apply to your Bible reading. His overall argument/presentation I am on board with. Some of the details less so.
April 23, 2025
Not a big fan of the writing but certainly communicates the glory and splendor of the hierarchy and divine gifts established in the Church by Christ.
February 13, 2013
Classic Pseudopygrapha
November 27, 2013
Celestial hierarchies was too much, but the ecclesiastical hierarchies was amazing reading.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews