Apophatic triadology and kataphatic synergy in the Theology of Basil the Great

Viktor Zhukovskyy

Український Католицький Університет (Львів) , Ukraine


Abstract

The article discusses the problem of the ontological distinction between God’s transcendence and immanence in the theological thought of Basil the Great, a Church Father of the IV century. The author presents the main conceptual and terminological apparatus that Basil used in his antinomic approach to the “re­conciliation” of apophatic and kataphatic images of God. He analyzes the key characteristics of these two dimensions of the nature of God. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the synergetic approach in answering the question: how can God, who is completely ontologicaly removed from created reality, be at the same time actively present in the world and filling it. In this context the author analyzes the key notions, which express the “intradivine” remoteness and God’s active nearness in relation to created being.

Keywords:

Basil the Great, apophatic, kataphatic, essence, condescension, divine energy, synergy

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Published
2018-12-12


Zhukovskyy, V. (2018). Aпофатична тріадологія та катафатична синергія у богословській думці Bасилія Bеликого (Trynitologia apofatyczna i synergia katafatyczna w teologii Bazylego Wielkiego). Vox Patrum, 70, 71–92. https://doi.org/10.31743/vp.3198

Viktor Zhukovskyy 
Український Католицький Університет (Львів)



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