Eriugena: East and West: Papers of the Eighth International Colloquium of the Society for the Promotion of Eriugenian Studies, Chicago and Notre Dame, 18-20 October, 1991 ed. by Bernard McGinn and Willemien Otten
John J. Contreni
Eriugena: East and West: Papers of the Eighth International Colloquium Society for Promotion Eriugenian Studies, Chicago Notre Dame, 18-20 October, 1991. Edited by Bernard McGinn Willemien Otten. [Notre Dame Conferences in Medieval Number V] (Notre Indiana: University Press. 1994. Pp. xii, 290. $39.95.) Since 1970 scholars interested Eriugena, an Irish master who came to Continent probably 830's, have gathered share their research. The 1991 colloquium focused on central, if not unique, feature scholarship, his command Greek patristics. volume's lead essay, Michael McCormick's Diplomacy Carolingian Encounter with Byzantium Down Accession Charles Bald, documents extensive contacts between Franks Byzantines before John Scot first set foot European continent (p. 24). late Meyendorff's Remarks Eastern Patristic Thought Scottus resuscitates image Eriugena as lonely, isolated genius 66) whose work failed bridge gap Byzantine Frankish intellectual communities. Otten's Eriugena's Periphyseon: A Contribution Theological Tradition, also swims against current East-West encounter when she concludes that anthropological optimism roots him deeply Western, specifically Carolingian, tradition. Both J. C. Marler (Dialectical Use Authority Periphyseon) Giulio d'Onofrio (The Concordia Augustine Dionysius: Toward Hermeneutic Disagreement Sources Scot's explore stance toward theological discourse. according Marler, inspired Pseudo-Dionysius Maximus Confessor, developed theory auctoritas saw bend authority reason way renews influence Plato Latin Christianity 108). D'Onofrio cautioned search truth face divergent authorities was proposing a solution based autonomy critical Abelardian type 120). D'Onofrio, Otten, views western, Augustinian tradition philosophical probabilism, but that, at least, enhanced Neoplatonic possibility ofsuprarational unification multiple particular 129). Deirdre Carabine reveals strands Western thought Symbolism Light, Cloud, Darkness Periphyseon. finds Augustine's light-dominated imagery influenced expression thought, Gregory Nyssa content thinking. …
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