Abstract

"The book is a comprehensive study of John Scotus Eriugena's commentary (Expositiones) on the Pseudo-Dionysian Celestial Hierarchy, with special attention given to its literary form and theological content." "The order for introducing various aspects of the Expositiones follows the format of the work itself: first in John's own order comes the Dionysian text in translation, followed by a paraphrase or two and then by Eriugena's own comments, sometimes on particular sources, more often on the points of doctrine he wants to expound. Thus this book starts with the author, that is, John's perspective on Dionysius himself (Chapter I: "Dionysian Biographies"). For Eriugena, Dionysius was the Athenian Areopagite, but was he also the Parisian martyr Saint Denis? Turning to the text of The Celestial Hierarchy, the particular Greek codex John was working with contained its own variants and challenges (Chapter II: "The Greek Manuscript and Its Problems"). Next comes a study of John's "Patterns of Translation and Paraphrase" (Chapter III). After his multiple paraphrases, Eriugena often adds his own expository remarks, sometimes invoking other sources, especially the remaining works of the Dionysian corpus (Chapter IV)." "Those interested primarily in John's philosophical theology could turn directly to the last three chapters, spanning the arc of "procession and return" so characteristic of the Periphyseon. The Expositiones show a particular interest in creation (Chapter V), anthropology (Chapter VI) and "Christ and Salvation" (Chapter VII). Eriugena's treatment of the doctrine of creation includes a particularly innovative understanding of creatio ex nihilo. His anthropology turns on the question of humanity's relationship to the divine, whether immediate (unmediated) or mediated or somehow both. The discussion of Christ includes skillful expansions of the biblical and Dionysian images for Christ, and a presentation of salvation as "theosis" or deification." "Translations of major sections of the Expositiones are appended, as well as John's prologue to his earlier translation of the Dionysian corpus. The book also contains a bibliography, an index of premodern and modern names, a scriptural index, and an index to the works of Eriugena."--BOOK JACKET.