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Patristics Seminar: Paper #1

Saturday, November 01, 2008. 2 Comments:
At November 01, 2008, Blogger Andy said...

Kevin,
great site, very helpful. I'm hoping to start a PhD with Louth and Banev on hesychasm in 09. Can I ask your advice about what preparation would be best before starting? Is it necessary to learn German, for instance?
Banev's paper sounds interesting. What justification did he give for the idea of linking the name of something with its essence?

 
At November 01, 2008, Blogger Kevin said...

Andrew,

It's always good to hear from another person interested in Patristic studies. So far I have thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated my time at Durham. It has an excellent department, and in 2009 it should have perhaps the best Patristics team in the English speaking world. I know that's bold, but who could argue with this combination of senior scholars: Andrew Louth (Greek Patristics), Carol Harrison (Latin), Lewis Ayres (interested in both - arriving sometime in 09), and Mark McIntosh (Spirituality + Patristics - also arriving sometime in 09). Plus there's newcomer Dr. Krastu Banev who is a great addition to the department.

I think languages is something that you'd never regret possessing, but it also depends a lot on what you're doing. We're all going to have to interact with French and German works, but some subjects have a lot more written in these languages than others. Have you been in contact with Professor Louth yet? I would recommend contacting him and Dr. Banev as soon as you have a thesis idea firmly established.

Re: linking the name with its essence: I wondered the same thing, but Dr. Banev covered the 'Biblical vision' very quickly, so I suspect he just didn't have time to support this assertion as thoroughly as he might have liked to. In the Old Testament especially there definitely does seem to be a connection between names and that which bears the name; however, I wonder if he is using the language of essence in order to describe this connection, though he would admit it isn't quite the right word, but it's hard to imagine any words that would adequately capture this idea, while also linking the Hebrew idea to the later Greek interpreters.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask. You may also wish to visit Ben's blog: http://dunelm.wordpress.com. He's a NT student at Durham, and he's posted a lot of great information on moving to and studying in the UK.

Kind regards,
Kevin

 

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Naming God
by Dr. Krastu Banev, lecturer at Durham University
23 October, 2008

The 2008-9 Durham Patristics Seminar began with a presentation by Dr. Krastu Banev. Banev, who was recently appointed as a lecturer of Greek Patristics at Durham University, gave an insightful paper on the history of the naming of God in the Bible and the Eastern Christian tradition. I found this paper particularly engaging because it highlighted the depth and coherence behind the Orthodox emphasis on the divine name.

Dr. Banev opened by discussing the theme of names in the Bible. In this section he made three main points. First, He argued that a name is linked to the essence it describes. So, for example, Eve is linked to life. A name can also be linked to an event. Because of this connection between a name and the essence or event it describes, to blaspheme against a name is to blaspheme against the person who bears the name. Second, he argued that to change a name is to enter into a new relationship. Abram/Abraham is an example of this phenomenon. Third, he suggested that it is only through names that we can have remembrance. The name, he contended, is also the means by which God remembers us. Names are necessary for our existence because it is by means of our name that we derive our existence from God.

The rest of the paper focused on the history of naming God in the Eastern Church. Dr. Banev quickly summarised the theme in a couple of philosophers and a number of theologians. Here are his observations.
  • Plato: natural / essential view (somewhat similar to the Biblical view).
  • Aristotle: subjective
  • Origen: the name refers to the nature
  • Eunomius: believed he could totally grasp God by the name agennetos.
  • The Cappadocian Fathers: the name does not capture the essence. It gives us the relationship of the persons; it is not the essence.
  • Pseudo-Dionysius: God must be beyond names. Names are symbols of God's acts.
Dr. Banev then summarised the significance of names during the iconoclast controversy. The important point here is that images are linked to the prototype by the name. Uncreated grace and the created are combined. By the divine name we enter into God's presence. Banev also addressed the naming of God in the Hesychast controversy. Here the reality of prayer was affirmed by use of the Jesus prayer. The Hesychasts taught that by invoking the name ('Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God') a human being can really become a temple of God by the Holy Spirit, just as God had formerly dwelt in the Temple by placing His name upon it. Dr. Banev proposed that this marked a return to this Biblical view.

Finally, he discussed the subject in 20th century Russia. In the early 1900's a new movement established itself by teaching that 'the name of God is God himself, and it works miracles.' This movement was known as the 'worshippers of the name,' and they quickly and forcefully took over the largest skete on Mount Athos. In 1912 Russia declared this a heretical teaching. Later, the Russian Pavel Florensky defended the movement and offered a more nuanced perspective: 'The name of God is God himself, but God Himself is not the name.' Florensky wanted to clarify that God is not encompassed by His name. Florensky was exiled for his position, and the perspective of the 'name worshippers' remains a problem in Russia to this day.

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