Angelomorphic pneumatology : Clement of Alexandria and other early Christian witnesses / by Bogdan Gabriel Bucur.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bucur, Bogdan Gabriel.

Series:

Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae ; v. 95.

Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae, 0920-623X ; v. 95

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Holy Spirit--History of doctrines--Early church, ca. 30-600.

Holy Spirit.

Angels--Christianity--History of doctrines--Early church, ca. 30-600.

Angels.

Clement, of Alexandria, Saint, approximately 150-approximately 215.

Clement.

Hermas, active 2nd century. Shepherd.

Hermas.

Justin, Martyr, Saint.

Justin.

Aphraates, the Persian sage, active 337-345.

Aphraates.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (268 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2009.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book discusses the occurrence of angelic imagery in early Christian discourse about the Holy Spirit. Taking as its entry-point Clement of Alexandria’s less explored writings, Excerpta ex Theodoto, Eclogae propheticae, and Adumbrationes, it shows that Clement’s angelomorphic pneumatology occurs in tandem with spirit christology, within a theological framework still characterized by a binitarian orientation. This complex theological articulation, supported by the exegesis of specific biblical passages (Zech 4: 10; Isa 11 : 2-3; Matt 18:10), reworks Jewish and Christian traditions about the seven first-created angels, and constitutes a relatively widespread phenomenon in early Christianity. Evidence to support this claim is presented in the course of separate studies of Revelation, the Shepherd of Hermas, Justin Martyr, and Aphrahat.

Contents:

Introduction

Angelomorphic pneumatology in Clement of Alexandria

"The other Clement" and angelomorphic pneumatology

Prolegomena : the place of the hypotyposeis in the Clementine Corpus

Protreptikos, paidagogos, didaskalos

Ethics, physics, epoptics

Physics to epoptics : ma'asse bereshit to ma'asse merkavah

The hypotyposeis and later orthodoxy

Clement on divine unity and the cosmic multiplicity

Unity and multiplicity in the logos

Unity and multiplicity in the Spirit

Clement's "celestial hierarchy"

The principles of the hierarchy

The function of the hierarchy

Clement on the interior ascent

Clement's theory of prophetic inspiration

Clement's understanding of "spirit of Christ" and "Paraclete"

"Spirit of Christ"

"Paraclete"

Angelic or angelomorphic pneumatology?

Excursus: Matt. 18:10 and Clement's Protoctists

The larger theological framework for Clement's angelomorphic pneumatology

Binitarian monotheism in Clement of Alexandria

Spirit christology in Clement of Alexandria

A final look at Clement's speculations on unity and diversity

Angelomorphic pneumatology in Clement's predecessors

Angelomorphic pneumatology in the book of Revelation

The "seven spirits" in Revelation and Clement's Protoctists

Who are the "seven spirits"?

Binitarianism and spirit Christology in Revelation

The phenomenon of prophecy in Revelation

Angelomorphic pneumatology in the Shepherd of Hermas

Pneuma as an angelic being

Pneuma as the Son of God

Pneuma in the Fifth similitude

Excursus: "Flesh" in the Fifth similitude

Further clarifications on the Shepherd's angelomorphic pneumatology

The Son of God and the angelomorphic Holy Spirit in Justin Martyr

Difficulties with Justin Martyr's use of pneuma

Justin Martyr on "the powers of the Spirit"

A witness from the East : Aphrahat, the Persian Sage

Angelomorphic pneumatology in Aphrahat

Aphrahat's views : "many aberrations and very crass statements"

The seven operations of the Spirit are six

"The Spirit is not always found with those that receive it"

An older exegetical tradition

Cramer versus Kretschmar

The larger theological framework for Aphrahat's angelomorphic pneumatology

Difficulties of Aphrahat's pneumatology

The Holy Spirit and the move from unity to multiplicity

Excursus: "Wisdom" and "power" as pneumatological terms

The "fragmentary" gift of the Spirit and angelomorphic pneumatology

"The other Clement"

Angelomorphic pneumatology and the history of Christian thought.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [195]-215) and indexes.

ISBN:

1-282-40097-5

9786612400971

90-474-4448-5

OCLC:

575871230

Publisher Number:

10.1163/ej.9789004174146.i-238 DOI