Augustine and Palamas

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This is a fascinating thread, and I hope to read and pray to understand the points being discussed in the links provided.

In a preliminary analysis, these texts seem to support my view that the supposed contradiction between Byzantine and Lartin theologies is really merely a matter of the use of terms, and not a true substantial difference in Faith. St. Gregory Palamas is a true Saint, and a great defender of the Faith, but on this one point he seems to be misled on the meaning and intent of Latin theology. I believe, based on what I have read of St. Gregory Palamas’ work that he was in fact defending the Latin tradition of the filioque, but he was defending it against a mistaken understanding of the Latin tradition.

The Holy Spirit is indeed “caused” by the Father alone, but this does not contradict “through the Son”, nor even “and from the Son”, because in all uses of the term “from the Son” it is understood that the Father is the Source of Divinity, and also of all Creation. The Fathers of the Council of Florence said as much when they said:
The Latins asserted that they say the holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son not with the intention of excluding the Father from being the source and principle of all deity, that is of the Son and of the holy Spirit, nor to imply that the Son does not receive from the Father, because the holy Spirit proceeds from the Son, nor that they posit two principles or two spirations
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The Father is the Source par excellance, and it is rightly said that the Father alone is Source of the Holy Spirit (and also of all created things, even though we say that all things exist by the Son), just as we say hypostasis means Person, despite the fact that hypostasis fundamentally means substance, i.e. that which lies beneath all differentiation, i.e the Divine Nature Itself which is under all differentiation of the Divine Persons and shared between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We say hypostasis is Person because of the excellence of Personhood as a representative of hypostasis, likewise we say that the Father is Source, without denigrating the role and position of the Son as being the same substance of the Father.

It is a difference of terms, and nothing more, and this difference of terms lies in the use of human languages, not in the reality of Faith and the reality of the Divine Trinity.

As a further note I add that Bessarion was merely defending the very Tradition of the Greek Fathers, and he was in no way breaking with the tradition handed down to him by his predecesors and betters. He seems to be despised as a heretic and “uniate”, yet he was only interested in upholding the “Faith of the East”; I pray that some day he is recognized for the Light that he is, a true bridge between East and West, and a level head in a time that was given to polemics on both sides, just as St. Maximos in his own day. They were both interested only in Truth, and the Faith of Christ handed down by (and through, and from) the Apostles to all people and languages. 🙂

Peace and God bless!
 
Bekkos (the blogger) is a man after my own heart. I’ve very much enjoying his work, especially since he can read Greek where I can’t. Thanks for sharing this stuff! 🙂

Peace and God bless!
 
Ghosty said:
Bekkos (the blogger) is a man after my own heart. I’ve very much enjoying his work, especially since he can read Greek where I can’t. Thanks for sharing this stuff! 🙂

Peace and God bless!
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For the record. You and ‘Mardukm’ are 2 of my favorites posters on this forum. I know that doesn’t mean much, but your manner and the way you both ‘flesh out’ relatively contentious subjects is something to emulate… just wanted to say that.
 
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