L
Leo_The_Great
Guest
If the Divine essence is ultimately unknowable, then how can philosophers apply positive attributes, like simplicity to it?
I have been studying the Palamite controversies, and Saint Gregory Palamas seems to make more sense than Barlaam to me on this issue.
Why does the distinction between essence and energies destroy the “simplicity” of the Divine essence, if the Trinity does not do so?
It belongs to the NATURE of the Sun to produce rays. In fact, its very essence implies their existence. Do the rays exist apart from the Sun? Does the Light exist separately from it? The rays are the Natural energies of the Sun that are distinct from it but not separate: By its rays, all the world partakes of the light of the Sun and its heat, nourishment and energy.
You might say that any other kind of relationship with the Sun would undo the world, because this is not the relationship that the world was created for.
For example, it does not belong to trees to exist IN the Sun, they would burn up. As would all life.
IN fact, is not Lucifer the epitome of a disordered notion of what our relationship to God should be?
So how is it different with God? His essence is “simple” in itself, but he reaches across the chasm of time space and matter to touch our hearts and draw us to himself; And obviously this is not the unmasked light of The essence itself, or we would die. So it must be an energetic “movement” of the divine essence. God is his essence and he is His Energies. His energies ARE his essence in motion on OUR side so to speak.
SO we can know God Himself through his Energies, but we cannot know the Divine Essence.
Yay or nay Roman Catholics?
I have been studying the Palamite controversies, and Saint Gregory Palamas seems to make more sense than Barlaam to me on this issue.
Why does the distinction between essence and energies destroy the “simplicity” of the Divine essence, if the Trinity does not do so?
It belongs to the NATURE of the Sun to produce rays. In fact, its very essence implies their existence. Do the rays exist apart from the Sun? Does the Light exist separately from it? The rays are the Natural energies of the Sun that are distinct from it but not separate: By its rays, all the world partakes of the light of the Sun and its heat, nourishment and energy.
You might say that any other kind of relationship with the Sun would undo the world, because this is not the relationship that the world was created for.
For example, it does not belong to trees to exist IN the Sun, they would burn up. As would all life.
IN fact, is not Lucifer the epitome of a disordered notion of what our relationship to God should be?
So how is it different with God? His essence is “simple” in itself, but he reaches across the chasm of time space and matter to touch our hearts and draw us to himself; And obviously this is not the unmasked light of The essence itself, or we would die. So it must be an energetic “movement” of the divine essence. God is his essence and he is His Energies. His energies ARE his essence in motion on OUR side so to speak.
SO we can know God Himself through his Energies, but we cannot know the Divine Essence.
Yay or nay Roman Catholics?