THE THEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF TERMS SHADOW, EIKON AND TRUTH IN THE THOUGHT OF DIVINE DIONYSIUS AREOPAGITE AND VENERABLE MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR

  • Предраг Петровић
Keywords: Shadow, Eikon, Truth, Symbol, Eschatology, History, Liturgy, Virtue, Grace, Being, Good Being, Eternal Good Being, Archetype of Being.

Abstract

Particular eschatological-historic dimensions of existence make up the
symbolic basis for the relationship between God and the world, a relationship hidden as the
"backdrop of" biblical expressions shadow, eikon and truth, or shadow and truth, which we
also find mentioned appropriately in other texts of the Holy Fathers of the Church. The
ontological meanings of the terms shadow, eikon and truth, each in a suitable manner, actually
connect the divine, benevolent kindness with liturgically-virtuous way of being. The Old
Testament prophecies speak of the share of future events in the past or of historic times of
yesteryear, and they also speak of definite, yet unrealized future events. And the Lord Jesus
Christ announces an identical mode of prophesising reality which he has heard from the
Father (in the past) and hence His words: "Two men will be working together in the field; one
will be taken, the other left" (Matt. 24, 41) or by drawing on Daniel's prophecy, which had not
yet occurred at the time of the Lord's earthly liturgy, as in the example of the Lord's words:
"And when you see... the abomination of desolation, spoken by the prophet Daniel, standing in
the holy place (then...)" (Matt. 24, 15).

References

GRHGORIOS QEOLOGOS( Lo,goj LHV( PG 36.
DIONUSIOS AREOPAGITHS( Peri. evkklhsiastikh/j i`erarci,aj( PG 3.
Peri. qei,wn ovnoma,twn( PG 3.
KLHMHS ALEXANDREWS( Protreptiko.j pro.j {Ellhnaj( PG 8.
Strwmate,wj( PG 9.
MAXIMOS OMOLOGHTHS( Peri. diafo,rwn avporiw/n( PG 91.
Sco,lia eivj to. Peri. qei,wn ovnoma,twn( PG 4.
Kefa,laia qeologika. kai. oivkonomika,( PG 90.
Peri. diafo,rwn avporiw/n( PG 91.
Sco,lia eivj to. Peri. th/j ouvrani,aj i`erarci,aj( PG 4.
Mustagwgi,a( PG 91.
Pro.j Qala,ssion( PG 90.
Kefa,laia peri. qeologi,aj kai. th/j evnsa,rkou oivkonomi,aj tou/ Ui`ou/ tou/ Qeou/( PG 90.



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Published
2019-10-10