Integrating patristics and early Jewish mysticism, this book examines
Gregory of Nyssa's tabernacle imagery, as found in Life of Moses 2.
170-201. Previous scholarship has often focused on Gregory's
interpretation of the darkness on Mount Sinai as divine
incomprehensibility. However, true to Exodus, Gregory continues with
Moses's vision of the tabernacle 'not made with hands' received within
that darkness. This innovative methodology of heuristic comparison
doesn't strive to prove influence, but to use heavenly ascent texts as
a foil, in order to shed new light on Gregory's imagery. Ann
Conway-Jones presents a well-rounded, nuanced understanding of
Gregory's exegesis, in which mysticism, theology, and politics are
intertwined. Heavenly ascent texts use descriptions of religious
experience to claim authoritative knowledge. For Gregory, the high
point of Moses's ascent into the darkness of Mount Sinai is the
mystery of Christian doctrine. The heavenly tabernacle is a type of
the heavenly Christ. This mystery is beyond intellectual
comprehension, it can only be grasped by faith; and only the select
few, destined for positions of responsibility, should even attempt to
do so.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9780191024603
Publisert
2020
Utgiver
Vendor
OUP Oxford
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter