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Theoria (Greek θεωρία) is contemplation or perception of beauty, esp. as a moral faculty (OED). In Eastern Orthodox theology theoria takes on a number of meanings that pertain to union with God (theo-) and holiness, the quintessential goals of Christianity.
The word has a history in the Greek language being akin to the word theory or speculation. The word expresses the idea (from a gnosiology perspective) that speculation though faith in God (action though faith) rather then through man's rational faculities leads one to a knowledge of the complete person and or existence rather then a false or incomplete knowledge which is arrived at through one purely using rational thought and speculation.
Though it is the knowledge of God in creation and of sensible things and thus their contemplation intellectually to the Origen or Alexandrian school of thought (see Clement of Alexandria, Origen and Evagrius Ponticus) which then leads to communion with God. To the Cappadocian school of thought (see Saint Basil, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, and Saint Gregory Nazianzus) theoria was the highest or absolute truth when one is in complete union with God. In the St Macarius of Egypt theology tradition it is the point of interaction between God and Man beyond experience or rationalistic contemplation. What is consistent is the concept that Theoria is allot to each unique individual by their capacity to comprehend God. Under Gregory Palamas the different traditions of theoria where synthesized into theoria meaning that one through baptism receives the Holy Spirit. Though the sacrements of the church and works of faith cultivates a relationship with God. If one then proceeds in faith past the point of rational contemplation one can experience God. Palamas stated that this way was not a mechanized process and each person was again unique but that the apodictic way that one experienced the uncreated light or God was though the process of hesychasm. Theoria being cultivated though each of the steps of the growing process of theosis. It is important to note that Palamis taught that the truth is a person (Jesus Christ) or a form of objective relatity. In order for Christianity to be authentic one must experience the truth or Christ as a reality (see hypostasis). Each person individually. The true way to discover Christ to Palamis was the Eastern Orthodox faith. Once a person discovers Christ (through the Orthodox church) they begin the gradual process of theosis and must submit to the truth or God in order to be deified.
Eastern Orthodox tradition
Theoria appears in a variety of contexts.
- "The Lord considered the chief good to reside in theoria alone."
- Jesus, referred to here as "the Lord", states in the Gospels that "None is good but God alone" (Lk 18:19). Theoria is not God per se but is rather the union we hope to attain with God — the term is used relationally here, otherwise the sentence would say "reside in God alone". Theoria marks a relational and noetic understanding.
- "he other virtues, although we consider them necessary and useful and good, are to accounted secondary because they are all practiced for the purpose of obtaining this one thing: theoria" (ibid).
- Here the term is used to mark that which we hope to obtain or attain, for which all practice of faith is carried out. Theoria is a marker for the goal of union with God.
- "We accept faith by hearing it not so that we can understand it rationally, but so that we can cleanse our hearts, attain to faith by theoria and experience the Revelation of God."
- This may be a less clear use of the term, but it refers to the idea that faith is a gift, not purely a rational act. The gift of faith is from God, and here the word theoria indicates that special provenance.
- "In the Holy Scripture it appears that faith comes by hearing the Word and by experiencing theoria (the vision of God)" (ibid).
- In this example, theoria is indicated to be an experience and a vision of God. Vision of God often implies advanced mystical experience, not given to all and not necessary for salvation, but in the foregoing examples theoria is used to mark the onset of faith and the source of faith. Theoria is, then, a broad term.
- "he disciples of Christ acquired the knowledge of the Triune God in theoria (vision of God) and by revelation" (ibid).
- Here the term clearly refers to advanced mystical experiences some disciples had in the company of Jesus.
- "heoria, vision and theosis are closely connected. Theoria has various degrees. There is illumination, vision of God, and constant vision (for hours, days, weeks, even months)" (ibid).
- Here we see clearly that the term has broad application. The onset of faith as well as more advanced experiences are referred to as theoria. The term, then, implies a source of religious experience from onset to advanced stages, and suffuses the understanding of religious knowledge with a contemplative essence.
- "They are influenced by the philosophical dialectic, which has been surpassed by the Revelation of God" (ibid).
- Orthodox sources maintain that the meanings implied in theoria are fundamentally absent from western traditions, which they consider to have been misguided by scholasticism to the point that they abandon the faith of the Church Fathers and all hope of being therapeutically relevant to followers.
- "St. Gregory the Theologian says that theoria and praxis are beneficial because theoria ... guides him to the holy of holies and restores him to his original nature; whereas praxis receives and serves Christ and tests love with actions. Clearly, theoria is the vision of God.... raxis is whatever deeds it takes to lead to this love."
- Theoria is the source or means of growth toward union with God, praxis is the faith practiced along the way, theosis is the overall path or journey, and phronema is the understanding of Christian faith that guides the follower of Christ.
Theoria in western traditions
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The term theoria refers to a broad range of concepts, each of which is known separately to Catholic tradition. Catholicism east and west understands that God is the source wherein is the chief good, that we hope for union with God toward which we are called to a journey that naturally has its practice and its works, that there is a connection between incipient faith and advanced prayer life, that the redemption by Jesus is (for the faithful) a restoration of supernatural goods lost by sin, that theology is not (cannot be) divorced from prayer, and that the call to contemplation and union is for all the faithful. There is no one term in common use to refer to all these things, but one could perhaps liken it to saying experience of God, which would subsume the onset of faith and all dimensions of prayer life; it would also be guided by dogmatic and ascetical theology. The universal and apostolic Christian understanding is that Jesus lives in us and that we participate in the life of Jesus. It is not an insight restricted to the Orthodox ecclesial communions.
See also
- Philokalia
- Vladimir Lossky
- Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite
- Essence-Energies distinction
- theosis
- Phronema
Bibliography
- The Vision of God by Vladimir Lossky, SVS Press, 1997. (ISBN 0-913836-19-2)
- The Spirituality of the Christian East: A systematic handbook by Tomas Spidlik, Cistercian Publications Inc Kalamazoo Michigan 1986 (ISBN 0-87907-879-0)
References
- The vision of God By V Lossky page 106 page 113
- The vision of God By V Lossky
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