tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post4156521119251682022..comments2023-10-04T09:50:08.070-05:00Comments on Logismoi: Evagrius & St Cassian on Natural ContemplationAaron Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17775589009145031773noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-90070795527373160922010-11-13T21:26:52.977-06:002010-11-13T21:26:52.977-06:00Arkadi> P. 392 informs me that the chapter is p...Arkadi> P. 392 informs me that the chapter is partly by St Maximus & partly by a scholiast, though not which parts are which. Of course, this scarcely matters, since the text as a whole has been handed on as part of the tradition, & under the name of St Maximus in particular.<br /><br />In my opinion, this is one of those teachings of the Church which call for a great deal of discretion & guidance in its application. Obviously, it would be essentially impossible literally to live with one's eyes closed. But on the other hand, it's true that we must continually struggle, in a spiritual sense, to turn our gaze from physical & toward spiritual things. In the case of the more dangerous 'outward forms', say for instance the bodies of beautiful women, this turning away really must be done in a very literal, physical way. We have not all attained the dispassion of St Nonnus of Heliopolis, who was able to look at the prostitute Pelagia & think only of how little we beautify our souls for Christ.Aaron Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17775589009145031773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-74865884425888665312010-11-03T17:32:49.632-05:002010-11-03T17:32:49.632-05:00You last citation is not exactly by Maximus (see p...You last citation is not exactly by Maximus (see p. 392 of your source).<br /><br />And how are we, in your opinion, to understand it, anyway? <br />Are we supposed to live with eyes closed, lest the outward forms of God's creation overpower our vision?Arkadihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16380775037729143244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-74152121184251949002010-06-03T11:23:20.680-05:002010-06-03T11:23:20.680-05:00I answered that question in this post: http://logi...I answered that question in this post: http://logismoitouaaron.blogspot.com/2009/09/defining-logismoifrom-evagrius-to-brad.html<br /><br />Basically, Evagrius spoke of 8 sinful 'thoughts' or temptations in his <i>Praktikos</i>. It was St Gregory the Great, in his <i>Moralia in Job</i>, who took over the list, revised it, and turned it into 7 principle vices, later called the 7 Deadly Sins.Aaron Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17775589009145031773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-75964973519207922742010-06-03T04:11:51.700-05:002010-06-03T04:11:51.700-05:00I heard that the 7 DEADLY SINS were told by Evagri...I heard that the 7 DEADLY SINS were told by Evagrius.<br /><br />What I want to know is what is the book that this is in?<br /><br />The name of the book.<br /><br />Can u please e-mail me to mprop70@yahoo.com or answer the question here <br /><br />http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqGbC058X5PuUaaRCfEok5TwDH1G;_ylv=3?qid=20100602234343AASoX0oAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-81391653886017012302010-03-12T21:05:35.336-06:002010-03-12T21:05:35.336-06:00I think all of these quotes are really, really imp...I think all of these quotes are really, really important today. Too often Christians assume that the modern materialistic scientific narrative is simply an objective, dispassionate way of understanding God's creation. Have you read Philip Sherrard's books "Human Image: World Image" or "Rape of Man and Nature"? They are not perfect, but I think they provide a really useful starting point for a Christian critique of modern natural philosophy.The Jester of Qihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06015274629532918121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-66221975467897663722010-03-12T14:10:00.301-06:002010-03-12T14:10:00.301-06:00Thanks, Ryan. I forgot all about this passage in t...Thanks, Ryan. I forgot all about this passage in the <i>Handbook</i>!Aaron Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17775589009145031773noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714437334790446678.post-57552249597203281232010-03-12T13:44:53.619-06:002010-03-12T13:44:53.619-06:00"We must also add here, as necessary, that th..."We must also add here, as necessary, that those who are spiritually immature and passionate and have not yet attained perfection and dispassion should guard themselves from being preoccupied with the reasons in nature and especially with small animals and man. When the mind is still passionate it cannot see the immaterial and spiritual reasons hidden in the shapes and beauty of physical nature and the passionate and irrational imagination takes precedence to formulate these reasons passionately according to its own standards. Thus instead of selecting from this physical experience knowledge and reasons that are spiritual, such persons select only mere shapes and passions and passionate idols. And instead of rising through nature to the spiritual and incorruptible nature of the Creator so as to marvel at this and to love God and be immersed in him, they remain on the physical level of admiring and being filled by the corruptible beauty of nature only, so as to virtually worship the creation and not the Creator- a condition which many naturalists of the past and of today are suffering." St. Nicodemus, "A Handbook of Spiritual Counsel."The Jester of Qihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06015274629532918121noreply@blogger.com