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The Essence-Energies Distinction and the Patristic Legacy

An Antinomic Epistemological Perspective

by Luca Benzo (Author)
©2026 Monographs XXXII, 268 Pages

Summary

Since its clear formalization in the 14th century by the Orthodox theologian Gregory Palamas, the assertion of a „real“ distinction in God between essence and uncreated energies has become the major point of conflict between Western and Eastern Christian theologies, to the point that nowadays even the notorious Filioque controversy tends to be seen as a theological consequence of this problem.
The innovative approach of this book on the Palamite controversy abandons the traditional „ontological“ contraposition based on the (Eastern) defense or (Western) rejection of the aforementioned „real“ distinction, and moves to epistemological terrain, taking the logical notion of „antinomy“, in its vital connection with theological apophaticism, as the formal touchstone to discern the effective continuity (or discontinuity) between Palamas‘ thought and its patristic sources.

Details

Pages
XXXII, 268
Publication Year
2026
ISBN (PDF)
9783631941683
ISBN (ePUB)
9783631941690
ISBN (Hardcover)
9783631941713
DOI
10.3726/b23382
Language
English
Publication date
2026 (March)
Keywords
Maximus the Confessor The Essence-Energies Distinction And The Patristic Legacy Dogmatic Theology Greek patristics epistemology analytic theology antinomy Evagrius Ponticus Luca Benzo apophaticism essence-energy distinction Vladimir Lossky Pavel Florensky Gregory Palamas Cappadocian Fathers Pseudo-Dionysius
Published
Berlin, Bruxelles, Chennai, Lausanne, New York, Oxford, 2026. xxxii, 268 pp.
Product Safety
Peter Lang Group AG

Biographical notes

Luca Benzo (Author)

Luca Benzo is currently a Research Associate at the Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, Nanzan University, Japan. He holds a PhD in Mathematics from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, as well as Master's Degrees in Theology and Philosophy from the Catholic Institute of Paris. Since 2022 he has been serving as a missionary priest in Japan.

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Title: The Essence-Energies Distinction and the Patristic Legacy