Gregory Palamas
Athonite monk and later archbishop of Thessalonica who defended hesychast prayer and taught that communion with God is real through His uncreated energies while the divine essence remains beyond comprehension.
Historical context
Local councils in 1341, 1347, and 1351 affirmed aspects of Palamas's position during a prolonged controversy; the debate was not settled by a single meeting.
Key points
- Participation in divine life does not make a creature identical with the divine essence.
- The distinction between essence and energies serves an account of genuine communion with God.
Scripture
- 2 Peter 1:4 — Participation in the divine nature is central to later discussion of deification.
Primary sources
Palamas writes in the One Hundred and Fifty Chapters:
Palamas explicitly describes God's energy as uncreated and coeternal with God.
God's energy is uncreated and coeternal with God, according to the theologians.
Passage context and translation
Palamas distinguishes God's uncreated activity from its created effects while arguing against Gregory Akindynos. The sentence does not identify the divine energy with created results.
Before the excerpt
it is certainly not the energy of God, but its products and effects, however they might be named, which are creatures.
After the excerpt
With respect to the fact of its existence but not as to what it is, the substance is known from the energy
Sources and further reading
Related records
- Mount Athos
- Gregory Palamas and hesychast theology
- Constantinople synod on hesychasm
- Constantinople synod restores Palamas
- Constantinople synod affirms Palamite teaching
- Divine Essence and Energies
- Constantinople synod on hesychasm (1341)
- Constantinople synod concerning Palamas (1347)
- Constantinople synod on divine energies (1351)
- Divine energies
- Symeon the New Theologian
- Silouan the Athonite