Great stuff. I find it fascinating how much the Fathers seem to be articulating (what we would now call) a theory of mind as much as anything else. Taking the science of the soul, ie psychology, back to its roots.
On these two senses of repentance, is it accurate to say that the second sense includes training yourself to “take every thought captive”, ie perceiving temptation but not succumbing? Given an “evolved perception” could include the ability to see the paths before you, and decide which one to take.
As for the meaning of purity of heart, what springs to mind is the quote that I have just discovered is Kierkegaard - “purity of heart is to will one thing”. Something I have pondered a lot over the years. Looking forward to hearing how it relates with Orthodox thought.
Thank you! Yes, I think 2 Corinthians 10:5 is linked to the patristic teaching on nepsis, the practice of inner attentiveness, wakefulness or watchfulness that St Basil discussed in detail, and which, yes, is a key component of the higher metanoia that I've been exploring.
The tradition of the "Holy Neptic Fathers", as The Philokalia calls them, must have been especially influenced by that verse, which appears in the context of St Paul's discussion of "spiritual warfare", and which contains two Greek words that became important technical terms for the neptic tradition: noema ("take every noema captive") and logismos ("casting down logismoi"). With the exception of one instance of noema in Philippians, both terms appear only in 2 Corinthians, so it it could be that the way they were used by the hesychasts, as technical terms related to their practice of contemplative prayer, reflects St Paul's own usage. Certainly the higher metanoia of focused noetic seeing includes scrutinising every thought that enters the mind, preventing the evil ones especially from penetrating the mind's defences and entering the heart.
I don't now Kierkegaard at all but very much like the quote you've shared. It echoes Abba Moses who taught us that, because the Lord praised her for willing the "one thing needful", St Mary of Bethany personifies purity of heart.
Great stuff. I find it fascinating how much the Fathers seem to be articulating (what we would now call) a theory of mind as much as anything else. Taking the science of the soul, ie psychology, back to its roots.
On these two senses of repentance, is it accurate to say that the second sense includes training yourself to “take every thought captive”, ie perceiving temptation but not succumbing? Given an “evolved perception” could include the ability to see the paths before you, and decide which one to take.
As for the meaning of purity of heart, what springs to mind is the quote that I have just discovered is Kierkegaard - “purity of heart is to will one thing”. Something I have pondered a lot over the years. Looking forward to hearing how it relates with Orthodox thought.
Thank you! Yes, I think 2 Corinthians 10:5 is linked to the patristic teaching on nepsis, the practice of inner attentiveness, wakefulness or watchfulness that St Basil discussed in detail, and which, yes, is a key component of the higher metanoia that I've been exploring.
The tradition of the "Holy Neptic Fathers", as The Philokalia calls them, must have been especially influenced by that verse, which appears in the context of St Paul's discussion of "spiritual warfare", and which contains two Greek words that became important technical terms for the neptic tradition: noema ("take every noema captive") and logismos ("casting down logismoi"). With the exception of one instance of noema in Philippians, both terms appear only in 2 Corinthians, so it it could be that the way they were used by the hesychasts, as technical terms related to their practice of contemplative prayer, reflects St Paul's own usage. Certainly the higher metanoia of focused noetic seeing includes scrutinising every thought that enters the mind, preventing the evil ones especially from penetrating the mind's defences and entering the heart.
I don't now Kierkegaard at all but very much like the quote you've shared. It echoes Abba Moses who taught us that, because the Lord praised her for willing the "one thing needful", St Mary of Bethany personifies purity of heart.
Thanks for your thorough reply, Thomas! I’m a little familiar with the concept of logismoi - very interesting to hear it originates in that passage.