Marie-Hélène Congourdeau: The place of the heart between East and West

  1. Lemma
  2. Marie-Hélène Congourdeau: Locul inimii între Orient şi Occident
  3. Stavinschi, Alexandra
  4. Orthodox theological tradition and practice > Patristic studies - Scientific theories and disciplines > Religious studies
  5. Bădiliţă, Cristian [Author]. Marie-Hélène Congourdeau: The place of the heart between East and West
  6. Stiinta dragoste credinta. Convorbiri cu patrologi europeni. [Science faith love. Conversations with European patrologists]
  7. Hesychasm - Palamas, Gregory - Cabasilas, Nicholas - Sophronius of Jerusalem - St Gregory of Nyssa
    1. 203-223

    1. This chapter is based on a dialogue between Cristian Badilita and Marie-Hélène Congourdeau, directeur de Recherches at CNRS and specialist in Byzantine theology and spirituality. As she is also a writer and a translator, in charge of the Migne Publisher, the conversation begins by evoking the personality of Father Hamman, its founder. Congourdeau explains the impact he had on the French patristics of the late twentieth century and the influence he had on her own destiny. The Publishing house has always followed the philosophy defined by Hamman: to make available to everyone the fundamental texts of Christianity. The most translated author is undoubtedly Gregory of Nyssa, but there are also many other names related to patristics, given that, in her view, the Fathers of the Church are still extremely relevant today.

      Badilita challenges his interlocutor to define the act of translation: is that a philological and scientific exercise or a spiritual exercise of faith? She is also invited to talk about the concept of universal salvation, that finds in Gregory of Nyssa its fullest expression. Subsequently, the discussion focuses on Sophronius of Jerusalem and Nicholas Kabasilas. Badilita has also many questions about the hesychasm and the Palamas controversy. Congourdeau is required to devote special attention to the XIVth century polemic between Gregory Palamas and Varlaam and to the way this internal conflict of Byzantine theology became a confict between East and West. The dialogue ends with a summary of the essential features of the hesychastic practice and methods.