Exploring Finitude: Weakness, Suffering, and Faith in Isaac of Nineveh
Isaac of Nineveh (7th c.) is the major exponent of East-Syriac mysticism, which developed in the Church of the East in the 7th and 8th centuries. Some of his writings were translated into Greek, and then from Greek into other languages of the Christian world, including Latin and Slavonic. In this way, Isaac became a central reference for the Orthodox tradition. This talk explores Isaac’s anthropology, a central element of his thought. Isaac has, in fact, a highly original view on the human condition, which with great modernity places at the center creatural finitude and the consequences of human exposure to suffering and death. Following a brief introduction to Syriac Christianity and East-Syriac mysticism, this talk will focus on three elements of Isaac’santhropology: the human condition of limitation and vulnerability, the ontological state that he calls “weakness” (mḥiluta), and the journey of the relationship with these that he outlines. This will enable us to examine Isaac’s understanding of faith, which must necessarily confront (even extreme) limitations and suffering. I will conclude with a note on Isaac’s best-known affirmations on universal mercy, which include love for evil people, wild animals and demons, showing how this position is rooted in his anthropological perspective, which may still be meaningful in a contemporary context.
Date: 29 January 2024, 19:30 (Monday, 3rd week, Hilary 2024)
Venue: Blackfriars, St Giles OX1 3LY
Venue Details: Aula, Blackfriars Priory, St Giles, OX1 3LY
Speaker: Dr Valentina Duca (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Organising department: Blackfriars
Organiser: Dr Daniel De Haan (University of Oxford)
Host: Aquinas Institute with the Thomistic Institute
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Members of the University only
Editor: Daniel De Haan