Bishopric as an Ascent to Philosophy: Was Synesius of Cyrene Really a Christian?
The article delves into the issue of Synesius of Cyrene’s Christianity. While scholars like D. Roques and Alan Cameron have argued that Synesius was a Christian due to his birth into a Christian family, the author disputes these presumptions. Instead, the author proposes that the question should be...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2023
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| In: |
Scrinium
Year: 2023, Volume: 19, Issue: 1, Pages: 314-327 |
| Further subjects: | B
Early Byzantium
B Synesius of Cyrene B Hellenism B Paganism B Late Antique |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | The article delves into the issue of Synesius of Cyrene’s Christianity. While scholars like D. Roques and Alan Cameron have argued that Synesius was a Christian due to his birth into a Christian family, the author disputes these presumptions. Instead, the author proposes that the question should be approached differently. Specifically, the problem lies not in determining whether Synesius was a Christian or a pagan but in understanding how he, as a Hellenic figure, interpreted Christianity. While we lack reliable information about whether he was ever baptized, we can confidently conclude – based on his view of the bishopric as a means to philosophy – that he did not adhere to Christianity in the traditional sense. Instead, Synesius could be considered a Hellenic believer who leveraged a Christian bishopric to sustain the traditional education and culture of Hellenism in the context of the Christian empire. |
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| ISSN: | 1817-7565 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Scrinium
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1163/18177565-bja10092 |