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c. 325 – 750 AD

Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite

c. Late 5th – Early 6th Century AD
Syria or Constantinople (Unknown)

Overview

A mysterious mystical theologian who wrote under the name of Paul's convert in Athens. His works fused Neoplatonism with Christianity, deeply influencing medieval mysticism and Gothic art.

Did You Know?

He actually invented the word "Hierarchy" (hierarchia) to describe the ordering of angels and the church.

Major Writings

The Divine Names

A philosophical work exploring how we can use names for God (like "Good," "Life," or "Wisdom") while admitting He is beyond all human language. It is the foundation of "Apophatic" (negative) theology—knowing God by what He is not.

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The Mystical Theology

A short but dense treatise on the "cloud of unknowing." It teaches that the highest knowledge of God comes through stripping away all intellect and senses to meet Him in silence.

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The Celestial Hierarchy

A foundational and highly influential articulation that organized angels into the famous "Nine Choirs" (Seraphim, Cherubim, Archangels, etc.) which remains the standard view in Christianity today.

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Historical Context

The Golden Age: Greek (Eastern) Fathers

The architects of Orthodoxy who defined the Trinity and Christology in the East.

11 Church Fathers in this era

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Part of The Golden Age: Greek (Eastern) Fathers