Folia Theologica et Canonica 1. 23/15 (2012)
SACRA THEOLOGIA - László Perendy, Athenagoras on the Triune God of Christians
ATHENAGORAS ON THE TRIUNE GOD OF CHRISTIANS... 75 oûôè f]geîç ctBeoi, hcp’oB AxSyco SeSrpioupyexai Kat x5> nap’ aûxoû 7iveûgaxi avvéyexai xà návxa, xoûxov eiôôxeç Kat Kpaxûvovxeç 0eóv.3! This text was quoted also by Atticus to prove that the world was created by God, i.e. he uses it for the same purpose. Daniélou reminds us that Phaedrus 246e was used both by Athenagoras and Maximus of Tyrus to prove that Plato believed in one transcendent God.33 In another chapter about the influence of Aristotle, Daniélou makes it clear that the Aristotle of the second century is rather known for his esoteric writings, for example the nepi (pi/Vooocpiaç. In this writing the Stagirite seemed to be making a cosmic religion, which was later to be taken over by the Stoics. Athenagoras gives this short account of the doctrine: 'O 8è ’ApicxoxéÂ,r|ç Kai oi à.n aûxoû ëva ayovxeç oioveî Çffiov oûvGexov, èk \|/D%fjç Kai ocopaxoç ouveaxr|KÔxa Aeyonci xôv 9eôv, cápa gèv aûxoû xô aiGépiov vopiÇovxEç xoûç xe 7tÀ.avoûpévouç àoxépaç Kai xfjv ccpaîpav xœv àn- XavSv Kivoûpeva K\)KAocpopr|XiKû5ç, xi/u/fiv Sè xôv èni xp Kivpoei xoû ocôpa- xoç Xôyov, aùxôv pèv ou Kivoûpevov, aïxiov 5è xr|ç xoùxou Kivf|cecoç yivô- (iEVOV.34 As Giuseppe Lazzati pointed out, this passage refers to the doctrine in which God is not the unmoved Mover, but the soul of the world. Later on Athenagoras makes allusion to the esoteric doctrines of Aristotle again: eïxe oűoía Kai ampa, cbç oí ànô xoû nEpináxou, où JiapaÀuiôvxeç TipooKU- veîv xôv aïxiov xrjç kiviîoecoç xoû ocôpaxoç 0eôv éîii xà nxco^aKai àoGevfj axoïxeîa KaxanÎTixogEV, <Ê7ii> xœ ànaQeî ai0épi Kax’ aûxoûç xfiv 7ia0pxf)v ÛA.pV TipOOKUVOÛVXEÇ35 In another chapter about the transcendence of God. Daniélou gives a long list of terms used both by Middle Platonists and the apologists. As to Athenagoras, Daniélou hardly gives more than the places of occurrence of these expressions. Although the apologist’s name is not mentioned at the end of the chapter, here we can find a remarkable passage about the use of some expressions used in different ways by Plato and by the Middle Platonists: 32 33 34 35 Legatio 6,2. Daniélou, J., Message évangélique, 110-111. Legatio 6,3. Legatio 16,3.
