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... 87 Stoic influence can be felt also in his cosmology. In Legatio XVI, 1, relying on Aëtius (Placita I, 6, 2-3), Athenagoras uses the concept of natural law and harmony to prove the existence of God.84 Following the same line, he identifies cpnotKÔç Xôyoç with Oeîoç vôpoç.8S He obviously follows the ideas of Chrysip- pos and Zeno.86 As it was pointed out earlier, Athenagoras did not know Aristotle very well. What he knew about his doctrine was the so-called young Aristotle, still under the strong influence of Plato. It can be proved from the doxographies that contemporary philosophers knew his early works, which are not extant any longer. In these works he maintained that ether was divine, God’s impassible “body”. Pouderon regards this opinion as a vestige of astral religion.87 Indeed, Pouderon devotes the next passages to give an overview of the commonplaces present in every field of Greek thought. The most important of them are causality and finality, accepted by all philosophical schools, except Epicureanism. Causality is applied also to creation: the whole of creation and the individual creatures presuppose a Creator. Similarly to human beings, God does not act vainly, either. None of his deeds is pàxatoç, everything corresponds to an aixia.88 But God is not only the cause of creation; He is also its final end. The beginning and the end are connected by the notion of Providence: Dieu crée le monde par bonté, mais il le crée aussi pour lui manifester sa Providence. Il serait pourtant faux de prétendre que Dieu a besoin de la création: exempt de passion et de nécessité, il n’éprouve évidemment pas de besoin; mais il y a en lui, et non hors de lui, une disposition qui le pousse à exprimer sa bonté et à trouver un objet sur lequel il puisse l’exercer.89 God’s benevolence is both the cause and the purpose of resurrection as well. We have to contemplate not over nature with its divine laws, as the Stoics did, but we have to admire and praise our Benefactor.90 In this respect, in Pouderon’s mind Athenagoras is definitely closer to Plato than to the Stoics. 84 Pouderon, B., Athénagore d'Athènes, 225. 85 Legatio 3,2. 86 Pouderon, B., Athénagore d'Athènes, 226-227. 87 Pouderon. B.. Athénagore d’Athènes, 233. 88 Pouderon, B., Athénagore d’Athènes, 240. 89 Pouderon, B., Athénagore d’Athènes, 242. 90 Pouderon, B., Athénagore d’Athènes, 244.
