The Mystical Theology

Dionysius the Areopagite

The Mystical Theology

Dionysius the Areopagite

Περὶ μυστικῆς θεολογίας

The Mystical Theology (De mystica theologia) is the shortest and densest treatise of the Corpus Dionysiacum, addressed to Timothy. In five brief chapters it teaches the ascent beyond every affirmation and negation to union with God 'in the divine darkness' of unknowing — the theology of negation that Aquinas cites most among Dionysius's works and that anchors the scholastic doctrine of God's incomprehensibility. Moses' ascent of Sinai and the Apache Bartholomew's 'theology of much and least' frame the movement through causes to the Cause itself, Who is beyond every assertion and every removal. Schola presents the Greek text with the Latin translation of Balthasar Corderius (as printed in Migne PG3, 1857) and the English translation of John Parker (1897).

CAPUT I. Quaenam sit divina caligo.

CAPUT II. Quomodo oporteat etiam uniri, ac laudes referre, omnium auctori, qui est supra omnia.

CAPUT III. Quae sint affirmantes de Deo locutiones, quæ negantes.

CAPUT IV. Quod nihil rerum sensibilium sit is, qui omnis rei sensilis secundum excellentiam est auctor.

We say then that the Cause of all, which is above all, is neither without being, nor without life—nor without reason, nor without mind, nor is a body—nor has shape—nor form—nor quality, or quantity, or bulk—nor is in a place—nor is seen—nor has sensible contact—nor perceives, nor is perceived, by the senses—nor has disorder and confusion, as being vexed by earthly passions,—nor is powerless, as being subject to casualties of sense,—nor is in need of light;—neither is It, nor has It, change, or decay, or division, or deprivation, or flux,—or any other of the objects of sense.

CAPUT V. Quod nihil rerum intellectilium sit is qui omnis rei intellectilis secundum excellentiam est auctor.

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