Aeneas Gazsky

Aeneas Gazsky is a Christian philosopher ; after him there were 25 letters and an essay: "Theophrastus or about the immortality of the soul and resurrection." Aeneas belonged first to the school of Neoplatonists , and then converted to Christianity . His life dates back to the end of the 5th – 6th centuries.

The work of Aeneas "Feofrast" from a theological point of view is of deep interest, because, together with a thorough disclosure of the Christian Christian dogmas of the immortality of the human soul and the future resurrection, the author presents opinions on these issues by ancient philosophers and thoroughly analyzes the theory of the transmigration of souls, very common in ancient times, .

The reason for writing the essay was for Aeneas that the theory of the transmigration of souls found followers among Christians; even such a theologian as Origen held on to it , and only in the VI century did the fifth ecumenical council put an end to its traces in Christianity by its condemnation. In connection with the dogma of the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of bodies, the author sets out the Christian doctrine of the origin of the visible and invisible world and the providence of the Creator, with the refutation of some pagan and philosophical opinions on these issues.

The work of Aeneas has a dialogical form, beloved by Greek philosophers and often found in patristic literature. The conversation is conducted by the Athenian sage Feofrast, whose name the author named his work, the Syrian Aksifey and the Alexandrian Egypt. Speech is in the nature of a simple, lively conversation, without a strictly defined plan: The development of thoughts is free, in accordance with the direction of the conversation; in places, the logical connection seems to be lost; repetitions are often found.

For the development and clear disclosure of his positions, Aeneas, along with dialectical argumentation, uses comparisons, allegories: from the phenomena of nature and the everyday life of man, he draws through analogy the highest abstract truths of religious and philosophical. The content of "Theophrastus" is diversified by a multitude of sayings of ancient philosophers, myths and traditions. The extensive use of myths and traditions in expounding Christian truths and analyzing the theory of the transmigration of the soul indicates that Aeneas knew mythology and ancient philosophy well and contributed a lot of them to his work, as he saw traces of Christian doctrine in both. Feofrast can be divided into two parts.

In the first half, mainly of a polemical nature , the theory of the pre-existence and transmigration of souls is examined, which excludes the Christian dogma of the future resurrection of bodies. In the second, positive part of the essay, Christian doctrine of the origin of the world, the human soul, its immortality and future resurrection is set forth.

The conversation of the three interlocutors takes place on the banks of the Nile. Theophrastus , the wisest of the Athenians, as he is called dialogue, serves as the representative of Plato's philosophy; The representative of Christian philosophy is the Syrian Aksifey. The dialogue ends with the fact that the neo-Platonist Feofrast, convinced by the arguments of Axipheus, is inclined to the side of the views of the Christian philosopher. “Plato himself,” says Theofrast, “advises to adhere to a well-known teaching until the best is found; nothing can be better than the revealed Christian teaching. ” Axifey sends thanks to the all-holy Trinity, who has given man reason that is capable of comprehending Divine truths; Theophrastus was published by Boissonade (Paris, 1836).

The teacher Aeneas Hierocles was a pagan. This fact, as well as the classical traditions in the content of the education of the Gas School throughout the entire VI century, explain the completely classical, antique character of the surviving letters of Aeneas. Of the 25 letters, 9 are in Russian translation.