While there were a few notable figures who incorporated the
Areopagite during the early medieval period, the Victorines are credited
as leaders in the revival of Pseudo-Dionysian spirituality in the high
medieval period. Csaba Nemeth produced the most complete study of the
Victorines and Pseudo-Dionysius, and, in line with Victorine scholarship
in general, Hugh and Richard received the most complete treatment. The
scholarship on Achard of St. Victor, Richard’s abbot, and
Pseudo-Dionysius accounts for only one paragraph. My presentation will
act as a corrective to Nemeth’s work. Nemeth’s work identifies Achard’s
incorporation of the angelic order, which could indicate familiarity
with the Aeropagite’s The Celestial Hierarchy, but due
to a different ordering, Nemeth dismisses any actual Pseudo-Dionysian
influence. I contend that this is a myopic misreading of Achard.
In order to see the Pseudo-Dionysian influence in Achard’s theology, one has to look at the relationship between reason and love. In Sermon 15, Achard explicitly insists that reason and language have limits, but love is boundless and it is only through love that one enters into mystical unity with the Trinity. My presentation will argue that Achard’s treatment of love beyond reason is an indication of Pseudo-Dionysian influence. This presentation will contribute to scholarship on Pseudo-Dionysius reception history as well as Victorine studies.
In order to see the Pseudo-Dionysian influence in Achard’s theology, one has to look at the relationship between reason and love. In Sermon 15, Achard explicitly insists that reason and language have limits, but love is boundless and it is only through love that one enters into mystical unity with the Trinity. My presentation will argue that Achard’s treatment of love beyond reason is an indication of Pseudo-Dionysian influence. This presentation will contribute to scholarship on Pseudo-Dionysius reception history as well as Victorine studies.
Le sujet de la conférence est tout à fait passionnant et je regrette de la découvrir après coup. Sur le fond, je pense comme vous qu'il ne faudrait pas trop sous-estimer une influence du pseudo-Denys sur Achard de Saint-Victor, mais indirecte, médiatisée par les écrits d'Hugues de Saint-Victor. Dans le cas présent, au lieu d'une influence directe du pseudo-Denys sur Achard, le thème d'un amour au-delà de la raison chez Achard de Saint-Victor peut s'expliquer simplement comme une influence victorine, car ce thème se lit aussi chez Hugues (surtout dans son commentaire de la Hiérarchie céleste il est vrai) et surtout chez Richard de Saint-Victor, contemporain d'Achard, qui le transmet ensuite à Thomas Gallus. C'est à Thomas Gallus qu'on doit ensuite l'interprétation, si répandue après lui, des neuf choeurs d'esprits célestes constituant une progression de l'âme vers Dieu dans laquelle le sommet (le séraphin de l'âme) s'identifie à une dilection supraintellectuelle.
ReplyDeleteCordialement,
Dominique Poirel