Methody Zinkovskii: On the discrepancy and overlapping of the semantic fields of notions of 'atom' and 'hypostasis' in patristic thought

I argue that in patristic thought  there was gradually developed a revolutionary approach to solution of the paradox of continuity and discontinuity and of the problem of what the ‘atoms’ of existence are. Considering various patristic texts concerning the implications of the terms ‘atom’ and ‘hypostasis’ author comes to a conclusion that their meanings do overlap, especially in the sense of wholeness, but they are in no way synonyms. The notion of hypostasis within patristic theology and anthropology acquired many new connotations including integrity and synthetics, life and dispensation, free personal will and self-propelling. Overall patristic thought obviously leads us to stunning understanding that the ‘atoms’ of the created reality are not Democritus’ indivisibles but in fact human synthetic hypostases bearing the image of the Three-Hypostatic Creator.Moreover in the author’s view patristic thinking allows to resolve the antinomy of continuity and discontinuity of being by divorcing of these conceptions between two aspects of single ontology. Discontinuity is attributed to hypostatic aspect whereas continuity to the essential one. This solution allows to keep the unity of ontology and to speak about complementarity of the principles of continuity and discontinuity in a more sterling way than it was done by Leibnitz or by some contemporary scientists.