John of Apamea
John of Apamea | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 5th century AD |
| Died | c. 5th century AD |
John of Apamea (Syriac: ܝܘܚܢܢ ܕܐܘܦܡܝܐ[1]), John the Solitary (Syriac: Yoḥannan Iḥidaya), or John the Solitary of Apamea was a 5th-century Syriac Christian writer from Apamea, Syria.[2][3]
His writings are strongly influenced by Evagrius Ponticus's works, which were available to him via Syriac translations of the time.[4] In turn, John of Apamea's works have influenced Isaac the Syrian, a prolific 7th-century Syriac Christian mystical writer.[5]
Historic identity[edit]
The identity of the historic John of Apamea is controversial. Some scholars have proposed that he may have in fact been two or three separate individuals.[6]
Silent prayer[edit]
John of Apamea is known for his innovative ideas on silent prayer. Ashkelony (2012) states that John of Apamea is the earliest known Christian writer to systematically write about a theory of silent prayer. In the Dialogue on the Soul, John of Apamea proposes that the three stages (or levels) of silent prayer are those of the body, soul, and finally, the spirit. As such, there are three levels of stillness. The first is the cessation of speech; the second is the stillness of the soul in which the mind no longer has to fight distracting thoughts; and last of all, the stillness of the spirit in which stillness passes beyond the soul or ego.[4]
Selected writings[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "John of Apamea". Syriaca.org. 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ "Yoḥannan Iḥidaya". Beth Mardutho, The Syriac Institute, Gorgias Press. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ Acosta, Dempsey Rosales (2014). From John of Apamea to Mark's Gospel. New York: Peter Lang Incorporated, International Academic Publishers. ISBN 978-1-4331-2616-1.
- ^ a b Bitton-Ashkelony, Brouria (2012). ""More Interior than the Lips and the Tongue": John of Apamea and Silent Prayer in Late Antiquity". Journal of Early Christian Studies. 20 (2): 303–331. doi:10.1353/earl.2012.0011. ISSN 1086-3184.
- ^ Bitton-Ashkelony, Brouria (2011). "The Limit of the Mind (NOΥΣ): Pure Prayer according to Evagrius Ponticus and Isaac of Nineveh". Zeitschrift für Antikes Christentum / Journal of Ancient Christianity. 15 (2). doi:10.1515/zac.2011.15. ISSN 1612-961X.
- ^ Acosta, Dempsey Rosales (2014). "John of Apamea: His Identity and his dualistic anthropological conception". Revista Teología y Cultura (in Spanish). 16: 84–105. ISSN 1668-6233. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ Brock, Sebastian (1979). "John the Solitary, "On Prayer"". The Journal of Theological Studies. 30 (1). Oxford University Press: 84–101. ISSN 0022-5185. JSTOR 23961671.
- ^ "Letter to Hesychius". Luke Dysinger. Retrieved 2024-06-03.
- ^ Ed. Sven Dedering, Johannes von Lykopolis: Ein Dialog über die Seele und die Affekte des Menschen (Leiden: Brill, 1936) (in German); trans. Irénée Hausherr, Jean le Solitaire (Pseudo-Jean de Lycopolis). Dialogue sur l’âme et les passions des hommes, OCA 120 (Rome: Pontificium Institutum Orientalium Studiorum, 1939). (in French)
