Pseudo-Dionysius: The Divine Names · 10 of 15 · tr. C.E. Rolt
Chapter 1, Section 1j
143 143 God is above Time.
For the Nameless Goodness is not only the cause of cohesion or life or perfection in such wise as to derive Its Name from this or that providential activity alone; nay, rather does It contain all things beforehand within Itself, after a simple and uncircumscribed manner through the perfect excellence of Its one and all-creative Providence, and thus we draw from the whole creation Its appropriate praises and Its Names.
8.
Moreover, the sacred writers proclaim not only such titles as these (titles drawn from universal 144 144 e.
g.
“I am that I am,” “Good,” “Fair.” or from particular 145 145 e.
g.
Sun,” c c Star,” “Rock,” etc.
providences or providential activities 146 146 ἀπὸ τῶν .
.
.
προνοιῶν ἢ προνοουμένων.
The first are the faculties of acting or being revealed in a certain way; the second are the results or manifestations of these faculties when in action.
), but sometimes they have gained their images from certain heavenly visions 147 147 Thus the complete classification is: (1) Analogies drawn from the material world, (a) universal, (b) particular; (2) psychic visions.
(which in the holy precincts or elsewhere have illuminated the Initiates or the Prophets), and, ascribing to the super-luminous nameless Goodness titles drawn from all manner of acts and functions, have clothed It in human (fiery or amber) shapes 148 148 Ezek.
i.
26, 27 .
or forms, and have spoken of Its Eyes, 149 149 Ps.
x.
5 .
and Ears, 150 150 James v.
4 .
and Hair, 151 151 Dan.
vii.
9 .
and Face, 152 152 Ps.
xxxiii.
17 .
and Hands, 153 153 Job x.
8 .
and Wings, 154 154 Ps.
xci.
4 .
and Feathers, 155 155 Ibid.
and Arms, 156 156 Deut.
xxxiii.
27 .
and Back Parts, 157 157 Ex.
xxxiii.
23 .
and Feet; 158 158 Ex.
xxiv.
10 .
and fashioned such mystical 64 conceptions as its Crown, 159 159 Rev.
xiv.
14 .
and Throne, 160 160 Ezek.
i.
26, 27 .
and Cup, 161 161 Ps.
lxxv.
8 .
and Mixing Bowl, 162 162 Prov.
ix.
5 .
etc., concerning which things we will attempt to speak when we treat of Symbolical Divinity.
At present, collecting from the Scriptures what concerns the matter in hand, and employing as our canon the rule we have described, and guiding our search thereby, let us proceed to an exposition of God’s Intelligible 163 163 τῶν νοητῶν θεωνυμιῶν—i.
e.
the Names belonging to God when revealed in the relative sphere; not those which belong to the ultimate Godhead as such.
In fact, the Godhead, as such, is Nameless.
See Intr., p.
7.
Names; and as the Hierarchical Law directs us in all study of Divinity, let us approach these godlike contemplations (for such indeed they are 164 164 κυρίως εἰπεῖν—i.
e.
actually godlike because man is deified by them.
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
The text explicitly discusses how sacred writers clothed the Nameless Goodness in human (fiery or amber) shapes and spoke of Its Eyes, Ears, Hair, Face, Hands, Wings, Feathers, Arms, Back Parts, and Feet.
Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.
The passage centrally emphasizes that the Godhead is 'Nameless' and transcends all positive categories, stating 'In fact, the Godhead, as such, is Nameless.'
Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.
The passage explicitly describes the 'one and all-creative Providence' that contains all things beforehand within itself through perfect excellence.
A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.
The distinction between the Nameless Godhead and the 'Intelligible Names' revealed in the relative sphere implies a hierarchical structure of divine reality.
Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
The passage describes drawing praises from the whole creation and employing a rule to approach 'godlike contemplations,' implying direct experiential knowledge.
Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.
The text notes that sacred writers sometimes gain images from heavenly visions and speak of divine attributes in symbolic forms reserved for the initiated.
The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy.
The text explicitly states that 'man is deified by them' through godlike contemplations.