"This book focuses on Irenaeus as key to the early Christian appropriation of divine simplicity as a philosophical principle, since he is the first Christian source to explain his usage in relation to God. Beyond providing limits for what a simple God can and cannot mean, he also applies this principle to God's activity (i.e. creating), and to God's names and powers. There is a growing interest in the early Christian appropriation of divine simplicity: Simons' study is timely as the first book to focus exclusively on the earliest explanation and application"--
This book examines Irenaeus account of divine simplicity in the second century, the first extant Christian writer to explain his use of this philosophical concept which became so central to later Christian thought.
Acknowledgements
Abbreviations
Introduction
1 Irenaeus’ Mobility and Correspondence
2 Irenaeus’ Usage of Sources
3 Structure
Part 1 Divine Simplicity in Haer. 2.13
1 Theological Claims in Book 2 of Against Heresies
1 Beyond “Purely Negative Polemic”: Theological Claims in Books 1–2
2 The Rule of Truth (Haer. 1.10 and 1.22)
3 The One God Is Creator (Haer. 2.1–2)
4 God Is Simple (Haer. 2.12–13)
5 God Is Revealed in the Harmony of Scripture (Haer. 2.25–28)
6 Conclusion
2 Definition and Explanation of Divine Simplicity in Haer. 2.13
1 Haer. 2.13.3–4a: Irenaeus’ Definition of Divine Simplicity
2 Haer. 2.13.4B–10: Parameters for Language about God
3 Conclusion
Part 2 Theological Implications of Divine Simplicity
3 Divine Will for Creation in the Containment Metaphor of Haer. 2.1–6
1 Spatial Meaning of “Containing, Not Contained”
2 Temporal Meaning of “Containing, Not Contained”
3 Cognitive Meaning of “Containing, Not Contained”
4 Providential Meaning of “Containing, Not Contained”
5 Conclusion
4 Divine Generation and a Simple God
1 Second-Century Descriptions of the Simple God and Divine Generation
2 Metaphors for Divine Generation in Irenaeus (Haer. 2.17.2)
3 Distinction in a Simple, Uniform, Equal, and Similar Generation
4 Conclusion
5 Divine Activity in the Hands of God Metaphor of Haer. 4.20
1 Scriptural Exegesis for the Hands of God Metaphor
2 Terminology of Divine Simplicity in the Activity of Father, Son, and Spirit
3 Two Potential Challenges to This Reading of Haer. 4.20
4 Conclusion
6 Divine Powers and Divine Titles
1 Powers, Names, and Titles of “One and the Same” God in Haer. 2.35.3–4
2 Mutually Entailing Powers of God in Creation
3 Mutually Entailing Titles and Names of God in Scripture
4 Conclusion
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
Jonatan Simons, Ph.D. (2021), Australian Catholic University, is Assistant Professor of Theology at Fundación Universitaria Seminario Bķblico de Colombia. He has presented and published various papers in the field of Patristics, such as God and eiusdem substantiae in Against Heresies 2.17-18 (Studia Patristica in 2021).
