Platonic Theories of Prayer (Studies in Platonism, Neoplatonism, and the Platonic Tradition, 19)

Platonic Theories of Prayer is a collection of ten essays on the topic of prayer in the later Platonic tradition. The volume originates from a panel on the topic held at the 2013 ISNS meeting in Cardiff but is supplemented by several invited papers. Together they offer a comprehensive view of the various roles and levels of prayer characteristic of this period. The concept of prayer is shown to include not just formal petitionary or encomiastic prayer, but also theurgical practices and various states of meditation and ecstasy practiced by such major figures as Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblichus, Proclus, Damascius or Dionysius the Areopagite. Book Cover Half-title Page Series Page Title Page Copyright c Page Contents Notes on Contributors Introduction, by John Dillon and Andrei Timotin The Platonic Philosopher at Prayer, by John Dillon Bibliography Modes of Prayer in the Hellenic Tradition, by Gilles Dorival Pagan Critics of Petitionary Prayer The Transformation of Petitionary Prayer Appropriation of Traditional Petitionary Prayer in Late Antiquity Conclusion Bibliography Philo on Prayer as Devotional Study, by Menahem Luz Bibliography Prayer in Maximus of Tyre, by Carl O’Brien Introduction On Petitionary Prayer The Wider Religious Context Maximus’ Arguments as Moralising Commonplaces Conclusion Bibliography Awaiting the Sun: A Plotinian Form of Contemplative Prayer, by Michael Wakoff Forms of Prayer in Plotinus Contemplating the Sunrise A Disguised Sun Meditation A Reply, by The Metaphor Objection The Sun as the Visible Statue of the One Eros and Image Bibliography Porphyry on Prayer. Platonic Tradition and Religious Trends in the Third Century, by Andrei Timotin Bibliography Editions and Translations Secondary Literature Prayer in Neoplatonism and the Chaldaean Oracles. Porphyry, Iamblichus, Proclus, by Luc Brisson The Orphic Rhapsodies? The Chaldaean Oracles What Does Prayer Consist In? Porphyry Iamblichus Proclus Prayer in Its Philosophical Context How Does Prayer Reach Perfection? Whence is Prayer Instilled in the Soul Along with What Monads Did Eros Leap Forth into Being? Where Did Eros Come From? How Does He Go Forth to All Things? Prayer and Theurgy Bibliography Cosmic Etiology and Demiurgic Mimesis in Proclus’ Account of Prayer, by Danielle A. Layne Introduction The Primary versus Supplementary Causes of the Cosmos Cosmological and Demiurgic Mimesis Bibliography The Transmission of Fire: Proclus’ Theurgical Prayers, by José Manuel Redondo Theurgists on Fire Towards a Unified Pluralist Approach to Theurgy The Platonic Cave Movie-Theater A Fire That Descends from the Stars Praying to Become a Divine, Loving Statue Bibliography Damascius and Dionysius on Prayer and Silence, by Marilena Vlad Damascius’ Silence and the Prayer for Forgiveness Dionysius’ Prayer to Get to Silence Concluding Remarks Bibliography Index Locorum Index Nominum Index Rerum "Platonic Theories of Prayer" is a collection of ten essays on the topic of prayer in the later Platonic tradition. The volume originates from a panel on the topic held at the 2013 ISNS meeting in Cardiff, but is supplemented by a number of invited papers. Together they offer a comprehensive view of the various roles and levels of prayer characteristic of this period. The concept of prayer is shown to include not just formal petitionary or encomiastic prayer, but also theurgical practices and various states of meditation and ecstasy practised by such major figures as Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblichus, Proclus, Damascius or Dionysius the Areopagite This book is a collection of ten essays on the topic of prayer in the later Platonic tradition. The volume originates from a panel on the topic held at the 2013 ISNS meeting in Cardiff, but is supplemented by a number of invited papers. Together they offer a comprehensive view of the various roles and levels of prayer characteristic of this period. The concept of prayer is shown to include not just formal petitionary or encomiastic prayer, but also theurgical practices and various states of meditation and ecstasy practised by such major figures as Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblichus, Proclus, Damascius or Dionysius the Areopagite Is A Collection Of Ten Essays On The Topic Of Prayer In The Later Platonic Tradition. Composed By A Panel Of Distinguished Scholars, They Offer A Comprehensive View Of The Various Roles And Levels Of Prayer Characteristic Of This Period.