Christianity and Philosophy in Late Antiquity Working Group: "Incorruptible Bodies and Immortal Souls: Nemesius of Emesa and the Theological Anthropology of Eastern Christianity"

This talk will consider the reception of Nemesius of Emesa’s text On the Nature of Man (ONM) in the Greek, Syriac, Armenian, and Arabic traditions. Nemesius, a fourth-century Syrian Christian Platonist, was not widely cited in his own day. However, between the seventh and ninth centuries, many prominent Eastern Christian theologians cited and translated ONM. We will investigate some of the debates in which these theologians were involved—and how they marshaled ONM to support their arguments —to suggest that this text is a “bellwether” for a surge in Eastern Christian interest in theological anthropology in the early medieval period. We will pay particular attention to the context behind the Armenian translation of ONM, which remains understudied.

This workshop is co-organized by the Christianity and Philosophy in Late Antiquity and the Ancient Philosophy working groups. 

For more information on this event, please contact John Reilly.