Evagrius of Pontus on Λύπη : Distress and cognition between philosophy, medicine, and monasticism

Book chapter


Zecher, Jonathan. (2023). Evagrius of Pontus on Λύπη : Distress and cognition between philosophy, medicine, and monasticism. In In Ayres, Lewis, Champion, Michael W. and Crawford, Matthew R. (Ed.). The Intellectual World of Late Antique Christianity : Reshaping Classical Traditions pp. 530 - 547 Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108883559.030
AuthorsZecher, Jonathan
EditorsAyres, Lewis, Champion, Michael W. and Crawford, Matthew R.
Abstract

This chapter explores Evagrius of Pontus’ contribution to a uniquely Christian construction of the human being as knowing subject and known object. Evagrius includes distress (λύπη) among the ‘Eight Evil Thoughts’. Evagrius, following Paul, distinguishes between ‘worldly’ or ‘demonic’ λύπη and godly λύπη. This chapter probes this distinction in context of ancient passion-lists, which create affective lexica and cultural scripts for the articulation and management of emotions. In them λύπη is a deleterious emotion and an impediment to proper cognition. Evagrius emulates these lists but modifies their logic: he replaces classical with biblical exemplars, and he inserts the Pauline distinction between godly and worldly λύπη. Evagrius thus differentiates between positive and negative emotion on the basis of cause or intentional object. This results in λύπη becoming a valid dimension of human knowing, while creating a new need for a hermeneutic of λύπη and organisation of human emotion and knowledge.

Keywordshistory of emotion; distress; Evagrius of Pontus; passions; asceticism
Page range530 - 547
Year01 Jan 2023
Book titleThe Intellectual World of Late Antique Christianity : Reshaping Classical Traditions
PublisherCambridge University Press
Place of publicationUnited Kingdom
ISBN9781108883559
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108883559.030
Web address (URL)https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/intellectual-world-of-late-antique-christianity/evagrius-of-pontus-on-distress-and-cognition-between-philosophy-medicine-and-monasticism/AEA399FAB78A007A8CACD97CC3E638BB
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Publication dates
Online05 Oct 2023
Print2023
Publication process dates
Deposited26 Jun 2024
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