The patristic notion of creativeness Cover Image

Patrystyczne ujęcie twórczości
The patristic notion of creativeness

Author(s): Bogna Kosmulska
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku
Keywords: creativeness; creation; mimetism; novelty vs newness (καινοτομία); Augustine; Cappadocians; Maximus the Confessor

Summary/Abstract: The paper deals with the question whether the patristic thought has to say about human creativeness. The point is that them Christian reflection (exemplified by Augustine, the Cappadocians, and Maximus the Confessor) – even though it is very conservative and continues an ancient notion of art as the field of craft and plain mimetism – provides nonetheless the indirect, theological possibility to rethink the man’s activity. The special emphasis is put on the ambigiuity in the patristic term of ‘newness’ (καινοτομία) which designates a ‘heretic novelty’, as well as a miracle both of the God’s creation and incarnation, and human creative Christian and Christocentric mimetism.

  • Issue Year: 2015
  • Issue No: 17
  • Page Range: 107-111
  • Page Count: 5