Abstract
This article examines Platonic metaphors of ecstasy in the works of Clement of Alexandria and Pseudo-Macarius. It analyzes how these Christian thinkers reinterpreted the concepts of "baccheia" and "theoria" to describe the act of acquiring an altered state of consciousness through philosophy and spiritual progress, whose target is the Heavenly kingdom. Drawing on Platonic texts and their Christian adaptations, the article also shows how these metaphors have contributed to the Christian ascetic tradition.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The soul's communion with God in western and Byzantine Christianity |
| Editors | Luminiţa Diaconu, Andra Jugănaru |
| Place of Publication | Bucharest |
| Publisher | Editura Universității din București - Bucharest University Press (EUB - BUP) |
| Pages | 43-73 |
| Number of pages | 31 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9786061615148 |
| Publication status | Published - 2024 |
Keywords
- rejoicing
- reverie
- theoria
- ecstasy
- asceticism