Kefalaya. Gnostic Treatise by Evagrius of Pontus as One of the Sources of Origenistic Ideas of the IV Century

Abstract

Evagrius of Pontus interests us as a supporter of Origenism. «Kefalaya Gnostic» (γνωστικὰ Κεφάλαι) of the IV century is one of the works of Evagrius, which became a source of orenistic ideas. «Kefalaya Gnostic» – translated as «provisions on knowledge», consists of 6 books with 90 provisions (chapters). Initially, the theology of Evagrius originates in the Orthodox tradition of the Cappadocian fathers Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian. The Evagrius ascetic system presented in this treatise is embedded in Neoplatonist cosmology. The first action of God, out of time, was the instantaneous creation of all through the first natural contemplation. By contemplating the corporeal nature, an ascetic can, by the grace of God, purify his mind so that he is able to contemplate disembodied beings… Having considered these conclusions easily, one can see that there is a very serious heterodoxy in the Evagrius system, which is synthesized with Neoplatonism, Stoicism, Christianity and even some unique Alexandrian elements. Anathemas against Origenism in the sixth century were directed mainly against the doctrines put forward in the «Kefalaya Gnostic».

Funding
The work was carried out without external sources of funding.