Divine Infinity in Greek and Medieval Thought [Hardcover]

Leo S.J. Sweeney (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Initiated by Etienne Gilson's seeking in the early 1950s, of why medieval authors spoke of God's "being" as itself infinite, a statement found neither in Judaeo-Christian Scriptures nor in Greek philosophers, this volume consists of chapters on Hellenic and Hellenistic philosophers (Presocratics, Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, and Proclus), Eastern Church Fathers (Gregory of Nyssa and John Damascene), Augustine, and medieval authors (Peter Lombard, Richard Fishacre, Bonaventure, and Aquinas). Its answer: infinity is predicated of God not only extrinsically (e.g., His power can cause an infinite number and variety of creatures, none of which can limit or contain Him) but also intrinsically. His very being is infinite--a predication resting on an Aristotelian theory of act/potency or on a Platonic version of participation. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 576 pages
• Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing (September 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0820411787
• ISBN-13: 978-0820411781
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,285,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vere, Deus infinitus est!, April 26, 2001

By 

John M. DeJak (Ann Arbor, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Divine Infinity in Greek and Medieval Thought (Paperback)

It has been said that the starting point for the study of philosophy is a childlike sense of 'awe' at the universe and at existence itself. Fr. Sweeney certainly has that sense of awe and wonder at the world and at the ultimate reality: God. This wonder and awe has led him to contemplate God's nature, more specifically, the 'infinity'of His nature. Fr. Sweeney's brilliant work on the infinity of God spans four decades and is given a brilliant explicatio in this tome. I also recommend Fr. Sweeney's AUTHENTIC METAPHYSICS IN AN AGE OF UNREALITY and his recent CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY. Essential for students and scholars of the 'philosophia perennis.'

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concerning Leo Sweeney's Christian Philosophy, June 3, 2000

By 

Jacob Hayden (Chicago,Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Divine Infinity in Greek and Medieval Thought (Paperback)

This text brings to surface the connection between philosophy and theology. The text includes some of Father Sweeney's previously published articles including:Was Augustine a Christian or a Neoplatonist? A great read for anyone wanting to better understand the link between theology and philosophy with empirical examples from some of the greatest thinkers.